Cooperative Education in the Biology Department

Biology majors may earn academic credit for experience in internship, employment, or participation in a cooperative program when these activities are related to their training as biologists. Up to three hours of credit in the course BIOL 4953, Cooperative Education, may be counted toward the requirements for the Bachelor's Degree in Biology.

Students will find -- by their own initiative or with the help of the Office for Cooperative Education -- a suitable arrangement with industries, zoological or botanical gardens, environmental agencies or research laboratories. They will work out the exact terms of each arrangement with the Departmental Cooperative Education Coordinator, Dr. Sarah McIntire. The arrangement includes a written report by the student at the end of each work experience.

Cooperative Education and
Professional Practice in Biology

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The Biology Department encourages students in the biological sciences to gain practical experience in professions related to their training as biologists. Such experiences may -- due to the broad spectrum of specializations in the biological sciences -- consist of work with animals in zoos, wildlife areas, or national parks, of surveying and classifying plants and animals, of laboratory or clinical work involving biological research or skills, or of advising government agencies on biological concerns.

Academic Credit

The Biology Department grants academic credit for professional practice experience, provided the assignment has been approved for such credit by the departmental professional practice coordinator. The courses specifically designed for professional practice are BIOL 4951 or BIOL 4953. Variable credit hours allow for adjustment to variable work periods and to the diversity of the employment experiences. Normally, employment for 70-90 working hours for one full month employment would quality for one hour credit.

Student Eligibility

Students should generally have junior status and have a GPA of 2.5 in all science courses. The student must have discussed plans with the departmental professional practice coordinator and needs the coordinator's approval to register for the course.

Placement

The departmental professional practice coordinator and the Cooperative Education Office actively seek information on professional practice opportunities and maintain and update files on such opportunities. The availability of the professional practice options is announced to biology majors as they become available.

Responsibilities of Students in the Professional Practice Course.

Students are responsible to establish contacts with employers and fulfill application procedures. Upon appointment, they will obtain permission from the employer to participate in the professional practice program of the Biology Department at TWU. They will give the employer the name and telephone number of the professional practice coordinator. The students will then inform the department coordinator that the employer agrees with the Departmental guidelines and will submit name and telephone number of their direct supervisor and if available, of the persons in charge of cooperative programs or internships at the site of employment.

Evaluation of the Student

The student's performance will be evaluated by the following methods: Firstly, the employment supervisor will be contacted at regular intervals--approximately every two months--to give an appraisal of the student's performance; Secondly, the cooperative coordinator may visit the student at the work site and discuss the student's contributions, qualifications, attitude and performance in general with the employment supervisor; Third, at the end of the appointment the student submits a written report to the departmental professional practice coordinator. For a given enrollment period, this must be received by the time when final examinations begin.

(a) This report may include copies of any written material that the student had to submit to the work supervisor in fulfillment of her assignments

(b) This must include a description of the work performed

(c) It should contain an evaluation of the experience under the following aspects:

did the job require previous training in biology, and was the training helpful in getting the appointment and/or in fulfilling the required duties
did the job help the student make a decision about special interests in a specific interests in a specific area of biology, did it motivate the student or did it show facts about the profession that might be deterring from original goals
has the job experience shown that there may have been deficiencies in the planning of the student's program of courses for this particular field of biology?

Fourth, the student may be called upon for Departmental seminars or other presentations to provide information on the experience gained through participation in the professional practice program.

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