Students are required to complete three rotations of Research Laboratory Apprenticeship (CBIO315). The first rotation is 9 weeks in duration and is to be completed by the middle of November, the second is an 11 week rotation and is to be completed by the end of February and the third is 9 weeks in duration and is to be completed by the end of the spring semester of the first year. It is anticipated that, at this time, students will be able to select a thesis advisor. Should a student wish to do another rotation, they may do so in the summer.

During each rotation, the students will undertake a small research project under the direction of a departmental faculty member. These rotations allow the students to experience different experimental approaches and the different research environments in departmental labs. These experiences will allow the students to make informed decisions when it comes time to select a thesis advisor. The rotations also provide faculty the opportunity to evaluate how the students might fit in their research program.

At the conclusion of each rotation the student will be asked to prepare either a poster or a short (15 min) formal presentation summarizing the rotation. These should contain an extensive background of the scientific problem, including the significance and rationale for performing the proposed project, a description of the methodology used, some results (if all goes well) and a discussion of the future directions of the project.