Undergraduate Internship in Biological Sciences
(Bio 494)

WHAT IS BIO 494 AND HOW DO THE CREDITS WORK?

The biology department recognizes the value of "experiential learning", educational experiences that occur in situations outside traditional on-campus lecture or lab coursework. All majors in Biological Sciences can get major upper division elective course credit when they take one or more of the three "experiential learning" courses: Bio 494, 495, and 496. Students may only use a total of 3 units of BIOL 494, 495, or 496 combined for degree requirements. Students can enroll in more units than these 3, but they will not count towards the major requirements.

The biology department's page on these courses is here: www.csulb.edu/biological-sciences/experiential-learning

The Bio 494 course is designed for students who participate in off-campus internships.

When taking the Bio 494 course, students typically enroll for the number of units that correspond to the number of hours of the internship:

1 unit: 45-90 hours.
2 units: 91-135 hours.
3 units: more than 135 hours.

These credits will be assigned to the "upper division elective" category of the biology degree requirements.

Note that the number of units of courses cannot be altered once the course begins. Students should only enroll for a number of units corresponding to the number of hours they are 100% sure they will complete.

PROCEDURE FOR TAKING THE COURSE

The Bio 494 course does not provide internships directly to students, it is a mechanism that allows students to receive credit for relevant off-campus internships they obtain on their own. For the internships to provide biology credit, at least some portion of the internship must include biological or health-related activities. To determine whether an internship qualifies, students must contact the instructor of the Bio 494 course directly.

The timeline/procedure for taking Bio 494 is:

Student conducts a search for an internship and finds one.
Student contacts the Bio 494 instructor to see if it qualifies (i.e., provides a list of the activities performed and estimated number of hours).
If the student obtains the internship, they contact the Bio 494 instructor to get a permit code so they can enroll in Bio 494.
The course is designed for students who complete an internship within the semester of enrollment, but there is some flexibility.
The course itself requires a few minor assignments and independent verification of the hours completed by a site supervisor.

Note: CSULB students do not need to take Bio 494 to perform an off-campus internship. Students are welcome to do whatever internships they like to improve their resume. The Bio 494 course is just a way to get credit for certain qualifying internships.

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

There is a Facebook page and a Twitter feed which post new opportunities as they come in. Students can search through the previous posts to see what has been available in the past (many are ongoing and still available). Many of these are also listed below.

Link to Bio 494 Facebook: BIO 494 FACEBOOK

Link to Bio 494 Twitter: BIO 494 TWITTER

Note: these two social media accounts display the same opportunities, no need to follow both.

LOCAL INTERNSHIP SITES

Listed below are organizations that CSULB has previously worked with for Bio 494 credit. These are not the only options, but it's a good start for a search. There are plenty of ways to find internships in addition to those listed blow. Using Google is always recommended. There are also campus resources like the SAS Center or Career Center which may be useful for finding internships.

COPE Health Scholars

This is the most popular internship for pre-health students. This organization places students into internship rotations in a variety of local hospitals and health care facilities. There are some out of pocket expenses, but these are mainly for health screenings, CPR trainings, and other appropriate certifications.
Link to site: COPE Health Scholars

Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific has internships for students who are interested in marine biology and public education. Students in the marine biology enjoy volunteering here and doing internships here. Go to this site and search for internships.
Link to site: The Aquarium of the Pacific

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium has internships for students who are interested in marine biology and public education. Students in the marine biology enjoy volunteering here and doing internships here. Go to this site and search for internships.
Link to site: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Catalina Island Conservancy

The Catalina Island Conservancy is dedicated to preserving and improving the environment on Catalina Island. You can ask about potential opportunities using the email listed on the volunteer section of their site.
Link to site: Catalina Island Conservancy

Enthalpy Analytical

This company, a subsidiary of Montrose Environmental Group, mainly employs chemists and biomedical technicians, but also has a few intern position. Go to this site and search for internships.
Link to site: Enthalpy Analytical's job listings

Friends of the Colorado Lagoon

The Friends of the Colorado Lagoon is a local charity working to restore and preserve the Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach. CSULB Students have volunteered here and performed internships. You can ask about potential opportunities using the email listed on the "contact" tab on their site.
Link to site: Friends of the Colorado Lagoon

Marine Mammal Care Center

The Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) is a local non-profit hospital for seals and sea lions located in San Pedro. They work with various organizations to rehabilitate sick, injured, or malnourished seals and sea lions rescued on beaches in Southern California. They have a Husbandry Training Program Internship which involves a variety of tasks associated with caring for the animals onsite. Detailed information can be found using the "Join Our Team" link on their site.
Link to site: Marine Mammal Care Center

Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP)

SCCWRP is an aquatic sciences research institute that works to improve management of aquatic systems located in Costa Mesa. CSULB Students have worked there in the past and some positions can qualify for the internship course. You can search for opportunities on their site.
Link to site: SCCWRP

U-GROW

U-GROW is a partnership between Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center in Los Angeles and eight greater Los Angeles-area campuses of the California State University system. They are an undergraduate research education program whose goal is to diversify the public health workforce.
Link to site: U-GROW's LinkedIN page

NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Listed below are notices for research programs run by educational institutions or other organizations. Most of these are summer programs. Some of these may be offered just once, but others may be ongoing (depending on the funding situation and the institution). Posts below link to a current or previous description of the program. Even if these are done, it may be worth it to check these out to see if they are still continuing or if the institution is currently offering something similar.

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

The National Science Foundation REUs

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students (REUs) through its REU Sites program. The application deadlines for these vary and new opportunities become available all the time (most at the beginning of the year for a summer program however).
Link to site: NSF REU

The National Institutes of Health SIPs

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds a large number of summer internship programs (SIPs) through its NIH SIP program. The application deadlines for these tend to be at the beginning of the year for the next summer.
Link to site: NIH SIP

The Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a variety of internship programs for current students and recent graduates.
Link to site: EPA internships

The Department of Defense

Department of Defense (DoD) has a variety of internship programs for current students and recent graduates.
Link to site: DoD internships

SELECTED PROGRAM SITES

The Santa Fe Institute

The Santa Fe Institute is a non-profit research institute which studies complexity and computational biology. They have a variety of summer programs, some of which offer stipends and are open to undergraduates.
Link to site: Santa Fe Institute

The Salk Institute

The Salk Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (Salk SURF) is a 10-week fully paid internship that provides students with exposure and experience in biomedical research. Salk SURF is open to rising juniors and seniors with limited or no research experience. The deadline to apply for the 2023 Salk SURF program is January 31, 2023.
Link to site: Salk SURF

University of Michigan M-SURE

The 2023 Michigan Summer Undergraduate Research Experience: Diabetes & Metabolic Diseases (M-SURE) program will support eight undergraduate trainees for a 12 week summer research experience with mentors from the faculty who are engaged in basic and clinical research related to medical topics with a focus on diabetes, endocrinology and metabolic diseases. The deadline to apply for the 2023 M-SURE program is January 16, 2023.
Link to site: M-SURE

University of Michigan F-CVC

The University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center (F-CVC) is offering a 10-week summer undergraduate research fellowship for undergraduate students interested in basic cardiovascular research. The program is expected to start the May 30, 2023, and end on August 5, 2023. The deadline to apply for the 2023 F-CVC program is January 16, 2023.
Link to site: F-CVC

Mountain Lake Biological Station

Mountain Lake Biological Station offers summer undergraduate research fellowships for undergraduate students interested in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Field Research. The program is expected to start May 28, 2023 and end on August 5, 2023. The deadline to apply for the 2023 program is February 20, 2023.
Link to site: F-CVC

Undergraduate Internship in Biological Sciences (Bio 494)