Credit for Research

Academic credit for undergraduate research

All Bioengineering students are encouraged to participate in some kind of research while attending UC Berkeley. There are four Bioengineering research courses students can sign up for:

• BioE 99 (freshmen and sophomores), graded pass/no pass
• BioE 199 (junior and seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance), graded pass/no pass
• BioE H194 (junior and seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance, letter graded, must have 3.3 upper division GPA, paper and or presentation due at end).
  • A maximum of 8 units of graded research units (H194 and/or 196) can be counted towards the Upper Division Technical Topics unit requirement.
  • A maximum of 4 graded research units can be used towards the Upper Division Bioengineering Unit requirement.
  • There is no limit to the number of letter-graded research units that can be applied to the 48 Engineering Unit requirement.
• BioE 196 (junior and seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance, letter graded, paper and or presentation due at end).
  • A maximum of 8 units of graded research (H194 and/or 196) can be counted towards the Upper Division Technical Topics unit requirement.
  • A maximum of 4 graded research units can be used towards the Upper Division Bioengineering Unit requirement.
  • There is no limit to the number of letter-graded research units that can be applied to the 48 Engineering Unit requirement.

Students are not limited to working with Bioengineering faculty, you may work with UC Berkeley faculty in other departments (as long as the research pertains to Bioengineering) or UCSF  faculty. For academic credit, 3 hours of work per week equals one unit. Once a student has obtained a course control number, they may sign up for the course until the add deadline for that semester.

Note:  for grading purposes, if your research adviser is from another department or at UCSF, your research adviser will be submitting their grades to the BioE Faculty Sponsor. You will not have to do anything as an email will be sent to your adviser explaining the procedure.

Please note that no more than 4 units of courses numbering 98, 99, 197-199 may be taken in a single semester. No more than 16 units of courses numbered 99, 197, 198 or 199 may be used to meet degree requirements. No more than 40 units of Pass/No Pass may be taken in total.

Policy for Non-BioE Students signing up for BioE Research:

Students of majors other than Bioengineering may sign up for BioE 99, 199, and 196, but only if they work with (and obtain a signature from) a UC Berkeley Bioengineering faculty. Non-BioE majors are ineligible to receive BioE research credit for working with faculty from other departments at UC Berkeley or with researchers at UCSF or LBNL. Instead, it is suggested that you sign up for research units from your home department.

Procedure for signing up for academic credit for undergraduate research

Please email your completed form directly to our undergraduate adviser at bioengineering-undergrad@berkeley.edu for processing.   

BioE 99 Supervised Independent Study  (For Frosh and Soph)
Course may be repeated for credit, has variable units (1-4). Must be taken pass/no pass. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore standing and consent of instructor.
Download the BioE 99 Research Approval Form

BioE 199:  Supervised Independent Study  (For Juniors and Seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance)
This research course has variable units (1-4) and may be repeated for credit. Must be taken pass/no pass only and is not acceptable for technical credit. You must have completed at least 60 units of undergraduate work and be in good academic standing (2.000 GPA or above) to sign up for this course.
Download the Bioengineering 199 Research Approval Form

For BioE 99/199, Pass/No Pass research

1. Obtain an application – pick up an application from 306 Stanley or online.
2. Fill out the upper part of the application. Please make sure you write clearly and include your email address.
3. Have the faculty sponsor/faculty member you plan to do research with fill out and sign the lower part of the application,  make sure they include a current email address.
4. Bring the completed application to 306 Stanley to obtain the course control number.

BioE H194:  Honors Undergraduate Research
(3-4 units, Juniors and Seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance)
Can be used to fulfill the bioengineering design project/research requirement or to fulfill an upper division  technical topic. 

This is an Honors Research course. To participate you must have a technical GPA of 3.300 or higher (three upper division courses numbered 100 and above in math, science, or engineering are required) and consent of the instructor. Course is taken for a letter grade.

A maximum of 8 units of graded research (H194 and/or 196) can be counted towards the Upper Division Technical Topics unit requirement. A maximum of 4 graded research units can be used towards the Upper Division Bioengineering Unit requirement. There is no limit to the number of letter-graded research units that can be applied to the 48 Engineering Unit requirement.

1. Obtain an application- You can pick up an application from the Student Service Office, 306 Stanley or online.
2. Fill out the upper part of the application. Please make sure you write clearly and include your email address.
3. Have the faculty sponsor/faculty member you plan to do research with fill out and sign the lower part of the application, make sure they include their current email address.
   1. Attach an unofficial copy of your transcript to the application. Remember you must have a 3.3 upper division GPA, no exceptions. Your faculty should review your transcription to make sure that you qualify (the Bioengineering undergraduate adviser will be checking).
   2. Faculty mentor signs the form and make sure to include their email.
4. Bring the completed application to 306 Stanley to obtain the course control number.

Bioengineering H194 Course Enrollment Approval Form

BioE 196: Undergraduate Design Research.
(For Juniors and Seniors with 5 or more terms in attendance, 2-4 units)
Can be used to fulfill the bioengineering design project/research requirement or to fulfill an upper division  technical topic.

Course is taken for a letter grade. A maximum of 8 units of graded research (H194 and/or 196) can be counted towards the Upper Division Technical Topics unit requirement. A maximum of 4 graded research units can be used towards the Upper Division Bioengineering Unit requirement. There is no limit to the number of letter-graded research units that can be applied to the 48 Engineering Unit requirement.

1. Obtain an application- You can pick up an application from the Student Service Office, 306 Stanley Hall or online.
2. Fill out the upper part of the application. Please make sure you write clearly and include your email address.
3. Have the faculty sponsor/faculty member you plan to do research with fill out and sign the lower part of the application, make sure they include a current email address.
4. Bring the completed application to 306 Stanley Hall to obtain the course control number.

Download the BioE 196 Form Course Enrollment Approval Form

Please email your completed form directly to our undergraduate adviser at bioengineering-undergrad@berkeley.edu for processing.