Regulation

ACADEMIC MASTER'S COURSE

TITLE I – OBJECTIVES

Art. 1 – The Science, Environment and Society Teaching Graduate Program (PPGEAS), of the Teacher Training College (FFP) of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), with areas of concentration in: 1- Biology Education; and 2- Biodiversity and Society, aims to promote the scientific improvement of graduates in full undergraduate or technologist courses, in the areas of Natural Sciences, Education and related areas, with insertion in the PPGEAS research lines, aiming at the training of highly qualified teachers, researchers and professionals for the development of scientific and teaching activities in the Environmental and Biology Education areas.

Art. 2 – The main objectives of PPGEAS are: – O PPGEAS tem como objetivos principais:

a) to promote systematic research and reflection on relevant issues in the areas of Environmental Studies and Biology Education;

b) to promote the theoretical, practical and methodological improvement of its researchers, teachers and students;

c) to promote the training of highly qualified professionals in the area;

d) to train professionals capable of teaching, researching and extension in educational institutions at all levels of education and in fields related to the areas of concentration;

e) to contribute to the expansion and integration of all areas of knowledge that are directly or indirectly related to the areas of Environmental Studies and Biology Education;

f) to stimulate the production and socialization of scientific knowledge in the areas of Environmental Studies and Biology Education by disseminating the results of its research in formal and informal knowledge spaces;

g) become an active center to effectively and decisively promote the improvement of the academic level of UERJ and, in particular, of the Department of Sciences (DCIEN) and the Faculty of Teacher Training of São Gonçalo (FFP);

h) to promote national and international exchange in the area of Environmental Studies and Biology Education.

TITLE II – ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

Art. 3° Art. 3 – The PPGEAS will be taught by FFP, an Academic Unit linked to the Center for Education and Humanities – CEH of UERJ.

Art. 4 – The PPGEAS will be coordinated by a collegiate body – Coordination Committee of the Graduate Program in Teaching of Sciences, Environment and Society (CCPPGEAS) – made up of the teaching staff accredited in the Program and representatives of the student body.

Art. 5 – The election of the General, Deputy and Area Coordinators will be held by the CCPPGEAS, among its teaching members.

• 1st- The election of the General, Deputy and Area Coordinators will be held in a regular session of the CCPPGEAS, preferably with representatives of the 2 (two) areas of concentration as coordinators.
• 2nd– The General, Deputy and Area Coordinators must be professors accredited by the PPGEAS, belonging to the active staff of professors assigned to the FFP and holding a Doctorate or Full Professor title, recognized in accordance with the law.
• 3rd- In the event of the General Coordinator being unable to perform his/her duties, the Deputy Coordinator will assume all his/her legal duties.
• 4th- The terms of office of the General, Deputy and Area Coordinators of the PPGEAS will be 2 (two) years, with only one consecutive reappointment permitted.

Art. 6 – The representation of the student body in the CCPPGEAS will be elected by regular students, in the proportion of 1/5 (one fifth) of the faculty members of the collegiate, disregarding the fraction.

• 1st– The term of office of the student representatives will be 1 (one) year, with one reappointment permitted.
• 2nd– The student representation must have a number of alternates equally elected by their peers in the same proportion as in the caput of this article, and with an equal term of office.

Art. 7 – The composition of the CCPPGEAS, including its coordinators, General and Deputy, will be approved by the Departmental Council of the FFP and appointed by the Director, by ordinance.

Art. 8 – The CCPPGEAS will meet monthly in regular meetings and, occasionally, in extraordinary meetings.

• 1st – The call for regular meetings of the CCPPGEAS must be made at least 48 (forty-eight) hours in advance, specifying the agenda to be discussed.
• 2nd– Regular or extraordinary meetings will be held on the 1st (first) call by the General Coordinator, with a simple majority of its members, and, on the 2nd (second) call, with 1/3 (one third) of its members.
• 3rd – The decisions of the CCPPGEAS will be expressed by a majority vote of those present.

Art. 9 – The CCPPGEAS is responsible for:

a) organizing the PPGEAS Course and supervising the work related to its development;

b) analyzing and approving the research lines to be developed in the PPGEAS;

c) proposing and approving the PPGEAS disciplines with their syllabuses and respective credit units;

d) appointing the Selection Committee for admission to the Course, responsible for indicating the bibliography and preparing the tests;

e) approving the Course Selection Notice;

f) publishing, at least 30 (thirty) days before the start of the registration for selection to the Course, the Selection Notice, after approval by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies and Research;

g) approving the results of the selection process;

h) establishing the schedules for the disciplines;

i) deliberating on the equivalence of credit units related to disciplines taken outside the PPGEAS;

j) approve the full and alternate members of the Examining Committees for qualifying exams and Dissertations, appointed by the Advisor;

l) authorizing replacements of advisors;

m) appoint a substitute for the Advisor, in the event of the latter's impediment, to preside over the Examining Committees for Dissertations;

n) approving the results of the evaluation of Dissertations;

o) encouraging contact and agreements with national and foreign organizations interested in fostering the development of PPGEAS;

p) coordinating the development of disciplines, general seminars and other activities, aiming at the fulfillment of the Program;

q) deciding on requests for enrollment suspension;

r) appointing members to the Scholarship Granting Committee;

s) approving the nomination of students made by the PPGEAS Scholarship Granting Committee to receive available scholarships;

t) managing the financial resources allocated to PPGEAS for its maintenance, respecting the university mandates on the subject;

u) approve the accreditation and de-accreditation of professors in the PPGEAS faculty;

v) deliberating on omitted cases, within its legal attributions;

x) judging appeals filed with the Program, provided they have been filed within a maximum period of 5 (five) business days from the announcement and/or notification of the decision;

z) judging requests for extension of the deadlines for the qualification exam (according to art. 43 § 3) and the Dissertation presentation(according to art. 26), based on the advisor's opinion.

Art. 10 – The PPGEAS Coordination is responsible for:

a) convening and presiding over CCPPGEAS meetings;

b) preparing proposals regarding the general plan of PPGEAS, as well as the academic program, supervising its implementation;

c) presenting and forwarding suggestions aimed at the development of PPGEAS;

c) presenting and forwarding suggestions aimed at the development of PPGEAS;

e) promoting, after a decision by CCPPGEAS, exchanges with other national and foreign postgraduate programs;

f) supervising the services of the PPGEAS Secretariat and issuing certificates or attestations regarding teaching and student activities;

g) representing PPGEAS before government agencies and official funding agencies;

h) monitoring the evaluation processes of the PPGEAS Course with the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES);

i) deciding ad referendum about CCPPGEAS in urgent situations and when a Board meeting cannot be held.

TITLE III – ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION

CHAPTER I – TEACHING STAFF

Art. 11 – The PPGEAS teaching staff will be composed by professors who must have a Doctorate or a full Professor title.

Art. 12 – For the purposes of accreditation with the Graduate Program, faculty members will be classified as: permanent, collaborating, and visiting.

• 1st – Permanent faculty members must meet the following requirements:

a) regularly develop teaching activities in undergraduate and graduate programs; teach at least 1 (one) course every 2 (two) years.

b) offer courses in the PPGEAS at least every 2 (two) years;

c) participate in administrative activities. Regularly participate in CCPPGEAS meetings with at least 75% (seventy-five percent) of attendance, except in cases where absence is duly justified.

d) participate in research projects with the PPGEAS;

e) demonstrate regularity and quality in intellectual production;

f) develop activities to supervise final projects in the PPGEAS.

2nd – Those who do not meet all the requirements established in the 1st paragraph of this article will be accredited as collaborating professors, in order to contribute to the PPGEAS in a complementary or occasional manner, respecting the maximum percentage defined by CAPES.

3rd – Those who remain at UERJ at the disposal of the PPGEAS, full-time and for a continuous and determined period, developing teaching and/or research activities, will be accredited as visiting professors.

Art. 13 – The number of collaborating and visiting faculty members must not exceed the quota equivalent to 25% (twenty-five percent) of the permanent faculty members.

Art. 14 – The accreditation of faculty members in PPGEAS will be continuous upon presentation of an activity plan by the candidate, together with a copy of his/her Lattes CV.

• 1st – The candidate's activity plan must clearly state the affiliation and performance in one of the PPGEAS research lines.
• 2nd – The candidate must demonstrate qualified academic production in the area in accordance with CAPES guidelines.
• 3rd – The inclusion of a new member in the PPGEAS faculty must be approved by CCPPGEAS.

Art. 15 – The re-accreditation of PPGEAS faculty members must be assessed internally by CCPPGEAS.

• 1st – Requests for re-accreditation must be requested and submitted by the faculty members themselves for assessment by CCPPGEAS before the deadline for completion of their work in the Program, namely, 4 (four) years.
• 2nd – For the re-accreditation of PPGEAS faculty members, the following will be considered:

a) proof of participation in completed or ongoing research projects.

b) the faculty member must demonstrate qualified academic production in the area in accordance with CAPES guidelines.

c) have taught at least one course in the period of 2 (two) years at PPGEAS;

d) have completed at least one Master's degree supervision every 2 (two) years.

Art. 16 – The de-accreditation of PPGEAS professors will be carried out, after assessment by the CCPPGEAS, in 2 (two) situations:

a) request by the professor himself for his/her de-accreditation;

b) professors who do not meet the requirements set forth in art. 15 of these Regulations.

Art. 17 – The reinstatement of a professor previously de-accredited from PPGEAS will involve the procedure set forth in art. 14 and may only be requested after one year of de-accreditation from PPGEAS.

Art. 18 – The supervision of PPGEAS Dissertations must be carried out by a maximum of 2 (two) supervisors, one of whom must be accredited by the Program's faculty.

• 1st – Each faculty member may supervise Dissertations of up to 5 (five) students simultaneously.
• 2nd – The co-supervision of Master's Dissertations by professors who are not part of the PPGEAS faculty will be permitted, with the approval of the CCPPGEAS, provided that the percentage of external participation in the number of co-supervisions does not exceed 25% (twenty-five percent) of the total number of supervisions in progress in the Program.

Art. 19 – The criteria for accreditation, re-accreditation and de-accreditation will be defined in a specific rule deliberated by the CCPPGEAS.

Art. 20 – Disciplines taught by professors who are not part of the PPGEAS faculty must be authorized by the CCPPGEAS.

CHAPTER II – REGISTRATION AND SELECTION

Art. 21 – The PPGEAS is intended for holders of a full undergraduate degree in any area of knowledge that is included in the Program's research lines, granted by an official HEI or recognized by the National Education Council.

Art. 22 – The selection of candidates will be carried out by the Selection Committee (CS) appointed by the CCPPGEAS, consisting of at least 03 (three) professors from the permanent faculty of the PPGEAS.

Art. 23 – Registration for the Master's Course selection process will be formalized by submitting the documentation described in the notice prepared by the CS and approved by the CCPPGEAS.

Art. 24 – The selection of candidates for the Master's degree will be published in a public notice and will consist of the following stages: a) examination of the documentation submitted by the candidate;

b) academic qualification examination;

c) presentation of the research project and analysis of the Curriculum Vitae;

d) foreign language test. In the case of foreign candidates whose native language is not Portuguese, the Portuguese Language exam must also be taken.

Art. 25 – The granting of scholarships will follow the criteria established by the Scholarship Committee, approved by the CPPGEAS board.

• 1st – The scholarship committee will be formed by 3 (three) professors appointed by CCPPGEAS and 1 (one) representative of the student body elected by the students.
• 2nd – The members of the Scholarship Committee will have a term of 2 (two) years.
• 3rd – The General Coordinator of PPGEAS, or, in his absence, the Deputy Coordinator, is a natural member of the Scholarship Committee and will have the casting vote in the event of a tie in their votes.

TITLE IV – ACADEMIC SYSTEM

CHAPTER I – STRUCTURE AND DURATION OF COURSES

Art. 26 – The PPGEAS Master's Degree Course, including the defense of the Dissertation, must be completed within a maximum period of 24 (twenty-four) months.

• 1st – Scholarship students must prioritize completing the Course within a maximum period of 24 (twenty-four) months.
• 2nd – Exceptionally, completion of the Course within 30 (thirty) months will be permitted for non-scholarship students, upon request of the student assessed and approved by CCPPGEAS.
• 3rd – For completion of the PPGEAS Master's Degree Course, the period will be computed from the date the student begins his/her activities in the Course.
• 4th – The academic regime of the Course will be semester-based.

Art. 28 – Upon duly justified proposal, CCPPGEAS may grant a suspension of enrollment in any phase of the Course, after the first semester has been completed, for a maximum period of 6 (six) months, without the right to renewal.

Art. 28 – Upon duly justified proposal, CCPPGEAS may grant a suspension of enrollment in any phase of the Course, after the first semester has been completed, for a maximum period of 6 (six) months, without the right to renewal.

• 1st – The period of suspension of enrollment will be considered for the purposes of completing the PPGEAS.

CHAPTER II – CREDIT SYSTEM

Art. 29 – The completion of studies required for the PPGEAS will be expressed in credit units, in accordance with the rules in force at UERJ.

Art. 30 – To complete the Master's Degree credits, the PPGEAS student must complete at least 32 (thirty-two) credit units, corresponding to 480 (four hundred and eighty) hours, as follows:

– Mandatory subjects for both areas of concentration – 08 (eight) credits;

– Mandatory subject for the BIOLOGY TEACHING area of concentration – 04 (four) credits;

– Mandatory subject for the BIODIVERSITY AND SOCIETY area of concentration – 04 (four) credits;

– Elective subjects – 08 (eight) credits;

– Dissertation Research I – 02 (two) credits;

– Dissertation Research II – 02 (two) credits;

– Dissertation Research III – 02 (two) credits;

– Qualification Exam – 02 (two) credits;

– Teaching Internship – 01 (one) credit;

– Dissertation Defense – 03 (three) credits.

Sole paragraph – The student will be allowed to take 04 (four) credits of elective discipline in another stricto sensu Postgraduate Program, recommended by CAPES, or in equivalent courses at foreign institutions, provided there is agreement between the Advisor and CCPPGEAS.

Art. 31 – Credits obtained previously in another stricto sensu postgraduate course recommended by CAPES or in equivalent courses from foreign institutions may be used.

• 1st – Credits obtained in other postgraduate courses may not exceed 06 (six) credits and will depend on the student's request and acceptance by CCPPGEAS.
• 2nd – Credits from courses that were taken no more than 04 (four) years ago immediately prior to the student's enrollment in PPGEAS will only be accepted, upon presentation of documentation explaining the program content, workload and academic performance, issued by the institution where the credits were obtained.

Art. 32 – The student will complete the entire Course under the regulations in force at the time of enrollment, except in cases of change of decision, with the possibility open for students with regular enrollment to migrate to a new one, after consulting the advisor and approval by CCPPGEAS.

CHAPTER III – ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION IN DISCIPLINES

Art. 33 – The selected candidates will be called to enroll by the PPGEAS Secretariat, which will determine, in the notice, the deadline for enrollment and the documents required for enrollment, in compliance with the university mandates.

Sole paragraph – The selected candidate who does not enroll within the deadline will lose the right to the vacancy, which will be filled, in a reclassification enrollment defined in the Selection Notice, by the candidate classified immediately after the last selected candidate.

Art. 34 – Enrollments in disciplines and activities will be made periodically within the deadlines and terms established by the CCPPGEAS, in all phases of the studies until obtaining the Master's degree, in compliance with the academic calendar of stricto sensu Postgraduate Studies of the Pro-Rectory of Graduate Studies and Research.

Sole paragraph – The student must register for a discipline or activity every academic period.

Art. 35 – Cancellation of enrollment in a course may be granted upon request by the interested party, before the end of the 3 (three) week period from the beginning of the course classes and will not imply failure.

Art. 36 – Students must present the development of their Dissertation work through the mandatory activities of Dissertation Research I, II and III, under the responsibility of the Advisor, who will perform the evaluation.

Art. 37 – Students regularly enrolled in a stricto sensu Postgraduate course at another HEI may take PPGEAS courses, provided there is consent from their Advisor.

Sole paragraph – The students mentioned in the caput of this article will be considered special students of PPGEAS.

Art. 38 – CCPPGEAS will be responsible for deciding, each term, on the opening of vacancies for special students in PPGEAS disciplines.

Art. 39 – PPGEAS students must complete their Teaching Internship in undergraduate disciplines at a public HEI.

• 1st – Master's students must dedicate 15 (fifteen) hours to this activity, including 40 (forty) to 60% (sixty percent) for class preparation.
• 2nd – Students who prove, by presenting documentation, previous teaching experience in higher education will be exempt from the Teaching Internship.
• 3rd – The Advisor will be responsible for certifying that the student has completed his/her Teaching Internship so that he/she can proceed to defend the Dissertation.

CHAPTER IV – VERIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Art. 40 – Performance in each subject will be assessed by means of written tests, exams, papers or projects written in Portuguese and will be expressed in grades, according to the following scale:

A – Excellent (Grade from 9.0 to 10.0)

B – Good (Grade from 8.0 to 8.9)

C – Regular (Grade from 7.0 to 7.9)

D – Deficient (Grade below 7.0)

Sole paragraph – The grades ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ indicate passing the subject. The grade ‘D’ indicates failing the subject.

Art. 41 – A minimum attendance of 75% (seventy-five percent) in each discipline or activity of the Course is mandatory.

Art. 42 – The student will be dismissed from PPGEAS in any of the following circumstances:

a) if he/she obtains more than one grade of ‘D’;

b) if he/she fails to complete any activity or requirement within the statutory deadlines;

c) if he/she exceeds the maximum deadline defined in art. 26 for completion of the Course.

CHAPTER V – PREPARATION, PRESENTATION AND DEFENSE OF DISSERTATION

Art. 43 – The Qualification Exam is a mandatory step for requesting a Dissertation to be judged and will consist of an evaluation of the candidate's research project, respecting the deadline set forth in art. 26.

• 1st – Only students who have completed at least 12 (twelve) credits in subjects from the Course's curricular structure may register for the Qualification Exam.
• 2nd – The Qualification Exam must take place between the 10th (tenth) and 18th (eighteenth) month of the Course, and, in the case of scholarship students, up to the 12th (twelfth) month.
• 3rd – If it is necessary to extend the deadline for the Qualification Exam, this must be requested by the Advisor, with justification, to be submitted for consideration by CCPPGEAS.
• 4th – The Exam Board must be composed of 3 (three) members who are PhDs or professors, one of whom must be the Advisor, and 1 (one) internal member and 1 (one) external member of PPGEAS, in addition to the indication of the name of 1 (one) alternate member (internal or external to PPGEAS).
• 5th – The members of the Exam Board must receive a copy of the qualification text no less than 20 (twenty) days before the date of the Exam.

Art. 44 – In order to defend the Dissertation, the student must submit to CCPPGEAS the data regarding the date, time and composition of the Exam Board, with the approval of the Advisor.

Art. 45 – The Master's Dissertation will be examined by an Examining Board consisting of at least 3 (three) members with PhDs or full professorships, including the advisor(s), 1 (one) of whom must be external to PPGEAS and not a member of the UERJ staff, in addition to 2 (two) alternate members (one of whom must be internal to PPGEAS and the other external to PPGEAS).

• 1st – The Advisor shall preside over the Examining Board.
• 2nd – In the absence or impediment of the Advisor, the CCPPGEAS shall appoint a substitute.
• 3rd – The CCPPGEAS shall be responsible for approving the Examining Board, in compliance with the caput of this article.
• 4th – The members of the Examining Board shall receive a copy of the Dissertation no less than 20 (twenty) days before the date of the defense.

Art. 46 – The Dissertation defense will be held in a public session at FFP/UERJ, in which the candidate must present, in Portuguese, the content of the work in a time period between 30 (thirty) and 40 (forty) minutes.

• 1st – The time allotted for each Examiner's arguments will be, at most, 30 (thirty) minutes, with the candidate having the same amount of time to respond.
• 2nd – Upon assessing the Dissertation and considering its aspects of originality, methodological adequacy and contribution to the knowledge of the subject, the Examining Board will deliberate and assign a grade, and will mention approval, approval with restrictions or disapproval.
• 3rd – Once the assessment is complete, the Examining Committee must draw up a Minutes and forward them to CCPPGEAS for approval.
• 4th – Any restriction by the Examining Board that results in a requirement to change the Dissertation must be recorded in the Minutes and it is the student's responsibility to comply with the requirements within the deadline stipulated by the Examining Board, which may not exceed 45 (forty-five) days.
• 5th – Failure to comply with the provisions of the previous paragraph within the stipulated deadline will result in cancellation of enrollment and loss of the title conferred under reservation.
• 6th – The student must submit to the Course Secretariat 1 (one) copy in electronic format of the final version of the approved Dissertation, in accordance with the standards defined by CCPPGEAS.
• 7th – The student must submit 1 (one) copy and the appropriate forwarding of his/her final version of the Dissertation to the Sirius Network of Libraries of UERJ, within a date that may not exceed 45 (forty-five) days.

CHAPTER VI – MASTER’S DEGREE

Art. 47 – The student who complies with all the requirements of this Regulation, in the university mandates in force, and is approved in the defense of the Dissertation, will be awarded the title of “Master in Teaching of Sciences, Environment and Society”, area of Concentration “Teaching of Biology” or “Biodiversity and Society”.

TITLE V – GENERAL AND TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Art. 48 – This Regulation is subject to the general rules in force, as well as those that may be established for the Postgraduate programs of the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

Art. 49 – Any omissions will be resolved by the CCPPGEAS, in compliance with the provisions of art. 8.