The purpose of BIOL 400 is to provide undergraduates majoring in the Marine Biology BA program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa an opportunity to complete their required capstone synthesis experience under the mentorship of professionals working in marine related fields, either on or off campus. This course is one way among several that students can complete this requirement. Other options include courses such as Field Problems in Marine Biology (BIOL 403), Advanced Topics in Marine Biology (BIOL 404), Directed Research (BIOL/BOT/MICR/OCN 499), or Advanced Quantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques (QUEST) MARE 364 (UH Hilo). BIOL 404 differs from the other courses in that it is broader in possible topics and less tied to lab and field research per se.
Guidelines for BIOL 400 – Ocean Internships
Gaining Approval to Register
Once you have identified an appropriate mentor and internship experience, you must receive approval from the School of Life Sciences to ensure that the planned internship meets the program requirements.
To do so, please complete the following:
- Application for BIOL 400 Ocean Internships form, describing the details of your planned internship. The proposal will be evaluated based on the guidelines outlined in the BIOL 400 Guidelines. Proposals are due no later than one week before the start of the semester in which you plan to complete the internship. Be sure your mentor approves of what you write in the two key sections:
- Please describe your planned internship activity (500 words max.)
- What professional skills will this internship provide and how will it contribute to your professional goals? (500 words max)
- Ask your mentor to send a brief email message to lifesci@hawaii.edu with a short (2-3 sentences) description of the internship and confirming the number of credits and working hours required to complete it (following the credit to working hour conversion outlined above).
At the end of the semester in which you complete the internship, a written report will be due in order to receive a grade. This should not exceed 1250 words in length and should report on the internship experience, including what skills and experience you learned, how these fit into your longer term career goals, and any problems or difficulties you encountered. You should work with your mentor on the specific structure and content of your report before writing.
Submit the Final Report to: lifesci@hawaii.edu
Updated October 2023