Undergraduate Honors Concentration Frequently Asked Questions
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.
When should I apply to the MCB Honors Concentration?
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. Some students, however, 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. These students must apply to the Honors Concentration in the Fall semester of their freshmen year.
I haven't finished my General Chemistry sequence (I'm still taking CHEM 104), can I still apply?
The instructors of MCB 250 strongly recommended completion of one year of general chemistry and one semester or concurrent enrollment in organic chemistry for students enrolled in MCB 250. Students who have not completed CHEM 102 and 104, or the equivalent, will not be allowed to enroll 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 the current semester. 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). Please speak to the Honors Coordinator or a Biology advisor about your specific circumstances.
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 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.
We try to make sure that all of our students are aware of the Honors Concentration and have the opportunity to apply, prior to enrolling in MCB 250 and 251. Since taking the Honors sections in these courses is required for completion of the Honors Concentration, you cannot apply if you have already taken these courses without the Honors sections. 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 both 250 and 251 as a James Scholar, you may still be eligible to apply for the MCB Honors Concentration; however, space is extremely limited and it is highly unlikely that openings will be available for entry in this manner.
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 these classes, you cannot 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 upper-class 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 several 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 Upper Class 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 Upper Class 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 Upper Class Honors credit. Please see the Honors Advisor for more information.
For More Information:
Dr. Shawna Naidu
Program Coordinator, MCB Honors
127 Burrill Hall
(217) 333-6774
shawna@illinois.edu