Internship

Code:

BIOL/Q5001

Acronym:

BIOL/Q5001

Level:

500

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biology
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2024/2025 - A

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://moodle2425.up.pt/course/view.php?id=5842
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Applications in Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:ABBS	4	The study plan from 2019/20	2	-	57	38	1539

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

To get the MSc. Degree, the student will have to present a Dissertation or an Internship Report, depending on whether he/she has chosen to engage into an academic-scientific dissertation or into an internship in a company. Each student should attain the specific goals of his/her specific Project.

Learning outcomes and competences

For both the Dissertation and the Internship Report, the final document will have to be focused on a topic in Biotechnology and/or Synthetic Biology. By the end of their Dissertation or Internship projects, the students should have developed skills in: planning and performing R&D work; critical analysis of several technical solutions; integrate previous knowledge in the analysis and resolution of problems; use search tools to evaluate the state-of-the-art in the specific subject of the project; team work and positively contribute to R&D projects; oral and written communication of results and conclusions.

Working method

Presencial

Program

The Dissertation to be presented in order to obtain the MSc degree in Applications in Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology must be focused on an original scientific research work carried out by the student, or on an extensive literature review on a topic that represents a significant advance in the frontiers of knowledge in Biotechnology and/or Synthetic Biology.

In the alternative case of students that have carried out an Internship in a company, their Final Report must be focused on the work undertaken during the internship, with detailed description of major results and their accordance with the initial work plan, originally signed by all parties (student and supervisors) and approved by the Scientific Committee of the study programme.

Syllabus will depend on the topic chosen by each student to carry out either a Thesis or an Internship.

By the end of the 1st year, the Scientific Committee of the study programme will organize a meeting with the students to present work or research topics available to carry out an Internship or a Thesis, respectively. These topics would have been previously and timely proposed by supervising teams to the Scientific Committee. After a period for reflection, students, ranked according to their 1st year grades, will serially choose the Internship or Thesis topic they wish to engage into. In case there are students who are interested in developing an alternative topic, for which they have the agreement of a supervising team, the Scientific Committee must be previously consulted and deliberate on a case-by-case basis.

Mandatory literature

Ebel , Hans F.; The art of scientific writing : from student reports to professional publications in chemistry and related fields. ISBN: 0-89573-645-4(VCH, New York)

Comments from the literature

Bibliographic references to be adopted will vary according to each student and his/her specific Dissertation/Internship project. Each student will be given his/her individual list of bibliographic references by the respective supervisors.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Tutorial teaching. Students are generally exposed to a variety of research activities, which may include literature searches, experimental design, bench work, lab notebook management, instrument use and lab safety, as well as communication, organizational and presentation skills.

Type of evaluation: Evaluation by final exam (Public Defence of Dissertation or Internship Report)

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	20,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Trabalho laboratorial	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	39,00
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	300,00
Estudo autónomo	300,00
Realização de Estágio	900,00
Total:	1539,00

Eligibility for exams

According to Institutional rules.

Calculation formula of final grade

Evaluation Formula: The Dissertation/Internship Report defence is done in a public presentation in which students and the general public can attend. The exam typically extends over 2 h. The examination board typically involves three Professors or other experts whose merit is recognized by the statutorily competent scientific body of FCUP, according to the Regulations applicable to all M.Sc. Degrees of U.Porto; the jury will include the supervisor or co-supervisor, if applicable. In general, at least one of the jury members can be external to U. Porto). After the presentation and discussion of the dissertation the examination board attributes the final classification, which can be as follows:

• Not approved
• Approved, with attribution of a final mark, from 10 to 20, and indication on whether this classification has been given by majority or by unanimity.

It should be noted that for students who have carried out an Internship, the jury will also take into account the opinion timely reported by the supervisor(s) from the host company.