SlugAtlasUC Santa Cruz

BIOL 186RUndergraduate Research in MCD Biology

5 creditsUndergraduateStudent Option

Supervised undergraduate research in the laboratory of an MCD biology faculty member accompanied by weekly lectures on practical scientific issues. Topics include: laboratory safety; the scientific method; the collection, treatment, and presentation of data; critical evaluation of scientific literature; ethics and scientific misconduct; and peer review. Career issues, including how to apply for admission to graduate and professional schools, are discussed. Students cannot receive credit for this course and BIOL 186L. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 100 or BIOC 100A; and BIOL 20L or BIOL 102J; and previous completion of the Disciplinary Communication requirement. Each enrolled student must have a committed MCD faculty sponsor by the first class. Enrollment is restricted to MCD Biology-affiliated majors.

Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.

When it runs

Winter 2027Open Winter 2027

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Laboratory
Fri 3:00pm–4:30pm
Sinsheimer Lb 123B. M. ColquittOpen 0/75

Fall 2026Open Fall 2026

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Laboratory
Fri 3:30pm–5:00pm
Sinsheimer Lb 123V. C. CortezOpen 17/75

Spring 2026Open Spring 2026

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Laboratory
Wed 4:00pm–5:05pm
Sinsheimer Lb 123Z. WangClosed 2/2

Winter 2026Open Winter 2026

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Laboratory
Wed 12:00pm–1:30pm
Sinsheimer Lb 123J. WardOpen 20/75

Fall 2025Open Fall 2025

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Laboratory
Wed 12:00pm–1:30pm
Sinsheimer Lb 123M. J. DoodyOpen 15/75

Who teaches it

InstructorRatingDifficultyWould take againReviews
Bradley Colquitt5.0 / 54.0 / 5100%2
Zhu Wang3.3 / 54.1 / 545%12
Jordan Ward3.8 / 53.4 / 575%24
Michael Doody4.3 / 53.4 / 593%14

From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.

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