Department Information

and
Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree and Qualifications1
of faculty within

Biological Sciences

 

 

General Description of the Department

The Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University is a research intensive academic unit with an emphasis on educating broadly-trained life scientists. We offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Marine Biology, and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Biology.

The faculty, staff and students in the Department publish over 100 scientific papers yearly that describe the research funded by over $10M annually in grants and contracts. Our curriculum is rigorous and provides a background in critical thinking, research, and communications skills. Our undergraduate majors have successfully entered careers in the life sciences in public, private and non-profit organizations. Many of them enter graduate school in the life sciences, or professional schools like medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, and law. Our graduate degrees are designed to prepare the next generation of research scientists for academics, government, and industry.

 

Degrees offered

The Biological Sciences Department offers the following programs:

BS in Biological Sciences

MS in Biology

Ph.D. in Biology

BS in Marine Biology

 

Terminal Degree2 for each discipline taught in Biological Sciences

Ph.D. in Biology/Biological Sciences

 

Related Disciplines3

      Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (26.02) - all courses

      Botany/Plant Biology (26.0301) - all courses

      Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (26.04) - all courses

      Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (26.13) - all courses

      Genetics (26.0801) - all courses

      Molecular Biology (26.0204) - all courses

      Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (26.09) - all courses

      Zoology/Animal Biology (26.07) - all courses

 

Related Disciplines3 for specific courses

Anthropology, Other (45.0299) – all BSC, PCB, ZOO prefix courses

Environmental Science (03.0104) - BOT 6926, BSC 4931, 5935, PCB 4467, 5418, 5423, 6318

Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management (03.0301) - BSC 1010L, 1011L, 2023L, PCB 2099, 2099L, 4723, 4803, OCB 3043

Geology/Earth Science (40.0601) - BSC 5929, ZOO 4114

Microbiology (26.0502) - all MCB prefix courses

 

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the programs in Biological Sciences)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught.

 

 1

Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s).  Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University.  These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. 

The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this:

Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline

 

 

 2

The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline

 

 

 3

For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level

 

 

 4

(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.