Sample Syllabus

Careers in Biomedical Sciences - ISC2931

Funding provided by NIH Grant # R25GM115298

Course Description

A seminar course that alternates between lectures and learning activities that focus on understanding the process and culture of scientific research and the professional skills needed to be employable in a scientific research career. The course will include training in the Responsible Conduct of Research and targeted job-search tactics for scientific careers. This course provides students with presentations from research-active University of Florida faculty illustrating opportunities for undergraduate student research. This course will be offered every fall and spring semester.

• Credit Hours: 1
• Pre-requisites and Co-requisites: None
• Course Meeting Time: TBA
• Course Meeting Location: TBA
• Textbooks and Other Required Materials: None

Course Information

Student Learning Objectives:

The main objectives of the seminar course are to acquaint students with science as a process and provide them access to active researchers in the areas of biomedical and behavioral sciences. Specific learning objectives in Careers in Biomedical Sciences include:

Professional Development:

Students will

• Prepare a curriculum vitae (CV) and a personal statement
• Discuss the forms and consequences of scientific misconduct.
• Describe the mechanisms for funding research.
• Identify research career options in their discipline.
• Define roles and responsibilities of members in a research group.
• Describe the hierarchy in a lab or research group and identify best practices for teamwork in that setting.

Research Process Skills:

Students will

• Define a research question, design question or hypothesis for a project.
• Use logic and evidence to build arguments and draw conclusions about data.
• Define future research questions.

Communication:

Students will

• Connect research to issues relevant to society at large.
• Connect research to what they have learned in other courses.
• Communicate effectively in written and oral form
• Demonstrate mature attitude in dealing with sensitive and controversial scientific issues.

Attendance Policy:

Attendance is required and will be recorded every time we meet. Please notify your instructor as soon as possible if you cannot attend due to sudden illness, family emergencies, and so forth. If you miss class with a valid excuse you might be provided alternative materials to complete.

Course Background:

This seminar course is loosely based on the Entering Research Program developed by Janet Branchaw, Christine Pfund and Raelyn Rediske at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) with funding from the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the UWM Institute for Cross-College Biology Education, and the UWM Center for Biology Education. Course resources are available from Entering Research: a Facilitator’s Manual. J Branchaw, C Pfund and R Rediske. WH Freeman and Company, 2010.

Grading Policy

Grading Policy - The grade you see in Canvas (calculated by % weight for each category) is the actual grade you are carrying in the class.

Grades are assigned as follows:

• A 100-90%
• B+ 89-85%
• B 84-80%
• C+ 79-75%
• C 74-70%
• D+ 69-65%
• D 64-60%
• F 59% and below

Career Questions and Test Anxiety

Being a student can be a source of stress in your life. Some stress is OK, as it motivates us to get things done, but too much stress could be detrimental to our health. It is hard to see the point of studying if you don't have an ultimate goal. The Santa Fe College Career Exploration Center can help you with any questions you might have about your career plans. It is also a great place to learn more about yourself, your aptitudes, and explore new interests.

The Santa Fe College Counseling and Wellness Center provides short-term, solution-focused counseling to SF students free of charge, as well as crisis intervention, outreach and consultation. The Center is part of the Trauma Response Team at Santa Fe College which provides needed comfort to students, faculty, staff, and families in times of crisis. Counselors also assist students, faculty, and staff in identifying other services in the college and in the community that may be helpful.

Extra Credit, Incompletes, Late Withdrawals, and Special Requests

There are lots of opportunities to reap “easy points” in this course. For that reason, we will not accept special projects or papers at the end of the semester for extra credit, so please do not ask for them! An Incomplete may be granted for documented medical reasons. Late Withdrawals are not allowed. Due to federal regulations (FERPA) we do not discuss issues related to your grades by regular email. You contact us via Canvas so we can set up an appointment at a mutually convenient time when we can talk about your grades in person, by Skype, or over the phone.

College Academic Integrity

Required statement: The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Santa Fe College has adopted a Code of Student Conduct Students are encouraged to discuss issues related to academic dishonesty with instructors.

Required Statements

If you are a student with a disability: In compliance with Santa Fe College policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability. Requests for academic accommodations need to be made during the first week of the semester (except for unusual circumstances) so arrangements can be made. You must be registered with Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) in S-229 for disability verification and determination of reasonable academic accommodations. For more information, see SF Disabilities Resource Center.

Discrimination/Harassment: SF prohibits any form of discrimination or sexual harassment among students, faculty and staff. For further information, refer to College Rule 2.8 in the College Rules Manual.

Course Outline: As the course progresses, we may find it necessary to adjust this timetable. If that is the case, efforts will be made to notify students. In addition, the provisions presented in this syllabus may be changed depending on individual circumstances at the professor’s discretion.

CANVAS has the most up-to-date information on the course and calendar dates. In case of a discrepancy, that information supersedes this document.

Assignments:

• Writing a resume (Student’s Curriculum Vitae)
• Writing Personal statement: Career aspirations
• Reflection/summary after each guest researcher’s talk
• Career paths with biomedical and behavioral sciences skill set
• In-class activities that will consist of case studies, real-life scenarios, and/or lectures
• NOTE: detailed instructions and grading rubrics for each assignment are to be found in Canvas