Master in Psychobiology

The postgraduate course in Psychobiology is an interdisciplinary program which, since it was established, it has focused on the study of the basic psychological processes, being: learning, motivation, perception, memory, cognition and emotion. The study of psychological processes is performed by taking into account the developments in the biology of behavior; in the areas of genetics; ecology; physiology; neuroanatomy and pharmacology. The program brings together basic and applied scientists, aiming at an integration of  the research  directed to all levels of organization of the brain and  the nervous system functioning during the process of interaction of the organism with the environment and its behavioral manifestation.

The program has approximately half of its permanent teachers holding basic training in psychology and postgraduate in psychobiological areas, while half of its permanent teachers have basic training in the biological sciences and postgraduate studies in neuroscience and behavior programs. Thus, the focus on basic psychological processes is preserved, and the intersection with the biology of behavior is ensured, which is the objective of the program.

The Psychobiology course was established at the Department of Psychology – School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters in 1984 through the Master stricto sensu program. The doctorate began operating in 1989 and, in its 30 years of activity, the course has achieved the maximum evaluation from the Psychology Examining Committee from CAPES, which is a federal government agency that funds research and graduates through fellowships.