Biology Capstone Courses
Biology courses that may be used as Capstone Experience
BIO 4871 – Senior Seminar: Evolutionary Medicine. This course will introduce students to topics regarding evolutionary medicine to gain a further appreciation of the impact of evolution on human health and disease. The course will consist of short lectures, literature reviews, and class discussions. A comprehensive written paper on evolutionary medicine is required. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing with 90 credit hours or more. Enrollment is open to biology and biomedical majors only. As a student, you will ENROLL in BIO 4871 for a capstone experience and also ENROLL in BIO 4840 to receive credit for the capstone experience. Complete the Evolutionary Medicine Capstone Contract.
BIO 4871 – Senior Seminar: What is Life? This course will introduce students to perspectives regarding defining life with special reference to the origins and emergence of living systems. The course will consist of short lectures, literature reviews and class discussions. A comprehensive written paper on distinguishing between living and non-living matter consistent with the origins and emergence of life is required. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing with 90 credit hours or more. Enrollment is open to biology and biomedical majors only. As a student, you will ENROLL in BIO 4871 for a capstone experience and also ENROLL in BIO 4840 to receive credit for the capstone experience. Complete the What is Life? Capstone Contract.
BIO 4910 – Integrative Biology. Integrative Biology is a student-driven capstone course that synthesizes core concepts in biology in a collaborative environment. Advanced biological topics will be discussed and students will be expected to integrate core knowledge to answer complex biological questions. Completion of all courses in biology or biomedical science core is required. Complete the Integrative Biology Capstone Contract
BIO 4012 - Introduction to Biological Research. This course guides students in designing a research project, writing a proposal, and conducting and reporting research. Additionally, students learn to search the biological literature and critically evaluate published research papers. Emphasis is also placed on the development of written and oral communication skills. An individual research project is required. Complete the Intro to Biological Research Capstone Contract
BIO 495_ - Internship. Students interested in using an internship to complete the BIO 4840 Capstone requirement should visit the biology department internship website and contact Matt Parks, Ph.D., internship coordinator. The internship website has information on how to plan and enroll in an internship at UCO, and internship opportunities. To get college credit for an internship, students must have junior or senior standing (minimum of 60 hours completed, of which 12 hours must have been completed at UCO) and have completed the equivalent of the Biology Core Courses of UCO. The minimum GPA requirement is 2.75 in both biology and overall coursework. Students must be in good standing in all areas with the biology department. An internship manual outlines the procedures for getting course credit for an internship. Students are encouraged to identify possible new internship sites related to their interests. A criminal history background check might be required for some internship experiences. TRANSPORTATION ISSUES: Students engaging in off-campus internships will have to make arrangements for their own transportation. There are a limited number of Internship experiences available each semester.
BIO 4930 - Individual Study. This course will include activities resulting in an oral or poster presentation at a conference, co-authorship on a peer-reviewed article submission, or the submission of an on- or off-campus grant. Must be arranged with and approved by the individual faculty members and are limited. Complete the general Capstone Contract with the faculty mentor.
- BIO 3000, Workshop in Biology – not always offered
- BIO 3990, Advanced Topics in Biology – not always offered
- BIO 4900, Practicum in Biology – not always offered
- BIO 4920, Workshop in Biology – not always offered
- BIO 4950, Internship. Description TBD
- BIO 4960, Institute in Biology – not always offered
- BIO 4970, Study Tour – not always offered
The capstone contract form must be on file with the capstone coordinator before the student is allowed to enroll in BIO 4840.
A maximum of two credit hours of the courses listed above, whether taken in conjunction with the capstone experience or not, will apply to the 67 credit hours required for the major, except when BIO 4012 is chosen. If BIO 4012 is chosen as the capstone experience, an additional two credit hours may be taken.
The possibility of receiving transfer credit for a capstone course taken at another university will have to be approved by the biology department chairperson.