The goals of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Jupiter are to enhance education and foster research in the life sciences while building partnerships with local research institutes, including the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and The Scripps Research Institute, both located on FAU’s John D. MacArthur Campus. A 20,000 square foot research building on the John D. MacArthur Campus, was renovated and eight neuroscience faculty members relocated their laboratories to this building, which included bringing over 40 students and staff to Jupiter. The proximity of the institutes encourages collaboration by FAU faculty members with fellow scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and local biotechnology companies.
This expanded the educational opportunities for students in both the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College by providing additional science courses on the Jupiter campus, as well as access to sophisticated scientific laboratories and equipment. In addition to enrolling in College of Science courses, students have the option of participating in summer research opportunities for undergraduates. The College of Science also offers a new suite of upper division and graduate courses during the academic year on the MacArthur campus.
The Neuroscience and Behavior undergraduate degree is jointly administered by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Biological Sciences. The degree provides undergraduate preparation for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in all areas of neuroscience and/or behavioral biology, or in pursuing professional degrees. A minimum of 120 total credits (including degree and university mandated courses) is required. In addition to course work, qualified students have the opportunity to partake in world-class neuroscience research via Directed Independent Study or special research courses at FAU campuses, or in collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute or Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience.
The Department of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University offers two undergraduate degree programs leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior. These programs are designed to provide quality general education in core areas of psychological science and neuroscience, respectively, preparing students for careers in numerous fields as well as for graduate study.
Currently there are approximately 2100 undergraduate majors in the two programs across FAU, making Psychology one of the most popular majors at the university. Served by our outstanding, nationally renowned faculty, students in our undergraduate programs receive both a first-rate classroom education from leaders in numerous fields of experimental psychology and neuroscience as well as opportunities to participate in laboratory research (Research Opportunities) firsthand.
The B.S. in Biology degree is recommended for students planning to be professional biologists in industry or governmental service or pursue graduate work in the biological sciences. Students interested in the following areas should pursue the B.S. degree in Biology: premed/pre professional, marine biology, ecology, zoology, molecular biology, microbiology or biotechnology. Please check with the Department of Biological Sciences if you have further questions. Students working towards the B.S. in biology can choose an area of emphasis in neuroscience and behavior. The B.A. degree is intended to provide maximum flexibility for students pursuing study in interdisciplinary areas such as environmental science or secondary school teaching.
The Department of Biological Sciences offers an Honors in the Major Program that recognizes research accomplishments of talented undergraduates. The mission of this program is to provide an enriched learning experience for high-performing students and increase opportunities for biology majors to develop high-level proficiency in skills required for graduate school and careers in science through direct participation in cutting-edge research experiences and enhanced relationships with faculty mentors. Students will develop skills in critical thinking, the identification of research questions, experimental design, collection and reporting of data, techniques in biological research, and the ethical standards of the field. Participants will exit the program prepared for continuation of their education in a graduate program and/or for the highly competitive STEM job market.
The FAU Max Planck Honors Program provides honors students with exclusive enrichment opportunities, including courses taught or co-taught with Max Planck scientists. The Program empowers students to work with world-class faculty researchers through a summer research program, and will include the possibility of directed independent research and an honors thesis with program faculty. Cutting-edge neuroscience training courses will include technologies such as 2-photon imaging, super resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, electrophysiology and optogenetic technology.
The Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBNS) program is a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology with an emphasis in neuroscience. Comprehending the full function of the brain, in health and disease, requires the understanding of sub-cellular processes in single neurons, signal integration by the brain and cognitive function. The neuroscience faculty in the IBNS Program will tackle many of the cutting-edge questions in neuroscience through the integration of multiple disciplines, different model systems and a broad spectrum of technologies. Faculty will provide the formal course work and the staff of excellent core facilities will provide practical workshops in advanced methods that will be available for all neuroscience students. The first year curriculum includes classroom and laboratory instruction in cellular, molecular, and systems neuroscience, courses in scientific communication and statistics, and laboratory rotations with select faculty from MPFI, FAU and Scripps Florida.
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Brain & Behavior program is in collaboration with MPFI, FAU, University of Bonn (Bonn, Germany), and the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research (Bonn, Germany). The program offers students a world-class, competitive doctoral program while giving them the opportunity to learn, train and work in multiple countries.
The program aims to recruit outstanding doctoral students and immerse them in a stimulating environment that provides novel technologies to elucidate the function of brain circuits from molecules to animal behavior. IMPRS for Brain and Behavior faculty guides students to develop the critical and creative mindset required for a successful scientific career. The comprehensive and diverse expertise of the faculty in the exploration of brain-circuit function using advanced imaging and optogenetic techniques combined with comprehensive training in fundamental neurobiology will provide students with an exceptional level of knowledge to pursue a successful independent research career.
Integrative Biology is a multidisciplinary doctoral program of the Department of Biological Sciences of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science with the participation of other departments and colleges at Florida Atlantic University. Integrative Biology refers to cross-disciplinary, multilevel approaches to education and research in biology and other science areas. Achieving an understanding of biological phenomena through scientific inquiry is becoming increasingly cross-disciplinary. The program takes advantage of current faculty strengths in biological sub-disciplines such as ecology & environmental sciences, marine biology, neuroscience as well as molecular, cellular and developmental biology to provide academic leadership and mentor graduate students. The course of study for individual students will be built around core courses in Integrative Biology, Scientific Communication, and Statistics. The course of study will also include elective courses relevant to the student’s research interests, seminar courses and dissertation research.
The Biology Department of Florida Atlantic University offers two Masters degrees: M.S. and M.S.T. The program is tailored to the needs and interests of the student, in five areas: Biotechnology, Microbiology, Ecology, Marine Biology, and Environmental Sciences. Students may enroll on a full or part-time basis; all receive guidance from a faculty advisor. Normally, the degree is completed within two years full-time or four years part-time. A Masters degree in biology prepares students for graduate study in Ph.D., health profession programs, teaching, research, or careers in business or government.
Visit their website or contact the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at 561-799-8060.