BMEG 554

Directed Studies courses allow students to pursue independent research under the guidance of a faculty member. A Directed Studies Reading course is a course created when an individual student (or a very small group of students) wishes to explore a topic not currently offered as a graduate course in a given academic year. Alternatively, the Directed Studies may be Laboratory-based.

Directed Studies Courses are intended to be an opportunity to offer current students training on subject matter not covered by other courses offered by the University. Similarly, training that would otherwise be occurring as part of the student’s own research experience and training in the lab (i.e. their own lab) and specific to their project, should not be converted to credits towards their graduate curriculum. The student’s thesis supervisor should not be involved in the evaluation of their own student or typically not solely responsible for the evaluation to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.

A Directed Studies Reading course is intended to provide a student with the opportunity to critically review a body of literature and to prepare a research article or a review article. The student and the professor supervising the course should work together to develop a detailed course outline including the following:

• a course description,

• 3 – 4 learning objectives,

• clearly defined assignments with specific due dates (the final deadline for students to complete a Directed Studies course is normally no later than the last day of classes in that term),

• a bibliography/suggested course reading requirements, and,

• a breakdown of the evaluation scheme for the course, (i.e. percentage grade weight of each assignment).

• the proposed credit value (1-3 credits) with accompanying breakdown of hours to justify, and,

• the proposed duration of the directed student course.

A Directed Studies Reading course 3-credit project is fitted into one term or approximately 200 hours.

Student researchers should be able to:

• Apply critical thinking skills to a research problem.

• Formulate research questions as the project proceeds.

• Locate relevant reported information to assess the research questions.

• Integrate observations and explanations to relate the reported observations to each research question.

• Link experimental results to experimental questions to draw accurate conclusions, recognize the limitations of the results and recognize future significant directions of the research.

• Effectively communicate their research in oral and written form.

For Laboratory-based projects the outcomes above can be changed. This will be done in consultation with the graduate advisor.

Faculty will evaluate students considering the following:

• The demonstrated critical understanding of the observations.

• The intellectual contribution of the student toward the development of the project.

• The quality of the written report and analysis.

In the case of a Directed Studies Laboratory research course, the form in which the results of the research will be communicated should be specified. The method of evaluation must be clearly stated.

Students wishing to pursue this course are responsible for finding a Faculty member with relevant expertise and interest in the chosen topic to supervise the Directed Studies course.

Please submit your request by filling in the “BMEG 554 – Directed Studies Request” form and sending it to the program office at students@sbme.ubc.ca for approval by the Graduate Program Director.

Requests must be submitted at least 1 month prior to the first day of class of the term in which the student wishes to enroll.

The office will register the student once the course has been approved by the Graduate Advisor.