As an AAUS scientific diving program DSO, we supply our in-house divers with gear. The programs and universities that I work with provide gear for use by the students and faculty. You say you need to provide your own gear for your scientific class... that certainly isn't unheard of, but most universities that have a scientific diving program are usually big enough to have rental gear for the students. So the first thing you want to know is if the class is an actual AAUS class (or other one that meets the minimums required by the OSHA scientific diving exemption), or if this is a "Scientific Diver" class taught by some instructor/shop/professor that is not operating under any auspices other than ignorance and a prayer, or a series of recreational classes that are combined to make a "Scientific Diving" class. Not to say that the latter options would necessarily be a useless class, you just need to know what you are actually getting because it will matter after you graduate.
Locally, all the programs are using traditional single tank tech set ups for scientific diving (BPW, long hose, necklaced alternate, spg clipped off and everything else on your wrist), brands typically are not any more specific than what the school has dealership agreements with. I have mostly Scubapro and Dive Right. Oceanic/Hollis, Poseidon and Halcyon are common as well. Strangely, none of the programs I work with have Aqualung gear. That is probably more due to the strict dealer requirements of servicing (like Scubapro) than any comment on the quality of the gear though. Oh, and DIN across the board. Yes the adapters are clunky if you need to use them, but you can go from DIN to yoke. You can't go the otherway around except by converting the reg.
Many programs use standard recreational set ups as well (jacket or back inflate BC, standard hose length regulator sets). It mostly depends on the type of diving and training that goes on, as well as if the DSO has drunk the tech Kool-aid or not. If your class requires a specific type of gear, talk to the instructor to find out. If not, I'd go with the tech set-up and a pair of pocket shorts.
-Chris