Departmental Honors

Lab Research

Overview of Departmental Honors in MIMG

To achieve Departmental Honors in MIMG, an MIMG student must:

  • Be an MIMG student.
  • Complete three consecutive quarters of MIMG 198 A-B-C (individual honors research) preferably in the lab of an MIMG faculty member. Exceptions involving research in a non-MIMG lab will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Preferably, begin the honors research during the spring quarter of the year before the final year. Then, the student can use part of the spring quarter of the final year to write the thesis. In this case the thesis should be completed by May 15th (see the Honors Thesis Guidelines below). Alternatively, the student can begin in the fall quarter of their final year, in which case their thesis is due by Friday of Week 10 of the final year. No extensions will be granted. Students who do not complete the Honors Thesis by the deadline will not receive Departmental Honors.
  • Complete the MIMG Honors Seminar, MIMG 181H, in the winter quarter of their last year (a two-unit seminar class).
  • Have a GPA of at least 3.5 in the upper-division major courses at the time of graduation.
  • Write a comprehensive thesis, to be approved by the Faculty Honors Advisor, Dr. Jeffrey H. Miller (jhmiller@microbio.ucla.edu)

Eligibility

Before beginning the first quarter of MIMG 198, the student must:

  • Already have experience in the lab they are proposing to do their honors thesis in.

    Experience consists of SRP (SRP 99), MIMG 199, MIMG 196, or from volunteer work.

  • Have a GPA of at least a 3.2 in the life science core curriculum courses and at least 3.5 in the major courses.
  • Connect with and receive approval from the Faculty Honors Advisor, Dr. Jeffrey H. Miller (jhmiller@microbio.ucla.edu) as outlined in the Application Process.

Application Deadlines

When to Apply

  • Standard timeline: Apply during Winter quarter of your third year at UCLA.
  • Transfer students: Apply during Winter quarter of your first year at UCLA.
  • If accepted: Students begin the Honors 198 series in Spring quarter (of the third year, or first year for Transfer students)
  • Latest deadline: Before Fall quarter of the final year, so that, if accepted, students begin the Honors 198 Series in Fall quarter of the final year.
  • Questions or exceptions to this timeline: Email Dr. Fonseca at undergrad@microbio.ucla.edu

Application Deadline

  • Complete the application process by Friday of Finals Week in the quarter before starting the 198 series.
  • Example: To start in Spring quarter → apply by Friday of Winter quarter’s Finals Week
  • This timing allows for review and enrollment processing.

Fall Quarter Exception

  • Fall quarter applications may be accepted until Friday of Week 0 of Fall quarter.
  • Recommendation: Still apply by Friday of Spring quarter’s finals week to give Dr. Jeffrey H. Miller adequate review time and avoid enrollment delays

Application Process 

  1. Before enrolling in MIMG 198A, the student must ask their mentor (the P.I.) to email Dr. Miller confirming consent for the student to conduct honors research in their lab.
  2. Once the mentor’s email has been sent, the student should contact Dr. Miller (jhmiller@microbio.ucla.edu) via email to discuss the proposed project. Because the student has already been working in the lab, they should have a basic idea of what they will be researching. Dr. Miller will review the student’s project.
  3. If Dr. Miller approves the proposed project, he will notify both the student and Dr. Fonseca via email.
    1. Dr. Fonseca will then send the student the formal MIMG Departmental Honors Application.
    2. The student must then create an MIMG 198A contract and upload it via the formal MIMG Departmental Honors Application. Once these conditions are fulfilled, Dr. Fonseca can process the student’s MIMG 198A enrollment. 

Enrollment Steps (Once Approved)

  • There is no “automatic enrollment”. Enrollment requires a contract, just like SRP 99 and MIMG 199.  Contracts are available at www.my.ucla.edu, under “Contract Courses”.
  • Contracts must be filled out, signed by the mentor (the P.I.), and submitted to the department via Dr. Fonseca.
  • THE DEPARTMENTAL CHAIR DOES NOT NEED TO SIGN THE CONTRACT, EVER!
  • Contracts are due by 12:00 p.m. (Noon) on Friday of the second week of classes.
  • All 198 contracts must include a thoughtful and well-described proposal for research, to be approved by the Department. The proposal is written by the student with the guidance of the mentor.

About the MIMG Honors Seminar (MIMG 181H)

The MIMG Honors Seminar (MIMG 181H) course is a two-unit course offered Winter quarters to MIMG Honors students. In this seminar, students will explore the intersection of cutting-edge research in MIMG with critical bioethical issues emerging in biomedicine. Topics include germline gene editing, artificial intelligence in healthcare, stem cell research, medical resource allocation, animal research ethics, biosecurity, genetically modified organisms, biohacking, gene patenting, de-extinction, and genetic testing.


Each student will research, prepare, and deliver two 45-minute presentations on a selected topics, facilitating an interactive discussion throughout. Class size is limited to eighteen senior MIMG students to foster in-depth dialogue. Through this course, students will develop a sophisticated understanding of the ethical challenges arising from advances in biomedical science, while honing skills in scientific communication, critical analysis, and discussion leadership.

Faculty Honors Advisor

Molecular Sciences Building (MSB) 2801A
(310) 826-5062
jhmiller@microbio.ucla.edu

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does MIMG help place students in Honors labs?

MIMG does NOT place students in labs. Students must independently apply and/or contact labs and faculty directly. MIMG Advisors can meet with students to share guidance and check in about progress as helpful to students. 

Getting Connected to Independent Research: We recommend checking out our MIMG Undergraduate Research Guide for steps and resources to reach out to UCLA labs for the purpose of engaging in undergraduate research

How do I enroll in MIMG 198?

MIMG Students can only enroll in MIMG 198 coursework if they are accepted into the MIMG Departmental Honors Program. Once approved to pursue Departmental Honors:

There is no “automatic enrollment”. Enrollment requires a contract, just like SRP 99 and MIMG 199.  Contracts are available at www.my.ucla.edu, under “Contract Courses”.

  • Contracts must be filled out, signed by the mentor (the P.I.), and submitted to the department via Dr. Fonseca.
  • Contracts are due by 12:00 p.m. (Noon) on Friday of the second week of classes.
  • All 198 contracts must include a thoughtful and well-described proposal for research, to be approved by the Department. The proposal is written by the student with the guidance of the mentor.

The Departmental Chair Does Not Need to Sign the Contracts (Unless the Departemntal Chair is the Student's Faculty Mentor).

How am I graded for MIMG 198?
  • For MIMG 198A and MIMG 198B, a progress report, in the form of a rough draft/working draft of the thesis (see below), must be submitted to the mentor and to the Student Affairs Officer by Friday of Finals week.  No such report is needed at the end of 198C, to allow the student to work on the thesis. See Fall 2025 report submission link here.
  • The mentor grades the research (198A, B, C) of the student.  Whether or not the mentor uses the report as basis for a grade is at his/her discretion.  The student should inquire about this before starting 198A.
  • The final thesis must be approved by the Faculty Honors advisor and submitted via email in a timely manner. (If students began research in the Spring, the thesis is due the following year on May 15th. If students began in the Fall, the thesis is due Week 10 of Spring quarter). 
What is MIMG 181H?

MIMG 181H is a 2-unit Honors Seminar that students must take in the Winter quarter of their final year at UCLA. 

  • MIMG 181H, taught by Dr. Jeffrey H. Miller, is typically offered each Winter quarter and is a seminar course that involves reading, discussion, and presentation of topics in the biomedical field that have ethical issues.
  • The MIMG Advising Office automatically enrolls honors students in their final year by the end of Week 8 of Fall Quarter. No PTE is required. 
What lab work is required for MIMG 198?
  • Three consecutive quarters of honors research must be completed in the same sponsor’s lab. Spring and Fall are considered consecutive quarters. Summer quarter does not count (but optional if the faculty agrees).
  • Students are expected to work in the lab 12-16 hours per week, per quarter. The student and mentor will decide upon a schedule that works for both of them.
  • Students are not allowed to enroll in 198 in the same research laboratory in which they are working for pay. Exceptions to this rule require prior approval by the Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education. 
What are the guidelines for the Honors Thesis? How do I submit?

The Honors Thesis should adequately describe the research carried out during the three quarters of honors work.  The paper should be in the format of a journal paper, please use the format of the Journal of Molecular Biology.  

The Honors Thesis must include following sections:

  1. Title
  2. Abstract
  3. Introduction: A short review of the field of study that should represent a mini-review of the topic of the paper. Minimum of 1500 words.
  4. Experimental Design: Should demonstrate an understanding of the experimental system.
  5. Results: Should include figures, tables, and legends as appropriate.
  6. Discussion: Should demonstrate a knowledge of the larger field, and represent a mini-review of the topic of the paper. Combined with the Future Experiments section, minimum of 1500 words.
  7. Materials and Methods
  8. Future Experiments: Should demonstrate an understanding of the experimental system. Combined with the discussion section, minimum of 1500 words.
  9. References: Must include the names of all authors, the journal, beginning and end pages, and the full titles of the articles.

Additional Notes:

  • The paper should reflect only the student’s own experiments and should be written completely by the student (a copy of a multi-authored publication or paper submitted for publication cannot substitute for an honors Thesis).
  • It is not a requirement that experiments work or yield a publishable result.  It is important to analyze the experiments, and particularly in the case where few results were obtained, to suggest future experiments that might shed light on the problem.  

The Thesis must be signed and approved from the Faculty Honors Advisor, Dr. Miller for the student to receive departmental honors. Please feel free to discuss your honors thesis with Dr. Miller at any time.

Honors Thesis Submission Steps: 

What counts towards the MIMG major requirements?

Path 1:

Path 2:

  • MIMG 198C and/or MIMG 181H can fulfill the MIMG General Elective Requirement. 
  • If admitted to Path 2, the research/contract courses (i.e. 198 A/B/C from Honors and 196A/B from Path 2) can potentially overlap. For example, if you begin Honors and Path 2 at the same time, you would enroll in MIMG 198A + MIMG 180A the first quarter. The 198A would "replace" 196A for Path 2. Please see Path 2 application information here.
  • Students who began Path 2 before being accepted into Departmental Honors should contact Dr. Fonseca to confirm the title of their upcoming contract.

For inquiries about course planning, please contact the MIMG Advising team at undergrad@microbio.ucla.edu with your UID. 

What about Path 2?

Path 2:

  • Path 2 and MIMG Dpt. Honors are separate programs. Students must apply and be admitted to both programs separately if interested in both.
  • MIMG Dpt. Honors does NOT replace Path 2.
  • If admitted to Path 2, the contract courses can potentially overlap. Contract courses are the academic credit for the research itself (198 A/B/C from Honors, 196A/B from Path 2). For example, if you begin Honors and Path 2 at the same time, you would enroll in MIMG 198A + MIMG 180A the first quarter. The 198A would "replace" 196A for Path 2. It would NOT be possible to enroll in two contract courses in the same quarter (i.e. cannot enroll in MIMG 198B and 196B in same quarter), as that would be double-counting the same research.Please see Path 2 application information here.
  • Students who began Path 2 before being accepted into Departmental Honors should contact Dr. Fonseca at undergrad@microbio.ucla.edu with their UID to confirm the title of their upcoming contract.

For inquiries about course planning, please contact the MIMG Advising team at undergrad@microbio.ucla.edu with your UID.