About the Program
The Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences – Botany (hereafter PPGBot) of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), based at the National Museum (MN), was founded in 1972 after the MSc-level course obtained approval by the UFRJ University Council, and was accredited in 1976 by the Federal Council of Education. Due to the demand of the State of Rio de Janeiro, in 1995, the PPGBot obtained approval from the UFRJ Teaching Council for Graduates (CEPG), and in December 2001 it was recommended by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Assessment of Post-graduate Education (CAPES). The PPGBot is the first Doctorate-level Botany course in Rio de Janeiro and the eighth in Brazil. Ever since, the PPGBot’s pioneerism and constant dedication of its staff have been playing an important role in pure and applied research and human resource development in Botany. The 478 MSc dissertations and 128 Doctoral theses defended as of April 2023 at the PPGBot, as well as the expressive formal employment of former alumni in major research and education Institutions and enterprises attest the role of the Program as a training center with diffusion of professionals in the Brazilian education scenario. The academic MSc course is designed to capacitate the graduates to conduct research and education, and can be a preliminary phase of doctoral (PhD) studies. The doctoral course aims to provide broad and in-depth scientific experience, stimulating the development of independence in scientific and academic work at graduate and postgraduate levels, both lato sensu and stricto sensu.