FAQ's for Biological Sciences

1. How do I declare a major?
2. Can I change my concentration?
3. How do I obtain an adviser?
4. How do I subscribe to the biological sciences program list serve?
5. How do I get approval for courses taken outside of Northwestern particularly during the summer?
6. How do I get credit for a class I have already taken?
7. How do I get approval for biology units for out-of-program research?
8. How do I find a research position on campus?
9. Where are good places to look for research opportunities off campus?
10. Where can I learn more about study abroad programs?
11. How can I graduate with honors?
12. Do you offer pre-registration?
13. How do I obtain permission numbers?
14. If I am scheduled for two classes during the same time period, how can I resolve this problem?
15. How do I know what classes in Biological Sciences and other departments
are offered throughout the entire academic year?

1. How do I declare a major?
If you would like to declare a major in biological sciences, please come to the office for the Program in Biological Sciences (Hogan Hall 2-144). We will have you complete a WCAS Declaration of Major form with your campus contact information and the concentration area you are selecting. Once you have completed the form and it has been signed by PBS staff you will then take it to the WCAS Office of Studies, located at 1922 Sheridan Road. The PBS office will shortly thereafter assign you a Program Adviser and notify you via email.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU FAIL TO FILE THE ORIGINAL SIGNED FORM IN THE OFFICE OF STUDIES, YOUR OFFICIAL RECORDS WILL NOT BE UPDATED IN WCAS.

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2. Can I change my concentration?
When you declare your major in biological sciences you are asked to choose an area of concentration. If for any reason you decide during the course of study to change that area of concentration you will be able to change concentrations and keep the same biological sciences adviser.

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3. How do I obtain an adviser?
Freshmen students are assigned a freshman adviser when they enroll in the freshman seminars. This person remains their adviser throughout their freshman year. In the sophomore year, Weinberg students are assigned a College Adviser who advises the student throughout their sophomore, junior, and senior years in regards to everything except their majors.

When a Weinberg student declares their major in Biological Sciences, we ask each student to select an area of concentration based on your interests in biology. With that information we assign a biological sciences faculty member to advise you regarding course selection, degree requirements, and other important information relevant to your studies in biological sciences. We will send you an email message with your biological sciences adviser contact information and at that point you are free to contact your adviser to arrange an appointment.

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4. How do I subscribe to the biological sciences program listserv?
The benefit of subscribing to the PBS listserv is to learn more about departmental seminars, possible job opportunities (both while here at Northwestern and your future career), internships and a variety of notices that pertain to biological sciences majors at Northwestern. Don't miss out on this information that might make a difference in your future success!

Here's the process to subscribe to the listserve if you have any questions:

The SUBSCRIBE command allows you to add yourself to a list.

Note: In order to successfully subscribe to a list, make sure HTML formatting in your e-mail is turned off, you are not using e-mail signatures, your commands are in English, and you send your commands to listserv@listserv.it.northwestern.edu.

A. Send e-mail to listserv@listserv.it.northwestern.edu without any subject line.
B. Type the following command in the message:
C. SUBSCRIBE listname Firstname Lastname
D. Where listname is the name of the list you would like to subscribe to (PBS).

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5. How do I get approval for courses taken outside of Northwestern particularly during the summer?
If you choose to study at another university during your time at Northwestern, you will need to:

A. Read the handout entitled "Policy on Study Away from Northwestern By Matriculated Weinberg College Students."

B. Fill out part I of the form (available only in the Weinberg Office of Studies located at 1922 Sheridan Road).

C. Obtain preliminary approval from Weinberg College Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising in Part II.

D. Make an appointment with PBS Associate Director Dr. Galbreath, take him the form and the detailed course material, and fill out Part III of the form with him.

E. Return the completed form to Weinberg College of Undergraduate Studies and Advising (1922 Sheridan Road).

F. Use one form for each course taken away from Northwestern.

NOTE: For a course to be used in the major program, it must be pre-approved by that department. Credit for the course cannot be used to fulfill distribution requirements or the foreign language requirement. A transfer student may NOT accelerate graduation by taking courses at other colleges and universities subsequent to matriculation at Northwestern. Any non-Northwestern credit earned by a transfer student subsequent to NU matriculation will not count toward the required minimum of 45 units for the degree.

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6. How do I get credit for a class I have already taken?
Students will need to obtain an appropriate form from the college (at 1922 Sheridan in the WCAS Office of Studies) and bring it to the PBS office for consideration. A detailed description of the course (a syllabus is best, but at least a catalog description) is usually needed, unless we are already familiar with the course.

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7. How do I get approval for biology units for out-of-program research?
Students can register for BIOL SCI 399-0 credit under any Northwestern faculty, whether in Biological Sciences or other departments. If the research is not at Northwestern, then an NU faculty member must stand in for the off-campus research supervisor, and must interact sufficiently with that person so that a grade can be given.

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8. How do I find a research position on campus?
When research positions become available on campus, the departments will most often email our department with the job information. This information is then posted on the list serve.

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9. Where are good places to look for research opportunities off campus?
Numerous links are provided below for research institutions and companies that have in the past offered opportunities for research for Northwestern students in biological sciences. This is not a complete list. However, it will get you started in your thought process on who to contact.

• Abbott Laboratories Internships
• Field Museum
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• Green Corps

Always check out the list serve for biological sciences where most all of these opportunities are posted for students
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10. Where can I learn more about study abroad programs?
Northwestern's Office of Fellowships. There is also a resource that is available to students in the Program in Biological Sciences office and the Office of Fellowships that describes in considerable detail the opportunities available for both domestic and international studies.

Northwestern University Science and Engineering Programs in France, Switzerland, India (Contact the Office of International Program Development, Harris Hall, Room 18, 1881 Sheridan Road (email: international@northwestern.edu)

Denmark's International Study Program
Fall, Spring, Full-Year and Summer Programs in Molecular Biology & Genetics, Marine Biology and Ecology

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11. How can I graduate with honors?
Research (Biol Sci 399) by undergraduates in Biological Sciences forms the basis of the PBS Honors Program. In Fall quarter of the senior year, a student must indicate the intention to submit an Senior Thesis by providing a thesis title and personal information to the PBS Honors Coordinator, Professor Gary Galbreath. See the Honors Program description for details.

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12. Do you offer pre-registration?
Pre-registration is offered to biological sciences majors in the week prior to registration beginning for all students (for example: registration for winter quarter will begin the week of November 13 which means that biology majors can preregister starting the week of November 6). Students must have declared their major in biological sciences and have the major declaration processed by the WCAS Office of Studies before they will be allowed to preregister. Please contact the PBS office if you are having difficulties with your preregistration.

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13. How do I obtain permission numbers?
If you need to obtain a permission number for a class that has exceeded its capacity, you will need to contact the Program in Biological Sciences office in Hogan 2-144.

If BIO SCI 399 is your fifth class, you will need to obtain a permission number from the Program office (Hogan 2-144). During add/drop week (the first week of classes in each quarter), you will need to see Dean Richard Weimer in the WCAS Office of Studies at 1922 Sheridan to obtain approval for taking the fifth class. Once the class has been approved you may proceed to the Registrar's office to register for the class.

Students must register for BIO 399-0 and expect to pay tuition during the summer months if they wish to receive summer course credit.

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14. If I am scheduled for two classes during the same time period, how can I resolve this problem?
Visit the Registrar's Office website to download a Registration Time Conflict Permission Form. The instructor for each class must sign the permission form, and the form must then be taken to the Registrar's Office.

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15. How do I know what classes in Biological Sciences and other departments are offered throughout the entire academic year?
We recommend that students utilize the Annual Course Planner for 2009-10
which is found on the Office of the Registrar's website. What's very important to remember is that students need to consult this information each year to keep current on what courses are being offered and when they are scheduled. Please do not wait until your senior year only to discover that you can't take a class you had hoped to fit in because of class conflicts. It is your responsibility as a student to be proactive in planning your courses.

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