IFSA Biosciences Career Accelerator

Looking for specific classes? Explore CHART, our exclusive class database—if IFSA Biosciences Career Accelerator is preapproved at your institution, you’ll find classes recently taken by other IFSA students.

Build your own curriculum with a combination of IFSA classes and classes offered by our partner, Queen Mary, University of London. All students take Beyond the Lab: Leadership for the Biosciences Sector, and select IFSA classes plus one or two direct-enroll classes at Queen Mary for a total of 12 - 15 U.S. semester credit hours.

CORE CLASS

Beyond the Lab: Leadership for the Biosciences Sector (required)
Get ready to approach a fulfilling career in biosciences with insider’s knowledge and in-demand skills. From researchers to the range of team players that support their breakthroughs by managing projects, marketing, finance, and more, employers in this exciting sector seek talented candidates who can think critically, communicate, and collaborate effectively with a diverse group of teammates.

This unique class complements academic work, combining professional skill development with an in-depth look at how this industry operates, and delivering thoughtfully designed opportunities to put learning into practice. Lessons come to life with group projects, visits to industry companies and organizations, talks from experts who are driving industry change, and networking events—each enriched by immersion in London’s globally recognized bioscience ecosystem.

When you finish this class, you’ll have a complete understanding of career options that build on your love of science, as well as valuable global connections and a deeper understanding of your personal strengths. In addition, you will have an exclusive credential from The Leadership Edge—a firm that partners with 1,000+ life science companies, worldwide—to highlight your new abilities.

IFSA BIOSCIENCES ELECTIVE CLASSES
IFSA has carefully tailored a suite of bioscience classes to fit U.S. degree requirements. All classes are open to all students and each is worth 3 U.S. semester credit hours. Prerequisites for some classes may be required. Please note, not all classes may be offered in a given semester depending on enrollment. Click on each link below for a detailed class syllabus.

Biochemistry
This class focuses on studying chemical reactions at a molecular level to gain a deep understanding of living matter. Metabolic homeostasis, protein structure, and nutrient intakes impact on molecules will be covered. 

Cognitive Neuroscience Foundations
This class will introduce the cognitive systems in neuroscience that include attention, pattern recognition, knowledge representation, language, reasoning, and human intelligence.  

Ecology
This class will provide an overview Population biology, evolutionary ecology, community structure, with emphasis on species interactions, including competition, predation, and symbiosis. 

Introduction to Statistics for Biosciences
This class will introduce the statistical methods used in the analysis of biological experiments. Topics covered in this class will include descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, regression, correlation, contingency analysis, and the testing of methods for sampling natural populations.

Microbiology
This class focuses on the different types of microorganisms, how they function, and research methods that can be applied to understand and manipulate them further. 

Microbiome and the Brain
This class focuses on the microorganisms living within our body and how this plays a role in our health. This will include an overview of bacterial diversity and taxonomy, types and mechanisms of plant-bacteria interactions, bacterial pathogenesis, and methods for study.

Scientific Communication
In this class, students will develop skills in written and oral scientific communication. The class provides background on the different segments of scientific writing, including the peer review process and research communication. It requires students to write papers, abstracts, and grant proposals. Additionally, the class will provide context for copy editing, peer review and critique, and preparing presentations and proposals. 

IFSA GENERAL ELECTIVE CLASSES
All classes are open to all students and each is worth 3 U.S. semester credit hours. Prerequisites for some classes may be required. Please note, not all classes may be offered in a given semester depending on enrollment. Click on each link below for a detailed class syllabus.

Contemporary British Politics: Brexit and Beyond
This class introduces the government and contemporary politics of the UK. Students examine the UK’s central political institutions and consider the extent to which they have been affected by voter apathy, devolution, and the fragmentation of the party system. On this foundation, the class then delves into today’s most pressing political issues, such as the prospect of Scottish succession, the complexities of Brexit, and the economic pressures of globalization and inequality. Students will gain deeper insights into how the British system of government works and the major challenges it faces, as well as the wider implications of Brexit in Europe.

Directed Research
This class offers a unique opportunity for students to delve deeply into host context research projects. Students will be guided through projects that are both feasible in the study abroad context and relevant to their broader intellectual interests. The class is structured through regular individual meetings with a faculty mentor to discuss the formation and execution of a research plan and, depending on the specific project, the possibility to conduct field- or internet-based research. At the end of the semester, students present a formal research paper.

Fantasy in the Real World: Literature through the Sociological Lens
Fantasy literature has great power – but does it also have great responsibility? This course looks at mainstream and fringe fantasy literature from the past century and the power that it has in modern society at large. We will examine its creation, consumption, and its ability to impact the real world. Using works such as Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, The Lord of the Rings, and The Game of Thrones, as well as lesser-known writings, we will embrace the fantasy genre as a safe space to explore sociological topics that are difficult to clarify in the real world, such as race, gender, class, and political processes.

Intercultural Communication for the Global Workplace
Designed to improve students’ abilities to communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, this course utilizes intercultural theory, verbal and non-verbal communication, personal beliefs and values, and strategies for building cultural intelligence and adaptability. Examination of British and European work environments, professional practices, and business etiquette underpin the course. Guest speakers representing such areas as multicultural team leadership and international young professionals will augment the learning.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Since the 1960s artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to complex programs that could achieve tasks considered very complicated even for humans. This class introduces key concepts of intelligent agents, including behavior and environment as well as their role in problem solving and knowledge and reasoning representation. Modeling intelligent behavior designed to solve problems can be approached via logical, probabilistic, and/or neural methods. Students evaluate their common points and differences and investigate examples from natural language processing in the machine learning context.

Performing Arts and Social Change in London
From the Globe Theatre and the West End musicals, to Bollywood dance troupes and stand-up comedy in East End alleys, this class introduces students to London’s rich theatrical legacy and how its contemporary performing arts scene seeks to elevate the diverse voices of a multicultural urban center. To what extent have the arts historically addressed social justice themes, and how can they continue to drive change in our communities? Through visits to theaters, non-profits, and sprawling suburbs, students will gain a deeper understanding of how the arts influence culture, as well as the role that the London performing arts scene plays on the world stage. Note: This course will have a supplemental fee of $250 to cover the costs of theater tickets.

The Psychology of Crime and Justice in the UK
This class will follow the historical evolution of forensic psychology from Jack the Ripper to Julian Assange. Is a criminal mind born as such, or is the criminal a product of their environment? What role do governments and societies play in facing crime? Students will gain a foundation in relevant areas of psychology and psychoanalysis and then examine how that science interacts with real-world judicial systems. Additional topics will include punishment, treatment, and rehabilitation; assessment and intervention; and how dimensions of privilege can impact perceptions of crime and justice in both conscious and subconscious ways.

Social Psychology
A comparison of familiar social settings with unfamiliar social norms and behaviors abroad, this class explores the basic theory and research of social psychology – studying the interaction between individuals and social groups and how the behavior of groups and individuals within them is mutually affected. Students will demonstrate and discuss the pillar concepts of social psychology, including conformity, conflict, persuasion, helping, perceptions, and social identity. Students will expand on the roots of feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior locally and globally and explore your own attitudes and identity.

Software Engineering
This class focused on the two dimensions essential for successful software development: software engineering proper, which includes software architecture selection and other technical details, and project management, including its planning stage. Students learn how to model software processes and analyze clients’ needs to design a suitable solution, including representations via Unified Modeling Language (UML). Throughout the term, progressive exercises survey requirements for system architecture, emphasize an object-oriented approach, and analyze methods for testing and evaluation.

Sustainability and the Global City
This class introduces urban sustainability from multiple disciplinary perspectives. It aims to provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools with which to evaluate potential for sustainable urbanism. Focusing on London alongside comparative global case studies, students will be exposed to urban planning and both natural and build environments in order to evaluate the common challenges and successes related to sustainability efforts. Through experiential learning opportunities, students will develop first-hand context as they examine various facets of sustainable urbanization in London.

Trends Start Here: New Media and Behavior
As individuals increasingly consume news from sources of personal choice and become producers of news through social media engagement, this class investigates communication patterns and human action. The relationship between media reporting and its impact on the psyche and decision-making provides a basis for course discussions. How does social networking affect our views of ourselves and others? How does our personal selectivity in news media consumption impact our choices and communications behavior?

Urban Identities: Gender, Race, and Class in London
Drawing from anthropology and sociology, this course utilizes intercultural learning theories to foster awareness of one’s own perspectives as well as those of the myriad communities that comprise London. Multiple approaches to framing the multicultural city and appreciating common and contested spaces as inherent to urban diversity are included. This course will examine the role, function, and effects of identity as it relates to the lived experiences of Londoners. While case studies examine gender, race, and class specifically, the course will approach identity from the perspective of intersectionality, in which the dimensions of diversity are understood as the simultaneous interplay of multiple factors.

QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON FEATURED DIRECT-ENROLL CLASSES 

Queen Mary requires a 3.0 GPA minimum for enrollment in its classes.

Select one or two direct-enroll class at Queen Mary.  Some popular options are listed below, but you have access to any class available to visiting students. To view available classes at Queen Mary, visit the university’s class catalog.

• Be sure to filter by Associate student modules, as these are available to visiting students.
• Study abroad students may reroll in level 4, 5, and 6 classes. Levels often correspond with academic years.
• • Level 4 is an introductory university-level module.
  • Level 5 is an intermediate university-level module
  • Level 6 is an advanced university-level module.

Arts & Social Sciences

• Art Histories: An Introduction to the Visual Arts in London
• British Horror: Film, Television, and Literature
• How Do You Know? From the Culture of Facts to Post-Truth Society
• Labor Law: Individual Protections, Human Rights and Workplace Justice
• Shakespeare: The Play, the Word and the Book
• The Anthropocene: Between the Natural and Social Sciences

Biology

• AI and Data Science in Biology
• The Basis of Gastro-Intestinal Disease
• Behavioural Ecology
• Cancer Biology
• Cells
• Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
• Classical Physics
• Evolution
• Experimental Neuropathology
• Form and Function in Biology
• Human Molecular Biology
• Infectious Disease Biology
• Introduction to Biopsychology
• Introduction to Oral Biology
• Laboratory Methods
• The Microbial World and Humans
• Molecular Biology, Immunology and Pathogenesis for Infection Science
• Practical Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Prevention and Control of Communicable Disease in the Hospital and in the Community
• Properties of Dental Materials I
• Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Business & Economics

• Consumer Behavior
• Financial Accounting
• Gender at Work
• Health Economics
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Operations Management

Computer Science

• Algorithms and Data Structures
• Computer Graphics
• Database Systems
• Introduction to Multimedia
• Logic and Discrete Structures
• Signals and Systems Theory

Neuroscience

• The Basis of Gastro-Intestinal Disease
• Biomedical Neuroscience
• Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Exploring Neuroscience
• Translational Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics

Psychology

• Cognitive Psychology
• Health Psychology

Students who enroll in fall term modules within the School of Economics and Finance or the School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences will complete final assessments online in January. Queen Mary does not allow alternate arrangements to be made for either full degree or study abroad students, including IFSA students.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.