Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

The profession of biologist was regulated in Brazil by Law no. 6684/1979. The areas of work for Biological Sciences graduates have been expanding constantly, and include environmental conservation, ecotourism, clinical analysis, biotechnology, environmental education and teaching. The detailed description of each area of work is available at the Federal Council of Biology (CFBio)’s website. The wage floor for biologists in Brazil is established in eight times the minimum wage.

UFSC Biological Sciences Program is a broad-ranging degree that provides students with knowledge of various biological areas, such as Cell Biology, Embryology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Botany, Physiology, Parasitology, Morphology, Ecology, Zoology, Microbiology, Immunology and Pharmacology.  The student can also choose to pursue a teaching degree – in this case, the graduate will be able to work as a teacher in primary and secondary schools.

The program is offered in the day period since 2006, and in the evening period since 2010. Today, the day program offers general courses in the first two years and, in the third year, the student must choose if they will follow the teaching career. In the evening program, this choice need not be made, as the degree is already aimed at teaching.

Biological Sciences graduates are qualified to provide services, execute projects and carry out research in various areas of biology, such as preservation, sanitation, protection and enhancement of environmental quality, biotechnology, etc. The School of Biological Sciences (CCB) has a number of laboratories where cutting-edge research is conducted and where students find vast possibilities to develop their Scientific Initiation projects, which contribute largely to their studies throughout the program.

The biologist can guide, direct, advise or consult companies, conduct investigations, and prepare technical reports and opinions. The School of Biological Sciences houses a Junior Enterprise called Simbiosis, managed exclusively by students, which already performs some of these tasks. Throughout the program, students take part in internships that result in a final thesis (TCC), which, in its turn, reflects the students’ dedication and the quality of the program.

With the teaching degree, graduates are able to teach in primary and secondary schools. Students in the teaching degree have about 1000 class hours of pedagogical courses, besides a teaching practice component (PPCC). In addition to the pedagogical courses, students who opt for the teaching degree also write a final thesis and take most of the courses offered in the program. This way, the teaching graduate may also follow a career in all other professional activities. Students who do not seek a teaching license can also work as teachers in non-formal settings, such as in environmental education.

The School of Biological Sciences offers a good infrastructure with strong research performance, which provides undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in projects in various research areas. Some of these areas include: the study of biodiversity and its conservation, zoology, botany, genetics, animal and environmental toxicology, biological actions of medicinal herbs and natural products, virology, parasitology, behavioral genetics,  neurobiological mechanisms of stress, anxiety, depression, drug abuse, eating behavior, pain, inflammation and aging.

In 2010, one of our students was ranked first among 6407 candidates for a position of Junior Environmental Analyst (Biology) at Petrobrás. Also, several of our students have been ranked first place or got good placements in highly competitive public competitions, including for UFSC technical administrative positions, for graduate programs and for positions in government agencies (FATMA, Public Health Department, Federal Police, IBAMA, among others).

UFSC Biological Sciences graduates complete the courses with a solid academic background and a broad academic profile. The vast internship opportunities since the early stages of the program ensure students a solid scientific education and the possibility to choose among various areas of work. The teaching degree also provides students with a solid educational base and education-specific internships which contribute to their teacher training in Biology.

Learn more about the Biology Program by watching this video (in Portuguese):