Field Courses

We are delighted to announce the field course plans for the Department of Integrative Biology for 2025. Two Integrative Biology, fourth-year field courses will be taught by Guelph faculty: ZOO​*4300 in St. Andrews, NB and BIOL*4410 in Algonquin Park, ON. Guelph also continues its participation in the Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology (OUPFB) where students can apply to take field courses at other Ontario universities for academic credit here. A third option is to take a field course not at the University of Guelph and not through OUPFB, but at an academically or research-accredited institution (requires preapproval by the field course coordinator below). Field course plans or health protocols may be adjusted according to the public health situation.

Field course coordinator:  Dr. Amy Newman

Field course Assistants: Ryan Kenwell and Caitlin Brookbanks

OVERVIEW:

Field courses vary from year to year and the application procedures vary from course to course. A detailed summary of the general field course information session (overview and OUPFB) and specific information sessions (ZOO*4300, BIOL*4410) held in November is found here.

Students apply to field courses through special processes and using forms indicated below and NOT through Web Advisor.

  • Students accepted into the Guelph field courses (ZOO*4300, BIOL*4410, and BIOL*4610) who complete the field component in the summer will be registered for the course in the following Fall semester. In other words, the field course appears on your fall term academic report. There is one exception: Students wishing to take a summer field course but on a coop work term in the following fall term, can defer registration to the following winter term.
  • The field component of OUPFB field courses (BIOL*4700/4800/4900) may occur outside of summer months (see website: OUPFB website). Registration is also typically in the fall term following the summer field experience with three exceptions: i) The course occurs at the end of the year in which case registration is in the winter term. ii) The field component is completed before June 30 in which case registration can be in the summer term at the student’s request (note UoG summer term registration fees will apply here in addition to course fees). iii) Students on a fall coop work term can defer registration to the following winter term.
  • Consideration for a field course is based on receipt of a complete application file a Course Waiver Request Form and a non-refundable deposit check ($350 per academic course) in a timely manner.
  • Applications for all field courses are accepted starting January 6, 2025 at 8:30 am and end January 31, 2025. Application to OUPFB courses are considered on a first-come first-served basis and depend on availability, whereas applications to University of Guelph field courses are not.
  • Prerequisites for all field courses include introductory Ecology and Statistics. All field courses include an independent student-run research project of some sort. Students in IB majors have some priority over other majors, and students in 3rd year or higher have some priority over earlier years. Selection and registration is managed by the field coordinator and assistant above.
  • You can attempt to pre-reserve a seat on a 2025 OUPFB course by emailing the field course coordinator above before December 4th: your name, student ID, 2023 OUPFB module number, and academic major. We cannot guarantee a seat but we will nevertheless try to hold seats in OUPFB modules for interested students.
  • To apply for a field course not offered at the University of Guelph or through OUPFB, please use this form. Submit form to Field Course Coordinator.

INFORMATION SESSION:

Two information sessions for 2025 field courses will be held at the following dates and times.  

General Information Meeting November 26th, at 5:30-6:30 in SSC 1306
Marine Biology (New Brunswick)    November 28th at 5:30-6:30 in SSC 2315
Field Ecology (Algonquin) November 28th at 5:30-6:30 in SSC 3315

The topics to be covered include:

COURSES:

ZOO*4300 Marine Biology & Oceanography (0.75 credit)

BIOL*4410 Field Ecology (Algonquin Park) (0.75 credit)

BIOL*4700, 4800 and/or 4900 The Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology (OUPFB) - The 2025 OUPFB course offering will be available in mid-December 2024.

 

 PAUSED/PAST COURSES:

BIOL*4610 Arctic Ecology (Currently suspended for 2025 - 0.75 credit)

  • BIOL*4610 Application Form (Application form will not be available in 2025)
  • BIOL*4610 Course Outline

BIOL*2300 Field Course In Biodiversity (Currently suspended.  Files below are provided for interest and reflect only previous years)