Finding and securing an internship for the Biostatistics major at BYU-Idaho involves university platform routing, departmental networking, and specific administrative approval steps.
Because the Biostatistics major is housed under the Department of Mathematics but splits into biology-heavy modules (Genetics and Epidemiology), students have multiple targeted avenues to explore.
1. Primary Search Channels
- Handshake (BYU-Idaho Portal): This is the university’s primary job and internship database. Employers posting here are specifically looking to hire BYU-Idaho students. Use search filters like "Biostatistics," "Data Analyst," "Epidemiology," "Bioinformatics," or "Clinical Research."
- The BYU-Idaho Career Center (Manwaring Center 200): You can request a Past Internship List directly from the Career Center. This list shows exactly where previous students in your department have successfully completed internships, giving you a warm list of companies and health departments familiar with the university.
- Faculty Mentorship and On-Campus Research: Speak with professors in the Mathematics and Biology departments. Securing a spot on a faculty-led research project or a Senior Project can count as an internship (specifically under the research track), providing excellent preparation for graduate school.
- Academic Societies: Actively participating in the Mathematics Society provides direct networking lines to alumni and visiting employers who frequently share opening announcements before they are posted publicly.
2. Departmental Specifics & Contacts
Before committing to an outside opportunity, it must align with the academic expectations of the department to ensure you receive credit. The Faculty Internship Coordinators review and authorize these experiences:
- Statistics/Math Focus: Garrett Saunders (saundersg@byui.edu) is the coordinator for Statistics applications (MATH 498R).
- Data Science Focus: David Palmer (palmerda@byui.edu) handles Data Science-related placements (DS 498R).
- Epidemiology/Biology Focus: If your internship is deeply embedded in a public health lab, clinical setting, or field research, it may route through Brother Holden Higginbotham (biointernships@byui.edu) under BIO 398 (Occupational) or BIO 498R (Research).
3. The Approval and Registration Process
Once you locate an opportunity, you must officially register for it before receiving academic credit.
1.Secure an Offer Letter:
Obtain a formal offer letter on official company letterhead. It must explicitly state your job title, detailed responsibilities, hours per week, start/end dates, and your supervisor’s contact information.
2.Submit an I-Plan Request:
Log into I-Plan and navigate to the "Internship Approval" tool. Click "Create an Internship Request," fill out the required organization data, and upload your offer letter. This routes the request to your specific Faculty Coordinator.
3.Employer Agreement Sign-off:
Once the faculty coordinator gives preliminary academic approval, I-Plan automatically emails your supervisor a Master Internship Agreement. Your employer must digitally sign this document to verify they will provide adequate mentoring.
4.Register for the Course:
After receiving an automated email stating your internship is "Authorized," go to your student portal and officially register for the corresponding course (such as MATH 498R, DS 498R, or BIO 498R).
Sources
BYU-Idaho: Advanced Writing for Math Students
BYU-Idaho: Department of Mathematics
US News: "What You Need to Know About Becoming a Mathematics Major”
Research.com: “Different Types of Mathematics Bachelor’s Degrees: Specializations, Careers, and Salaries"
BYU-Idaho: Math Boot Camp
Indeed.com: "Math Degrees: Types, FAQs and 7 Career Paths You Can Pursue"
Research.com: Mathematica
BYU-Idaho Academic Catalog: Mathematics (B.S.)
Wikipedia: “Mathematics"
BYU-Idaho: Math Internships
BYU-Idaho: Mathematics Student Resources
BYU-Idaho: Mathematics Societies
BYU-Idaho: Math Secondary Teaching Internship Requirements
BYU-Idaho: Quantitative Reasoning Requirements
BYU-Idaho: Mathematics Senior Projects
The Best Schools: What Is A Math Degree?