Overview

Students have several course options that provide academic credit for research conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor. These courses allow students to gain hands-on research experience and, in some cases, earn major credit.

Research courses available to Physiological Science majors include:

  • PHYSCI (SRP) 99 – Student Research Program
  • PHYSCI 189 – Advanced Honors Seminars
  • PHYSCI 189HC – Honors Contracts
  • PHYSCI 196 – Research Apprenticeship in Physiological Science
  • PHYSCI 199 – Directed Research or Senior Project in Physiological Science
  • PHYSCI 198 A/B – Honors Research in Physiological Science
  • PHYSCI 198C – Advanced Studies for Honors Research in Physiological Science
  • PHYSCI 193 – Journal Club (optional enrollment depending on lab participation)
Course Contracts

PHYSCI (SRP) 99, PHYSCI 189HC, PHYSCI 196, PHYSCI 198A/B/C, and PHYSCI 199 require a course contract to enroll. Students cannot self-enroll in these courses through MyUCLA.

Steps to create a contract:

  1. Identify your faculty mentor and determine the expectations for the contract course. You’ll need these details to create a contract on MyUCLA.
    • Approved mentors for PHYSCI 196-199 include IBP faculty and outside faculty listed here.
  2. Go to  MyUCLA> Classes > Contract Courses
  3. Follow the prompts to select the correct term/year, course number, instructor, unit value, grading basis, and course proposal.

*For students creating a course contract with a UCLA Health Faculty (David Geffen School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Nursing, or Public Health): You will need to complete the Health Sciences Volunteer Office Clearance process with your contracted faculty prior to creating a contract. For more information visit Clearance for Health Sciences Student Researchers.

Enrolling in PHYSCI 196-199
  1. Create a course contract.
  2. Obtain your faculty mentor’s signature on the contract (the department chair’s signature is not required).
  3. Submit the signed contract (+ proposal for PHYSCI 198A/B/C and PHYSCI 199) using the following link by Monday of Week 2 at 5:00pm: https://sa.ucla.edu/forms/p/I18En
  4. Your enrollment in PHYSCI 196-199 will be processed by Friday of Week 2 at 5:00pm and a confirmation email will be sent.
PHYSCI (SRP) 99 – Student Research Program (1-2 units, P/NP grading) 
  • PHYSCI (SRP) 99 is administered by the Undergraduate Research Center (URC). SRP 99 contracts should be submitted to the URC by Friday of Week 2. Please visit the URC’s website for details on the enrollment process.
  • Undergraduate students doing 3-5 hours of supervised lab work should enroll in one unit. 
  • Students working 6-10 hours should enroll in two units.  
  • May be repeated for up to 10 units before transitioning to upper division research courses. 
PHYSCI 196 – Research Apprenticeship in Physiological Science (2-4 units, P/NP grading)
  • Open to juniors and seniors contributing 12-16 hours of lab work.
  • This is typically a transition course into PHYSCI 199 for students who have completed one to three quarters of PHYSCI (SRP) 99.
  • Enrollment requires a signed course contract submitted by Monday of Week 2 at 5:00pm here: https://sa.ucla.edu/forms/p/I18En
  • Cannot be used to satisfy major requirements.
PHYSCI 199 – Directed Research or Senior Project in Physiological Science (2-4 units, P/NP or letter grading) 
  • Open to senior PhySci majors contributing 12 hours per week in the lab.
  • Open to non-majors working in the lab of a faculty member in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology.
  • Pre-requisites:
    • Have senior status
    • 3.0+ cumulative UCLA GPA
    • Completed PHYSCI 99 three times (or a combination of PHYSCI 99 and PHYSCI 196)
    • Research has progressed enough to produce data for at least one figure in the research paper.
  • Deliverables:
  • Note: Up to two courses from PHYSCI 198A/B or PHYSCI 199 may be used to fulfill up to two upper division PhySci electives.
PHYSCI 193 – Journal Club Seminars: Physiological Science (1 unit, P/NP grading)

Some laboratories hold journal club meetings where students analyze and discuss current research literature.

Students participating in journal club should confirm with their faculty mentor whether enrolling in PHYSCI 193 is appropriate for their lab participation.

If your mentor recommends enrolling in PHYSCI 193:

  • They may provide a PTE number or
  • The mentor or student may contact Nadia Avila (navila@ibp.ucla.edu) for enrollment assistance.

Honors Research Contracts

PHYSCI 189 – Advanced Honors Seminars (1 unit, P/NP or letter grading)
  • Required for students pursuing departmental honors in the following advising units: CAC, AAP, Athletics.
  • Students co-enroll with PHYSCI 111A or 111B. 
  • Deliverable:
    • 10-page research paper on a topic related to material covered in one of the class modules. Due to the instructor at the end of the term.
  • Students should reach out to the instructor to arrange a topic at the start of the term. Once the topic has been approved, contact Nadia Avila (navila@ibp.ucla.edu) by Friday of Week 2 at 12:00pm to be enrolled in the course.
PHYSCI 189HC – Honors Contracts (1 unit, letter graded)
  • Open to students in College Honors (PHYSCI 111A/B & upper division courses)
  • College Honors students pursuing departmental honors are required to co-enroll with PHYSCI 111A or 111B.
  • Deliverable:
    • 10-page research paper on a topic related to material covered in one of the class modules. Due to the instructor at the end of the term.
  • Students should reach out to the instructor to arrange a topic at the start of the term. Once the topic has been approved, submit course contract by Friday of Week 2 at 12:00pm here: https://sa.ucla.edu/forms/p/I18En
PHYSCI 198 A/B – Departmental Honors Research in Physiological Science (4 units, in-progress grading)
  • PHYSCI 198A/B is intended for students pursuing Departmental Honors in Physiological Science.
  • Pre-requisites:
    • Have senior status
    • 3.0+ cumulative UCLA GPA
    • Completed PHYSCI 99 three times (or a combination of PHYSCI 99 and PHYSCI 196)
  • Deliverables:
  • Letter grade and credit given upon completion of PHYSCI 198B.
  • Note: Up to two courses from PHYSCI 198A/B or PHYSCI 199 may be used to fulfill up to two upper division PhySci electives.
PHYSCI 198C – Advanced Studies for Honors Research in Physiological Science (4 units, letter grading)