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Click here for a printable version of this document General Questions║Independent Study Information║Especially for Freshmen
Q: How do I declare CELL as my major? A: Complete a Major Declaration Form (available in the departmental office or at your Dean’s office). The major code is “CELL”. Then see Marnie Mercado (mmercado@tulane.edu) to be assigned a faculty advisor. Turn the completed form in to your Dean’s office after meeting with your assigned advisor and obtaining his or her signature. Q: Can I double major in CELL and Neuroscience or CELL and Biological Chemistry? A: No. Due to the extensive degree of overlap between majors, students majoring in either Biological Chemistry or Neuroscience may not complete a second major in Cell and Molecular Biology. Q: What if the class or lab section I need is closed? A: First, wait-list for the course on TOUR (web) or TUTOR (phone). Then send an e-mail or leave a written message for Marnie Mercado (mmercado@tulane.edu). List the course you are trying to get into, any sections which would fit your schedule, and your e-mail address and phone number. Please be sure to list all possible sections that will fit your schedule. Generally, upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) are given preference in upper-level laboratories. Q: When will my laboratory class begin? A: Most laboratory classes begin the 2nd week of the semester. An announcement may be made in the lecture portion of the course as to when labs will start. Also, information is sometimes posted at the beginning of the semester in the departmental office, on the syllabus on our website, and on the laboratory classroom doors. If you are unsure when your laboratory starts, check with the instructor. Q: What if I have a question about a CELL course or the requirements for the CELL major? A: See your CELL advisor (see Marnie Mercado if you need to be assigned an advisor). Major and minor requirements, course descriptions, and courses allowed from other departments are posted on our website (http://cell.tulane.edu) and outside the departmental office (2000 Stern). Questions about college degree requirements (humanities, foreign language, etc.) should be addressed to your college advisor. Q: How do I transfer cell biology credits from another University to Tulane? A: Submit a copy of the course description from the other university, a copy of the syllabus, a transfer credit approval form from your Dean, and a CMB transfer credit request form. Omitting any of these will delay your request. Leave these four items with the office staff, and allow 3 or 4 working days for your request to be processed. After review, your materials will be available for pickup at the front desk during regular business hours. Submit the completed paperwork to the Registrar’s office. Q: I would like to be employed as a work-study student or as a student employee. What do I do? A: Job opportunities in CMB labs are very limited. It is best to check for available positions at the beginning of the fall semester. See Marnie for job opportunities. Q: Are there any internship opportunities for CMB students? A: The Office of Service Learning sometimes has such opportunities; visit their website at http://www.tulane.edu/~ServLrng/.
A: Complete an Independent Study Registration Form (available in the departmental office or at your Dean’s office). You and your faculty sponsor will decide on a title for your project (except for first semester Honors Thesis, which has the title, "Honors Thesis" by default); be sure to include the title on your form. Have your faculty sponsor sign the form (Chair and Dean signatures are not required). Leave the section number blank. Write your phone number and e-mail address on the form, then give the completed form to the office staff. Q: What is an independent study project?A: An independent study project provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in scientific research in a faculty laboratory. Such projects give students an opportunity to gain valuable “graduate level” experience; thus, undergraduates who plan to pursue graduate school are encouraged to participate in independent study. Students registering for a 3-hour independent study project can expect to spend about 8-12 hours per week in the laboratory. At the end of the semester, you will submit a 7-12 page paper (including original data, background, materials and methods, results, discussion and references). Q: What is not an independent study project? A: · Employment in a laboratory for which you receive compensation. · Routine repetitive analysis, to benefit or support other laboratory members. · Lab maintenance, such as washing glassware, preparing media, or running errands. Q: How do I find a faculty member to sponsor me? A: It is the student’s responsibility to find a faculty member who will sponsor you. You might begin by approaching one of your instructors, or your CELL major advisor. You can also review the list of faculty research (available in the departmental office and on our website), to see if you are interested in a particular area of research currently being performed. Students should be aware that space in faculty laboratories is limited. It is therefore strongly suggested that the student approach the faculty member well before the start of the semester, or in the prior semester. Q: Can I complete an independent study project at the Tulane Health Sciences Center, or at another institution? A: Students who wish to perform an independent study project at another institution must have two faculty sponsors: One at the host institution, and one in the Cell and Molecular Biology department (preferably the student’s CELL advisor). The student must obtain prior approval from the CMB sponsor for the project. The CMB sponsor will communicate with the host institution sponsor to make sure that the work being performed meets our departmental requirements for independent study projects. Also, the grade for the project will be submitted by the CMB faculty sponsor, in consultation with the host institution sponsor. At the beginning of the project, your host institution sponsor must submit, by letter or e-mail, a description of the project to your CMB sponsor. It is essential that your CMB sponsor and your host institution sponsor communicate with one another to evaluate your final work; otherwise, an incomplete grade may result. Q: How do I register for an independent study project? A: Once you have found a faculty sponsor, complete an Independent Study Form (available in the departmental office and at your Dean’s office). You and your sponsor will decide on a title for your project, and on the number of credit hours to be earned (between 1 and 3 credits). Obtain your sponsor’s signature on the form, and bring the form to the CMB departmental office. To register for Independent Study with a non-CMB laboratory or supervisor, the student follows the same process as they would with a CMB faculty member. However, the student must obtain approval from both faculty sponsors, and both must sign the form. Submit completed forms to the CMB office staff. Write your e-mail address and phone number on the form in case we have any questions about your project. Q: What is an honors thesis? A: All Cell and Molecular Biology majors who wish to graduate with Departmental Honors must complete an Honors Thesis. An Honors Thesis is a year-long research project conducted during the student’s senior year. Students should select a thesis director and register for Honors Thesis at the beginning of the first semester of their senior year. By mid-semester, the student must submit a prospectus that has been approved and signed by the thesis director and a second reader. A first progress report, approved and signed by the thesis director and the second reader at the end of the first semester, indicates whether the thesis is to be continued or terminated. A second progress report is due in the middle of the second semester and a complete draft of the thesis is due a month before the projected date of graduation. Two weeks before graduation the thesis must be completed; the oral examination is held after all other requirements have been met. Q: What is the capstone experience? A: The Capstone Experience (3+ hours) is a requirement for every Tulane senior related to the student’s major. The capstone experience allows a student to demonstrate the capacity to bring information, skills and ideas acquired from the major to bear on one significant project. Capstone experiences will be designed the departments within the schools. A: What will satisfy the Cell and Molecular Biology capstone requirement? Q: The capstone requirement can be fulfilled by CELL 491/492, Independent Studies or CELL 499/500, Honors Thesis. Forthcoming, CELL 424, Seminar on Morbidity and Mortality. 3.0 credit hours will satisfy this requirement. Q: Must I be enrolled in the Tulane Honors Program in order to graduate with honors? A: You do not have to be enrolled in the Honors program in order to receive Departmental Honors. For specific information about the requirements for graduating with Honors, please contact the Honors Program, 119 Norman Meyer Hall, 865-5517. Q: Can I complete an honors thesis at the Tulane Medical Center, or at another institution? A: Yes, however, students must adhere to the same guidelines as those given above for Independent Study projects. Q: How do I register for an honors thesis? A: Use the same registration procedures as above, for Independent Study. CELL 499 is the first semester of Honors Thesis, and CELL 500 is the second semester. The first semester title will be “Honors Thesis”. The second semester title will be determined by you and your faculty sponsor.
Q: I’m an incoming freshman who is interested in majoring in
Cell and Molecular Biology. Where can I find out more about the major? And what
courses should I register for this fall? Q: I’m interested in entering medical school, dental school,
or veterinary school. Where can I find information about pre-health course
requirements? Also, what courses should I take during my first semester at
Tulane? Q: I see that it is suggested that I take CELL 101 and CELL
211 to satisfy part of my pre-health requirements. May I take them at the same
time? Q: Do I have to take CELL 211 to satisfy my pre-health
requirements? Q: I have a score of 5 on my AP Biology exam. What courses
will I be given credit for? Q: I have an AP score of 4 on the Biology exam. What courses will I be given
credit for? Q: I am eligible to register for CELL 211, but all of the sections are full. What should I
do? Q: If I choose to major in CELL, do I need to take EBIO 101
and 111 in order to satisfy premedical requirements? Q: If I choose to major in CELL, is CELL 211 required? |
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