Advising Forms

Forms:

• Waitlist
• 484 Shadowing/Internship
• 285/485 Directed Studies
• x91 Research
• Submission Deadlines

BIMS students can earn Directed Elective (BDE) credit via field/work experience, directed studies, or research — up to a combined 9 credits during their undergraduate degree. Registration is handled by BIMS Advising (not Schedule Builder). Forms must be submitted by the end of Add/Drop week each semester

Waitlist for BIMS Classes

BIMS Course Waitlist Form

If you’re unable to register for a required BIMS course, you can submit a waitlist form to request enrollment. Priority is given to students graduating that semester, but submission does not guarantee placement.

• Submit a waitlist form, linked above via Google Forms.
• Priority for students graduating that semester, especially if the course is required.
• Approval not guaranteed; students informed up to the start of classes. Email bims@tamu.edu with questions.

Field experience (shadowing/internship) – BIMS 484

This course allows you to earn credit for professional experiences like internships or shadowing in a relevant field. You’ll need to arrange your own placement and meet a required number of hours to receive credit.

• Shadowing/internship in a related professional setting: 30 hours per credit hour, graded S/U.
• Apply via the BIMS 484 Google Form after securing a placement.
• Max 6 credits total count toward BDE; registration handled by Advising

Directed Studies – BIMS 285/485

Directed Studies offers the chance to explore a specific topic in-depth under faculty guidance. It may include reading, lab work, or projects beyond the standard curriculum.

Options:

• With VMBS faculty: Submit the BIMS 285/485 Google Form; eligible for 0–3 credits per semester, up to 9 total across all x84/x85/x91 courses.
• With Non-VMBS faculty: The outside department registers you; submit BIMS 285/485 Non-VMBS PDF by email to bims@tamu.edu for BDE credit review.

Research – BIMS 291/491  

Research courses let you gain hands-on experience in a lab setting under faculty supervision. These opportunities can strengthen your academic and professional development, especially if you’re considering graduate or professional school.

• Lab-based research under faculty guidance (techniques, experiments, analysis).
• Credits: 0–4 per semester, max 9 total. No stipend allowed.
• All forms should be completed and emailed to bims@tamu.edu by the end of Add/Drop

Options:

1. 291/491 with VMBS faculty – submit form before Add/Drop week.
2. 291/491 with Non-VMBS faculty – outside department registers, plus BIMS review form emailed. Retroactive credit eligible if meets BDE criteria.
3. MSCI 691 (College of Medicine) – grad-level S/U course. Submit PDF with details & signatures by end of Add/Drop week. Form includes:
   • The student’s academic information
   • The number of credit hours that you and professor have agreed for you to earn
   • The biomedical science research goal(s) and your specific biomedical science related research learning objectives
   • The professor’s signature and the Texas A&M University College of Medicine’s Dean’s representative (the representative can be reached at med-graduatestudies@tamu.edu).

Lab Safety Trainings

Before beginning any research experience, all students must complete safety training to ensure compliance with university policies and lab protocols. This includes general and lab-specific requirements.

All Research Students must complete:

• General training: Hazardous Communication (#11020) via TrainTraq; Lab Safety Training (#2114106) via TrainTraq
• Lab-specific form: Submit by Day 10; valid across consecutive semesters (excluding summer).
• Additional training may be required per lab.

Research as BIMS Writing Intensive Request

With faculty approval, one research course may also count as a Writing-Intensive (W) credit. This option is only available for research completed within the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS).

A research course may count toward both a BDE and one Writing-Intensive requirement if:

1. It’s within VMBS and faculty agree to writing expectations.
2. A signed BIMS Writing Intensive Form and syllabus are submitted (via email at bims@tamu.edu) by Add/Drop week.
3. Only one of the two required University Writing-Intensive courses may be fulfilled this way; a separate course is needed for the second.

Submission Deadlines

All forms must be submitted by end of Add/Drop week (see TAMU Academic Calendar). Ensure registration planning aligns.