LSI undergraduate opportunities enable students to contribute to projects with real life applications, which will enhance their understanding of science, expose them to a range of scientific careers, help them develop the practical skills they need to pursue high-level research, make them competitive for graduate and career opportunities in science, and contribute to the enhancement of scientific knowledge and the BC research sector. Undergraduate opportunities in the LSI exist through the following programs:

Department Directed Studies

Undergraduate students have unique opportunities to participate in life sciences research, under the direct supervision of faculty members, when they enroll in these courses (BIOL448, BIOC448, MICB448A, B and C). These 3 or 6 credit courses are designed to help students develop skills essential to carrying out independent research and lab work. A directed studies project provides students with valuable experience in writing up and analyzing experimental results. It also gives undergraduates the chance to interact with faculty members, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research staff members in a laboratory setting.

Honours Thesis
Courses

(e.g. BIOL449, MICB449, BIOC449, PHYL449) give undergraduate students a special research experience taking a project from inception, through data gathering, data analysis and interpretation, all the way to the writing of an honours thesis and oral defense of the project. These 6 credit courses are coupled with additional informational courses that are part of the honours program in the selected discipline. As with Directed Studies experiences, students have special opportunities to interact directly with faculty, staff, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in a research laboratory setting.

Summer
Studentships

Special opportunities are available for undergraduate students to work on short-term research projects in laboratories within the LSI and receive a stipend to support their time working on the project. Please contact Principal Investigators directly to enquire about opportunities in their laboratories.