The following questions are commonly asked by students in Biological Sciences. If your question isn't answered here, you should call or visit the Biological Sciences Advising Office, 127 Burrill Hall, 333-6774, to get an answer.
1. Who is my advisor?
If your option is Biology General, your advisor is one of the staff in the Undergraduate Advising office. The advising office is located in 127 Burrill Hall, 333-6774. You should use this office for advice about courses, registering for the following semester, taking a course credit/no credit, and a variety of other situations.
If you are a student in one of the departmental options or majors, your department or the Biological Sciences Advising Office can give you the name and address of your advisor.
2. Where is my file kept?
All Biological Sciences student files are kept in 127 Burrill Hall.
3. When do I need an advisor's approval?
Any student experiencing academic difficulties will have an advising hold on their registration that is removed by meeting with their advisor before registration. You will be sent a letter describing when to set up appointments with advisors. The faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has stated: "The faculty wishes to acknowledge the increasing maturity of students at the University of Illinois and feels that they should be permitted to exercise their own judgment to a greater extent in the choice of their academic programs." Therefore, you will not have an advising hold automatically placed on your registration after completion of your first semester.
Students electing to use the Credit/No Credit option must have the agreement signed by your advisor. In exercising this prerogative, however, you are fully responsible for your own academic program. This includes:
4. What is registration?
All students who are currently registered, except graduating seniors, are eligible to register for the next semester. You will have the opportunity to make appointments with an advisor prior to your earliest registration time.
After discussing course selection with your advisor, you can access U of I Direct at your earliest registration time. The instructions for registering are printed in the front of the Timetable. You can continue to register for any semester until the tenth day of classes of that semester. There are some restrictions about dropping or changing sections placed on certain courses. Consult your Timetable for this information.
It is your responsibility to keep your current address up to date. While you are working on U of I Direct, you can update your address information. You will miss important mailings if your address is incorrect.
5. Can I graduate with honors in Biology?
If you are interested in the Biology Honors option, please consult the options page. Graduation with distinction is an opportunity available to all students who meet certain GPA requirements and who complete an undergraduate research project (commonly called "290 projects" because students doing these projects are enrolled for 290 credit). Candidates for distinction must complete an independent research project and submit a paper. The specific requirements for each major/option within Biological Sciences are listed at the bottom of the page describing that option.
6. What is "Credit/No Credit"?
Taking a course credit/no credit is an opportunity for you to explore an area of interest, but where you may be worried about your grade. If you earn a grade of "C-" or better, your transcript will note that you received credit in the course. If you receive a "D" or "F" your transcript will show that you did not receive credit, but your grade will not be recorded.
You may not take a course c/nc in any of the following circumstances:
7. What is the difference between the Biology General option and the other options in Life Sciences?
Biology General is the most flexible, least specialized option within Life Sciences. For this reason, it is a frequent choice of students who are planning to attend medical or dental school, or who are planning a graduate career, but have not yet focused on a particular area of biology.
The departmental options differ in mathematics and chemistry requirements, as well as in the choices of the upper level courses. During your introductory courses (Biology 120, 121 and 122), pay attention to the areas that are especially interesting to you. You may want to consider choosing a departmental option if you find that you are developing an interest in one particular area of biology.
8. How can I get some lab experience?
Students are frequently hired in faculty laboratories to wash glassware and make media. With more experience, they may be given additional responsibilities.
Students can also participate in "290 projects." If you want to do research with a faculty member, you should link to the 290 list of participating faculty. It is then up to you to contact those that are doing projects of interest to you. If you and the faculty person agree to work together, you will sign up for 2-5 hours of credit under the 290 rubric of the department in which the faculty person is appointed. (Students in departmental options should follow the procedures specified by the department.) The research that you do may form the basis of your distinction paper. Be sure to read the parts of the Undergraduate Programs book that discuss 290 credit.