Undergraduate Honors Concentration Frequently Asked Questions
What are the required honors sections in the
MCB Core?
In addition to providing direct interaction with faculty, honors sections are designed to develop skills in reading and critiquing primary scientific literature, analytical thinking and problem solving, and oral and written communication.
Do I have to take all of the Honors sections in
the MCB Core?
The honors sections in the Core courses are a critical
component of the MCB Honors Concentration experience.
Thus, it is highly preferred that students begin the Honors
Concentration with enrollment in the honors sections of MCB 250
and 251 and continue to take the honors sections in all of the
Core courses. Preference for admittance may be given to
students who take this path. However, we understand that
there may be circumstances which result in a student developing
a late interest in the Honors Concentration. Under some
circumstances, students may be allowed to substitute Advanced
Coursework for missing the honors section in either MCB 250 or 251.
When should I apply to the MCB Honors Concentration?
Ideally, students should apply during the
semester immediately prior to taking MCB 250
and 251. Typically, MCB majors take
MCB 150 and IB 150 during their freshmen year and MCB 250 and
251 during the Fall semester of their sophomore year. Thus, the typical student would apply
for the Honors Concentration during the Spring semester of their
freshmen year. Students who choose
to use their AP Biology credit for IB 150 and thus plan to start
MCB 250/251 in the Spring of their freshmen year may wish to
discuss their situation with the Honors Coordinator. We are no longer accepting
applications during the Fall semester from freshmen who intend
to take MCB 250/251 in the spring. Such students
are encouraged to either enroll in Spring 250 and 251 Honors
sections as James Scholars (if eligible), or consider taking the
courses in the Fall of their sophomore year and applying to the
Honors Concentration in the Spring of their freshman year.
Limited space in the Spring Honors sections of 250 and 251 may
be available for freshmen who are not James Scholars, but meet certain
qualifications (such as 3.5 cumulative GPA and B+ or better in
MCB 150).
I haven't finished my General Chemistry sequence (I'm still taking CHEM 104), can I still apply?
The instructors of MCB 250 have established that one year of general chemistry (Chem 102 and 104) is a prerequisite for enrollment in MCB 250 and they also strongly recommend one semester or concurrent enrollment in organic chemistry. Students who have not completed CHEM 102 and 104, or the equivalent, may be required to complete their general chemistry sequence as a prerequisite for acceptance in the Honors Concentration. If you have not taken CHEM 104, but have taken or are currently enrolled in MCB 150, you may have a choice, depending upon which semester you are applying. You may plan to take CHEM 104 in the next semester and delay your next set of Biology courses (MCB 250/251) for another semester. If you choose this option, you can simply wait to apply to the Honors Concentration until the semester immediately prior to taking MCB 250/251. Alternatively, if you are taking CHEM 102 in a Spring semester, you may choose to apply to the Concentration that semester, without having taken CHEM 104. If you are accepted, your acceptance will be contingent upon completing CHEM 104 over the summer session (generally with a grade of B or better).
My current major is not MCB, can I still apply to the Honors Concentration?
The MCB Honors Concentration is open only to
MCB majors; however, you can declare your change of major after
being accepted to the Honors Concentration.
Typically, freshmen Biology applicants are still
officially “Biology Unassigned” and will not have declared their
final major before applying for the Honors Concentration. Students who are planning to complete
a double major are still eligible and should discuss their
circumstances with the Honors Coordinator.
Students who are not
Biology or MCB majors must complete MCB 150 or the equivalent
transfer or proficiency credit (AP credit is not sufficient
for non-Biology
majors) before they can transfer to the Honors Concentration.
Extra seats in the
Honors sections of these courses are open to James Scholars. If you have taken or are taking the
Honors sections of 250 or251 as a James Scholar, you may still
be eligible to apply for the MCB Honors Concentration. Under
some circumstances, students may be allowed to substitute
Advanced Coursework for missing the honors section in either MCB 250 or
251. Please consult the Honors Coordinator about your
situation.
I am a transfer student and I just found out about the Honors Concentration. Can I still apply?
If you have not yet enrolled in MCB 250 and 251, you can still apply to the Honors Concentration. If you have already taken, are currently enrolled in, or have transfer credit for one (but not both) of these classes, you may be still able to complete the requirements of the Honors Concentration (see above).
Yes. Honors sections in the MCB Core (250, 251, 252, 253, 354) also qualify for James Scholar credit. Also, if you complete an HCLA in an advanced MCB course as one of your Advanced Honors courses, that course will also count for James Scholar credit.
Typically, we recommend that students consider carefully why they wish to graduate early. If you are able to complete the basic requirements of your major in a shorter period of time, perhaps you can use the extra time in your schedule to broaden your undergraduate experience; for example, complete a second major or minor, study abroad, have a more intensive undergraduate research experience, complete a Leadership program, or just take more electives. All of these things will give you more experience and make you a stronger candidate for graduate or professional school. That said, if you still want or need to graduate early, you can still apply to the Honors Concentration. You may have to work harder to complete the requirements in the shorter time frame, but it is possible to do so.
What if I can’t take one of the
Honors sections due to scheduling problems?
Completing the Honors Concentration requires enrollment in the Honors section of each of the MCB Core courses (250, 251, 252, 253, 354). Exceptions are made only in extremely rare circumstances and require additional coursework to make up for the default. We do our best to schedule these sections at times that do not conflict with other courses that our majors typically take during the same semester. However, we cannot always accommodate every student, and scheduling around the Honors sections can be challenging, particularly for those who may be trying to complete a second major or a minor. Choosing to enroll in the Honors Concentration is a commitment that requires the student to prioritize these Honors sections when scheduling classes. You may have to take conflicting classes in another semester. Please discuss scheduling issues with the Honors Coordinator.
While some of the MCB Core courses are taught during the summer session, we do not offer Honors sections in the summer. Students in the Honors Concentration must take the Core courses during the regular Fall and Spring semesters.
It is permissible to do undergraduate
research with a faculty member who is not in MCB.
However, the research must be related to molecular or
cellular biology in some way and you must get special permission
from the Undergraduate Curriculum office in 252
Choices for the Advanced Honors Courses are listed on the main Honors web-page.
These choices are meant to be flexible and are designed to prepare students for a continuing career in science by providing experiences in preparation for graduate and/or professional school. This includes in depth study in advanced courses, independent scientific research, written and oral presentation of independent research, and cultural expansion and experiential learning via a discipline-specific study abroad experience. Future offerings may include active participation in seminar series and journal club courses, and instructional experience.
Can I choose to complete the Advanced Honors
Courses by doing only research or only advanced course-work?
In order to broaden their Honors experience, students must choose a minimum of three different courses from the choices listed. Only undergraduate research (MCB 290) and the special topics rubric (MCB 493) can be repeated (up to two times each). Only certain offerings of MCB 493 are eligible for Advanced Honors credit. Please see the Honors Coordinator for more information.
For More Information:
Dr. Shawna Naidu
Coordinator, MCB Honors Concentration
127 Burrill Hall
(217) 333-6774
shawna@illinois.edu