DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY HONORS PROGRAM
Objectives
The Biology Honors Program is an advanced independent study program in biology that encourages and
recognizes superior scholarship by interested, capable and energetic students during the last two years of their
undergraduate study. The Biology Honors Program may follow the two-year University Undergraduate Honors
Program, but The University Undergraduate Honors Program is not a prerequisite.
The goal of the program is 1) to provide a supportive and cohesive social and intellectual environment for
students through the weekly Biology Honors Seminar, and 2) to provide an intensive independent research
experience in a research laboratory under the close supervision of a faculty mentor. This research results in an
Honor's Thesis that is presented to the Department and defended before a three member faculty committee.
Admission
A. Undergraduates are eligible to enter the Biology Department Honors Program upon attaining
sophomore standing. Acceptance into the program is possible but is not encouraged after the first semester of
the junior year.
B. Students who have an overall cumulative gradepoint average of at least 3.0 may be considered
for program admission. Transfer students with equivalent academic records at other accredited institutions are
also eligible. Admission will not be based on grades alone, but on some evidence of maturity and interest that
suggests they are likely to successfully complete the requirements for graduation with Honors. Students do not
have to be Biology majors to participate.
C. Students must have identified a faculty mentor and arranged for sponsorship before an
application can be reviewed. The mentor must be a Biology faculty member or a close affiliate of the
department such as an adjunct faculty member of the department or a biologist working closely with Biology
faculty. If a student is not certain whether or not a particular faculty member qualifies as a Biology Honors
Program mentor, the student should contact the Director of the Biology Honors Program (LINK TO MY
WEBSITE). If a student is not certain about who he/she wants to work with, they should consult with faculty in
their area of interest (LINK TO BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT FACULTY WEBSITE) and consider working in
the laboratories of potential mentors by registering for non-honors research (e.g., BSCI 279 or BSCI 399).
Registration for the latter requires prior approval of the potential faculty mentor. To help identify prospective
mentors, a student may also wish to check with the Biology Undergraduate Office (LINK TO
UNDERGRADUATE OFFICE HERE)(Room 2227 Biol-Psychol Building) or with the Director of the Biology
Honors Program (LINK TO MY WEBSITE) for further suggestions.
D. Ideally, interested students should submit an application to the Director of the Honors
Program at least one month prior to the semester the student wishes to enter the program, but
applications are considered on a rolling basis as well. The selection of students for the Honors Program is
the responsibility of the Program Director, who will consider the past performance of the student, the student's
interest and prospects for success in the program. Applications may be obtained here (LINK TO BIOLOGY
HONORS PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM).
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Program Activities
One of the main activities of the Biology Honors Program is the weekly Biology Honors Seminar (BSCI
398H). This seminar has 3 primary goals: 1) Intellectual stimulation from accomplished professionals inside
and outside of the university who speak about their research, career trajectories and options, 2) transfer of
relevant information about research and study opportunities, upcoming time lines and dead lines for the Biology
Honors Program (especially related to the thesis), and other information relevant to professional development of
the students, 3) continuity and social opportunities with the cadre of students and faculty in the Biology Honors
Program (this may include social events and field trips).
The other primary activity of the Biology Honors Program involves research. Students gain an
appreciation for the research process, including:
1) Identifying a problem.
The problem may originate with the student's mentor, but as the student gains experience the problem should
evolve into one that has aspects contributed by the student.
2) Appreciating the background to the problem.
Background may be acquired through reading relevant literature and discussion with the mentor.
3) Developing a Hypothesis.
A statement summarizing one's understanding of the system under study in a way that permits a testing of the
correctness of that understanding.
4) Learning the methods and acquiring the data.
Suitable methods of description of experimentation that appear appropriate to yield the data necessary for
testing the hypothesis are selected and developed. Observations or experiments are executed by the student and
the results are recorded.
5) Analyzing and interpreting data.
Graphic and statistical analyses of the data are completed in a manner appropriate for testing the stated
hypothesis. The student then interprets the data and results from analyses, drawing conclusions, and perhaps
suggests alternative hypotheses.
6) Presenting the information.
The student will have an opportunity to present a preliminary version of their thesis to a supportive audience in
the Biology Honors Seminar prior to their presentation to the department and in their thesis defense. In
addition, the thesis itself will be prepared in the format of a scientific journal publication for the faculty
committee prior to the Thesis Defense. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their work for publication,
often in association with their mentor or other collaborators.
Requirements and Procedures of the Program
1. Enrollment in Honors Seminar (BSCI 398H) each semester. This is a 1-hour seminar in which
Honors students meet weekly to discuss their progress and make research presentations to their peers. Because
of the importance placed on the social continuity, cohesiveness and intellectual stimulation of the group, this
Seminar is required each semester unless there is a conflict involving a course that is required for graduation; in
this case, a waiver may be granted (with outside seminar attendance and reports required) by the Director of the
Biology Honors Program, but never more than for one semester.
2. A research proposal that has been approved and signed by the mentor must be submitted to the
Director of the Honors Program. This is due no later than the end of the second semester in which the
student has enrolled in the program; the due date will be indicated in the letter of acceptance to the
Program that is received by the student and his/her mentor. This proposal should be developed in
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consultation with the mentor. It should include an introduction that provides the relevant literature and
background logic necessary to understand the context and significance of the proposed worked; a clearly stated
hypothesis or set of hypotheses; and the methodology for acquiring and analyzing the data.
3. An Honors Thesis must be completed for review first by one's mentor and then by a faculty
committee of the mentor and at least two other faculty members. The Thesis Committee is selected by the
student in consultation with the mentor, and must be approved by the Director of the Honors Program. The
Thesis should be written in standard scientific journal format and should be available to the Committee at least
7 days prior to the scheduled Thesis Defense. A copy of the final version of the Thesis, along with the
Signed Honors Thesis Defense Form (below), is due to the Director of the Biology Honors Program no
later than 2 weeks prior to the registrar's deadline (exact dates will be available from the Director each
semester).
4. An Oral Defense of the Honors Thesis will be scheduled by the student in consultation with the
Director of the Biology Honors Program, who will announce it to the entire Department of Biology. The
presentation should be about 20 minutes to a half hour, after which questions from the audience will be
entertained. Then the audience will depart and the student and his/her Thesis Committee will remain for the
Thesis Examination. The Examination will consist of questions by the examiners on the research itself, the
research topic and broader relevant areas. The examiners evaluate the student's performance in the presentation
and defense, the student's written thesis, and the student's level of research performance. If the student
successfully passes the oral defense, the examiners then recommend that the student graduate with “Honors”
or “High Honors”. In general, the "High" category is reserved for exceptional students who have made an
exceptional presentation, showed exceptional knowledge about their subject area and thesis work, and have
presented research at national meetings or authored or co-authored a paper that has been accepted for
publication. The mentor must inform the Director of the Biology Honor Program of the defense outcome and
the graduation status (did not successfully pass the defense; passed with Honors or High Honors) by email
within two days of the Defense. An Honors Thesis Defense Form must be filled out and signed by the
student's committee at the time of the oral defense and returned with the completed Thesis no later than
2 weeks prior to the registrar's deadline (exact dates will be available from the Director each semester).
5. Graduation. At the College of Chemical and Life Sciences Graduation, the student’s name will be
announced, followed by “Honors in Biology” or “High Honors in Biology”, as the student walks across the
stage to receive his/her diploma. In addition, the student's diploma will read (for example): Bachelor of
Science, College of Life Sciences, "Honors in Biology" or "High Honors in Biology." Students may receive
Honors in more than one department but the program requirements of both departments must be met, the
student must have prior approval from the Director of the Biology Honors Program, and theses completed for
each Honors Program must be independent (i.e., the same project may not be used to meet the requirements of
two Honors programs).
Honors students may take the following courses:
BSCI 398H Honors Seminar (1 credit/semester). Required each semester that the student is in the
Honors Program. Meets 1 hour/week (Monday 4:00-5:00 p.m., Room 1230 Biol-Psychol Building). The
Honors Seminar requirement may be waived by the Director of the Honors Biology Program during one
semester only (except for the last semester of the senior year) if its scheduled time conflicts with a course that is
required for the student’s graduation, in which case the student is required to attend other relevant seminars and
submit a short report of each. Students need to report to the Biology Undergraduate Office (Room 2227,
Biol-Psychol Building, cjordan@umd.edu) each semester in order to have the electronic barrier removed
for enrollment.
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BSCI 399H Honors Research (1-2 credits/semester). Required each semester that the student is
carrying out some aspect of the research process described above. As a rule of thumb, 3-4 hours of research
time/week = 1 credit hour. Be sure to specify your mentor's individual section number when registering for this
course. A total of three credit hours of Honors Research (399H) will apply toward the biological sciences major
(will not count as a lab course). The remaining credits (up to 8 hours for 399H and up to 4 hours for 398H)
contribute to general electives toward graduation. Students need to report to the Biology Undergraduate
Office (Room 2227, Biol-Psychol Building, cjordan@umd.edu) each semester in order to have the
electronic barrier removed for enrollment.
Privileges for Honors Students
1. Honors students who are making demonstrable progress in their research are eligible to apply for
scholarships that may be available from the General Honors Program or from the College of Life Sciences (e.g.,
the Howard Hughes Grant).
2. They may be granted the right to use academic facilities ordinarily available only to graduate students
or assistants.
3. They may take, with permission of the instructor and the Department, graduate courses and receive
undergraduate credit for them.
4. They may be exempted from some Department requirements, as recommended by the Honors
Program Director and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
5. They may apply for after-hour parking privileges in a Biology Building parking lot.
6. They will receive Biology Newsletters and may make contributions to the newsletter.
7. They are invited to attend the weekly department seminars: Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior Monday, Noon, Room 1208; Neuroscience - Friday, Noon, Room 1208; Cell & Molecular - Wednesday, Noon,
Room 1208).
8. They may take any University Honors Program course (including many 300-level courses that may
fulfill advanced studies requirements) or any Honors version courses in any department (departmental approval
required in some cases).
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