The University of Notre Dame Department of Biological Sciences offers a 9 and 1/2 week summer field-oriented environmental biology course (BIOS 35502-01: Practicum in Field Environmental Biology) to undergraduate students enrolled at Notre Dame, St. Mary's College, and other colleges around the country. The course, which has been offered since 1976 (orignally listed as BIOS 569), provides training in aquatic, terrestrial, and environmental biology through lecture and field experience with a variety of aquatic and terrestrial organisms and natural habitats. It also includes an independent research project developed by each student under the direction and with the assistance of a department of Biological Sciences faculty member, graduate student or visiting faculty member. At the end of the summer course, each student prepares an oral presentation and a research paper presenting the results of the summer's field research. Detailed course description.

A one-credit introductory course (BIOS 35501-01: Introduction to UNDERC) during the spring semester provides students with the basic background in aquatic, terrestrial, and environmental biology necessary for the field course. Training in the design of experiments, data collection and analysis, and the presentation of research results is included. Student materials (weekly handouts, Powerpoint presentations, etc.) are posted on-line (see below) for off-campus students not able to attend or enroll in the course.

The course is open to 25 students, which includes at least fifteen Notre Dame and St. Mary's students majoring in science. Up to ten non-Notre Dame/St. Mary's students also are admitted each year, including four Native American students (sponsored by our current NSF Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology grant). Tuition, transportation, and housing for the summer field course are subsidized. Notre Dame/St. Mary's student endowments are provided by Notre Dame Trustee Bernard J. Hank. Non-Notre Dame student endowments are provided by the University of Notre Dame and the NSF Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology grant for Native Americans. Up to 10 students from the UNDERC-East program continue the experience the following summer at UNDERC-West in Montana. Details.

Please visit our forms page for application materials to the UNDERC-East and UNDERC-West programs.

UNDERC also provides a natural laboratory for field courses in winter biology, field parasitology, and advanced aquatic methods.

STUDENT PROJECTS FROM PAST SUMMER SESSIONS

Final papers from previous student participants of BIOS 35502-01 are now available in .pdf format. Click here to view the available years.

For access to the UNDERC-West student papers, please visit our UNDERC-West Education section.

CURRENT STUDENT INFORMATION

BIOS 35501-01: Introduction to UNDERC (Spring Introductory Course - Registration - Nov. 12-28)

BIOS 33502-01: Practicum in Environmental Field Biology (Course runs from May 20 to July 26, 2013)

* Information regarding these courses will be posted at a later date.