UMass Boston

Academic Advising Resources

All Biology majors are assigned a professional advisor from the Student Success Center and a faculty advisor from the Biology Department. If you are early in your Biology studies (with 0-59 credits), you have access to both types of advisors. You can meet with your professional advisor by making an appointment through the Student Success Center (link below).  Undergraduates who have completed 60 credits and up should meet with their Biology Department faculty advisor. You can find the names of both advisors in your WISER account. 

Frequently asked questions

• Where can I find more information about Biology degree requirements?
  This document outlines the requirements for the Biology degree:Biology Advising Guide for Biology Majors
  
  
• How do I contact my professional advisor in the Student Success Center?
  The SSC is a group of professional academic advisors. Their goal is to provide strengths-based advising, inspiring students to realize their true academic & vocational purpose. Find your SSC advisor at this link.
  
  
• What can my student success advisor assist with?
  - Removing advising holds for students with 0-59 credits 
  - Completing and revising Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)academic plans 
  - Discussing early alert notifications
  - Exploring alternative majors
  - Other questions and concerns regarding your academic schedule and progress
  
  
• How do I find my faculty advisor?Your faculty advisor is shown in your Wiser account. There are detailed instructions for how to find your advisor in Wiser here. You can also use the directory to find their email address. When you meet with your faculty advisor, please bring a copy of your degree audit.
  
  
• What can my faculty advisor assist with?
  - Discussing your academic progress
  - Removing advising holds for students with 60+ credits
  - Reading your degree audit and explaining major requirements
  - Recommending appropriate courses to fit your interests and career goals
  - Discussing research and career opportunities
  - Discussing post-graduation plans
  
  
• Who do I contact if I still have advising questions?
  If you have met with your professional advisor or faculty advisor and still have questions or concerns please contact:
  Leslie McClain
  Office: ISC 5th floor, room 5140
  Email: leslie.mcclain@umb.edu
  
  

Biology Research Opportunities at UMass Boston 

Undergraduate Research Training programs:

• The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides paid, full-time summer research opportunities. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation.
• The McNair Program provides paid research opportunities during the academic year. This program is funded by the US Department of Education.
• The UMass Boston - Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Partnership supports year-round research opportunities. This program is funded by the National Institutes of Heath.
• UMass Boston-Tufts partnership is a three-week winter break enrichment program at Tufts University School of Medicine for UMass Boston students pursuing careers in medicine and research.

Biology Department Faculty-Based Research:

• Learn about Biology Department faculty research by looking at their profiles. Express your interest in a professor's research and inquire about working in their lab via email or in-person discussion.
• Independent Study (BIOL 478/BIOL 479) provides research opportunities in biology for advanced Biology majors, who earn three to six academic credits. Students carry out lab, field, or computational research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This research experience requires biology approval and supervision by a Biology faculty mentor.  (Mentors can also be outside the Biology Department as long as a Biology faculty members acts as liaison.)

Funding to support research supplies or wages:

• CSM Undergraduate Research Fellowships support undergraduate research costs.
• Beacon Student Success Fellowships support summer research opportunities.

Present your Research:

• Undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of programs and departments within the College of Science and Mathematics present their research at annual CSM Showcases.
• Undergraduate Honors students in Biology and Biochemistry present their work at Biology and Biochemistry Honors Poster Presentations.

Career Opportunities:

• Find out more about training for a career in K-12 education via the UTeach Boston Program, a Teacher Certificate Program for undergraduates in STEM fields.
• Learn about events hosted by Academic & Career Engagement & Success Center via the Life Sciences, Health Sciences, and Health Professions Community
• Create a UMass Boston Handshake account to find career engagement opportunities: paid internships, part-time jobs, full-time jobs, career events and career fairs.