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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - BCH6942
Tracking Number - 2872

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2012-06-14
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: Change
Course Change Information (for course changes only): The courses BCH 6942 Bioinformatics Internship (2cr) & BCH 6943 Bioinformatics Internship (2cr) were in the beginning of the Bioinformatics Program offered as Selective Topics Courses, which do not allow more than 3 credits. Students had to enroll into both courses at the same time to meet the requirement of 4 internship credits. During the 10 years of the program’s existence, we experienced that most students worked many more hours than the required 15 hrs per week/semester (not including the time for preparations and the composition of the internship report and Internship Presentation). We would now like to formally fuse the two courses under the course number BCH 6942 Bioinformatics Internship with the flexible credit option between 4 and 6 credits. This change will provide more flexibility to recognize the tremendous efforts of individual students.
Comments: to GC chair 5/4/12.for Bioinformatics Prog. GC Appd 5/15/12. to USF 5/15/12. to SCNS 5/23/12. Appd effective 8/1/12

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-05-02
  2. Department: Medical Sciences
  3. College: MD
  4. Budget Account Number:
  5. Contact Person: Inge Wefes
  6. Phone: 8139745360
  7. Email: iwefes@health.usf.edu
  8. Prefix: BCH
  9. Number: 6942
  10. Full Title: Bioinformatics Internship
  11. Credit Hours: 4-6
  12. Section Type: I - Internships (Including Practicum)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: Y
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: Y
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Bioinformatics Internship
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites:
  23. Corequisites:
  24. Course Description: The internship teaches how bioinformatics & computational biology are applied to building and mining databases for the discovery and development of drugs, devices, diagnostics, and therapies. With permission only.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course:
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? The course is a graduation requirement for all Bioinformatics Masters students.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times?
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) All mentors have a PhD in biomedical or chemical sciences or in biophysics biomedical engineering, bioinformatics or computer science. In selected cases, longstanding experience in one of the listed disciplines will be accepted for the mentors as well. The course director is a faculty of the Department of Molecular Medicine.
  29. Objectives: One of the requirements for graduation from the USF Masters Program in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology is a successful internship experience in an institution that provides insight into one or several aspects of bioinformatics & computational biology, such as a microarray facility, laboratories working in computational chemistry or structural biology, pharmaceutical or device manufacturing companies or a computer science lab, to name a few. The internship teaches how bioinformatics & computational biology are applied to building and mining databases for the discovery and development of drugs, devices, diagnostics, and therapies.
  30. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students will have a solid knowledge of the specific aspect they have chosen as a hands-on experience in bioinformatics & computational biology. Depending on each student's specific interest and career plans, he/she will, for example, understand how bioinformatics & computational biology are applied in a microarray facility, in laboratories working in computational chemistry or structural biology, in pharmaceutical or device manufacturing companies or a computer science lab, to name a few.
  31. Major Topics: Depending on each student's specific interest and career plans, he/she will, for example, understand how bioinformatics & computational biology are applied in a microarray facility, in laboratories working in computational chemistry or structural biology, in pharmaceutical or device manufacturing companies or a computer science lab, to name a few.
  32. Textbooks: none
  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Specified by Internship Mentor
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Registration is restricted to graduate students who have identified an internship location and have been accepted as an intern by an internship mentor. In one semester, 150 hours, (not including work preparation/reading and the writing of the Internship report and the composition to the internship presentation) have to be spent on site at the Internship institution to earn 4 credits. 40 more onsite hours are required for each additional credit, 6 credits maximum can be earned in total.

    GRADING:

    Time:

    Hours spent onsite (not including

    project preparation, final report 5% Graded by Internship Mentor

    and project presentation) meet or

    exceed the agreement (minimum

    of 15hrs per week for 1 semester)

    Preparedness:

    Preparedness to understand

    specific assigned tasks, i.e.

    reading protocols, instructions, 5% Graded by Internship Mentor

    websites or papers before

    practical involvement,

    participates in discussions

    Documentation of progress:

    Proper recording of progress in

    laboratory notebook or 10% Graded by Internship Mentor

    internship journal: Completion,

    accuracy, organization, clarity

    Internship report: Graded by Internship Mentor Timely completion, accuracy, 40% plus

    organization, clarity Graded by Course Director

    (50/50)

    Internship PowerPoint: Graded by Internship Mentor

    Presentation design, clarity, 40% plus

    oral presentation Graded by Course Director

    (50/50)

    The standard grading scale of the USF College of Medicine applies

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: All students have to submit an internship report and have to give a PowerPoint presentation on their experience.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: In case of unforeseeable complications, make-up work will have to be discussed with and approved by the course director
  38. Program This Course Supports: The Masters Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
  39. Course Concurrence Information: The course could also serve as elective in the Biomedical Engineering and the Computer Science Masters programs.


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.