Hello:

For you electricians out the

I am a retired engineer, and feel pretty competent in doing
some light electrical work around the place.

But, I am not up to date on codes.

My specific question is:

I want to put an outlet and a switch on an unfinished wooden stud (I think
they are called studs; the ones running floor to ceiling) in the basement.
Will use a metal gang box, of course, and NM / Romex 14/2 WG.

Since the basement wall here is unfinished, no plaster walls, just the
exposed wood, can I just run the wire
up the stud and staple it to the wood ?

Or, do I need to run it in some metal conduit ?
If so, all the way to the ceiling box where I would tie it in, or just up
the wall ?

Thanks,
B.