Biological Sciences

The consecutive Master's programme Biological Sciences requires a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Konstanz or a Bachelor's degree in a similar study programme at another university. Applicants need broad basic knowledge in biology.
Our teaching philosophy for Master's students in Biology is to offer a wide variety of advanced courses each student can select from based on his/her own interests, requirements, and scientific background. This allows students to individually tailor their curriculum and to select the best-suited package for their future ambitions (general track: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES), or to select from a pre-tailored curriculum (priority track: CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; DISEASE BIOLOGY; ECOLOGY, EVOLUTIONARY & BEHAVIOURAL BIOLOGY) of what we think is a sound combination of advanced courses.

Priority track: CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY:
Master's students in CELLULAR and MOLECULAR BIOLOGY become familiar with current concepts, possibilities, and limitations of research approaches in the fields of biochemistry, genetics, and biophysics as applied to macromolecules.
This priority track is tailored specifically as training for the following graduate school at the University of Konstanz: Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB).

Priority track: DISEASE BIOLOGY
The teaching within our priority track DISEASE BIOLOGY provides a background on diverse hot topics in biomedical research. According to the local strengths of the Department of Biology in Konstanz, the courses mostly cover the fields of immunology/infections, cell death mechanisms, toxicology, and stem cell research. Further areas covered theoretically and practically include medical microbiology, cancer research, neurodegenerative diseases, and bio-gerontology as well as advanced molecular and systems biology approaches to cell signalling and proteostasis.

Priority track: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTIONARY & BEHAVIOUR BIOLOGY
Our priority track ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION & BEHAVIOUR aims to educate students in how to develop research questions that focus on organisms within their communities, their changing environment, and their interactions among each other. As a result of this approach, Master's students become familiar with different concepts, possibilities and limitations of research approaches in the fields of animal behaviour, ecology, evolution, physiology, and neurobiology.
The Department of Biology has a joined graduate school for PhD students together with the MPI for Ornithology (IMPRS Organismal Biology). The shared interests at both research facilities allows us to provide education and research topics in a large variety of different fields, and some of our Master's students even continue their research career at this high profile international graduate school.

By admission to one of the priority tracks, attendance of corresponding advances courses is granted. In addition, we offer a fast track for nominated students to quickly qualify as PhD students. Teaching in our advanced courses takes place in small groups of no more than 15 students in order to provide high quality education. Each advanced course focuses on research topics in different fields as well as on methodological approaches on how to address scientific questions. Complementary to the state of the art training at the University of Konstanz, an internship of at least two months at an external research facility or private sector company is part of the curriculum. All courses are taught in English, focusing on highly motivated students and providing them with the tools necessary to become independent, self-confident, and highly qualified researchers.

Educational organisation

The regular Master of Biological Sciences programme lasts four semesters. This includes a total of 120 ECTS with a Master's thesis.

Semester 1-3 Two advanced courses - each 15 ECTS
Semester 1-3 Preference module - 8 ECTS
Semester 1-4 Optional modules - 19 ECTS
Semester 1-3 Internship (external) + lecture (adv. course) - 10 + 5 ECTS
Semester 3-4 Oral Master's examination from two adv. courses - 2 x 3 ECTS
Semester 3-4 Master's preparation course - 12 ECTS credits
Semester 3-4 Master's thesis - 30 ECTS

Preference module: (each 4 ECTS): two courses can be chosen out of seven courses

• Disease Biology I
• Disease Biology II
• Pharmacology and Toxicology II
• Biochemistry III
• Methods in Biology
• Evolutionary Organismal Biology
• Concepts in Ecology

Advanced Courses: the modules consist of advanced level courses, held as six-week all-day compact courses (each 15 ECTS).

• Bioinformatics and X-Ray Structure Analysis
• Behavioural Neurobiology
• Biochemical Pharmacology
• Cell Biology - Cell Adhesion and Signal Transduction
• Cellular Biochemistry
• Chemical Ecology / Biological Chemistry
• Collective Animal Behaviour
• Dynamics of Aquatic Ecosystems
• Fish Ecology
• Human and Environmental Toxicology
• Immunology
• Limnology - Limnology of the Lakes
• Microbial Physiology and Ecology / Limnic Microbiology
• Molecular Evolutionary Biology
• Molecular Genetics
• Molecular Toxicology & Bioimaging
• Molecular Microbiology and Cell Biology
• Novel in vitro Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Organismal Biology: Going wild
• Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Algae
• Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants
• Plant Ecology

Optional Module:

• An Introduction to R and Analysis of Ecological Data
• Animal Protection: Legal and Ethical Principles - Focus on Laboratory Animals
• Biochemistry, Regulation and Systems Biology of Signal Transduction
• Bioorganic Chemistry - Chemistry and Biochemistry of Natural Products
• Chemical Ecology
• Common Errors and Mistakes as Revealed by Retracted Papers
• Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology
• Endocrinology of Mammals I
• Endocrinology of Mammals II (Selected Chapters)
• Evaluation of Pharmacological and Toxicological Data sets
• Evolutionary Organismal Biology
• How to Write a Thesis in Biology: A Practical Guide
• ImageJ Workshop
• Innovations in Vertebrate Evolution
• Laboratory Animal Science
• Molecular Ecology
• Nature and Culture as False Dichotomy
• Pharmacology and Toxicology III
• Photoshop Workshop
• Pluripotent Stem Cells - Novel Uses and Approaches
• Quantitative Aspects of Light Microscopy
• R Coding Sessions
• R for Biologists I: Introduction Course in R Programming Language
• R for Biologists II: Visualisation and Analysis of Spatial Information
• Self-Organisation in Social Insects and other Communities
• Seminar in Phylogenetic Comparative Methods
• Signal Transduction: Regulation and Disease Relevance
• Stable Isotope Ecology / Journal Club
• Topics and Questions of Current Biological Research
• Virology
• X-Ray Structure Analysis of Proteins

and more

Study abroad unit(s)

Instead of an internship students can go abroad to spend one or two semesters at one of the partner universities:
E.g., within Europe:
Charles University Prague
University of Aarhus
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
Universitat de Valencia
Universidad de Salamanca
Estonian University of Life Sciences
University of Tartu
Universite Joseph Fourrier Grenoble
Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon
Cardiff University
University of Glasgow
Scottish Association of Marine Sciences
University of the Aegean
Universita di Cagliari
Universita degli Studi di Milano
University College Dublin
Universitet i Tromsö
University College of Southeast Norway
Universidade dos Acores
Universidade de Lisboa
Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza
Halmstad University
University of Gothenburg
Bogazici University

Internships

An internship of at least eight weeks is to be completed during the Master's programme. Alternatively, students can study abroad for at least one semester/term.

Forms of assessment

Written and oral exams

Course objectives

The course of studies MSc Biological Sciences imparts professional qualification in the areas of organismic as well as molecular biology.
The Master's course provides a natural extension to the studies that builds upon the foundations laid as part of the Bachelor's coursework. The theoretical, experimental, and analytical abilities that the students acquired in their Bachelor's studies are to be extended upon and expanded to impart a specialisation in one of the specified research foci of the Department of Biology (it should be stated that these research foci are not to be regarded as separate from one another, but rather as intermeshing parts of the overall research pursued in the department). The aim of the Master's level course is to prepare the students for an academic or non-academic career pursuing basic science (i.e., doctoral research/ PhD) or the pursuit of applied research in a biotechnology or industrial setting. Graduates will also be prepared to work for service providers (e.g., consulting firms or environmental agencies) requiring a solid expertise in biological topics and the general natural sciences. For each student, the course of studies is individually adapted so as to best match their specific interests while also taking into account advice provided by the lecturers of the Department of Biology. In addition to extending their subject-specific theoretical and experimental knowledge, the students are also expected to expand and refine their abilities in other areas, such as developing additional competences in methods, communication, or socially relevant topics. To this effect, the Department of Biology and other departments of the University of Konstanz offer a variety of elective modules from which the student can select.

Language requirements

TOEFL Test: 90 points or more
Cambridge First Certificate in English: Grade C or better
IELTS: band scale 6.0 or better

Applicants with a Bachelor's degree from countries whose mother language is English do not have to prove their English language skills, e.g., USA, Canada, Great Britain, etc.
Applicants with a higher education degree obtained in a country that is not a member of the Bologna Process have to take the GRE test and reach at least a score of 155 (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning Score).

Academic requirements

Entry requirements for the Master's Programme Biological Sciences are:
Documentation of a three-year (or more) study programme at a state or officially recognised institution of higher education or Berufsakademie in the subject Biology (minimum degree Bachelor of Sciences or equivalent), or a related subject.

Applicants with a higher education degree obtained in a country that is not a member of the Bologna Process have to take the GRE test and reach at least a score of 155 (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning Score).

Enrolment fees

150 EUR

Costs of living

Approx. 750 EUR per month to cover personal expenses

Funding opportunities within the university

German and international full-time students can apply for the "Deutschlandstipendium" (currently worth 300 EUR per month). The scholarship is awarded by the University of Konstanz for at least two semesters.
http://www.international.uni-konstanz.de/en/international-students/pre-arrival-guide/financial-support/

Arrival support

The International Office and the Language Institute (Sprachlehrinstitut) offer orientation on living in Konstanz, German academic culture, and language courses for newcomers to make it easier for you to settle into your new surroundings.

Special options for students with a basic knowledge of the German language:

• Intensive German language courses
• Orientation programmes
• Kon'Start - Study preparation for German and international degree-seeking students
• CheckIn-Office - Service point for new arrivals (six weeks prior to lecture period)

The Welcome Centre at the University of Konstanz supports doctoral/PhD students from abroad, visiting scientists and researchers, postdocs, and newly appointed professors - and, being a family-friendly university, their families as well - in the planning, preparation, and realisation of their stay in Konstanz. It also provides information and specifically targeted assistance in all non-academic, extracurricular fields.

Services and support for international students

We will not leave you to fend for yourself! We advise and inform students individually and in groups, organise orientation days and visits, provide information on study and career choices, and offer courses on study skills.

Central Student Advisory Service
Phone: +49 (0) 75 31-88 36 36
E-mail: Studienberatung@uni-konstanz.de

The International Office and the Language Institute (Sprachlehrinstitut) offer general orientation and language courses for newcomers to make it easier for you to settle into your new surroundings.

International Office
Phone: +49 (0) 75 31-88 30 89
E-mail: international@uni-konstanz.de

Accommodation

Students have the possibility of living in the residence halls of the University of Konstanz. For further information on student accommodation, please see:
http://www.seezeit.com

Private accommodation in Konstanz can also be found via the following websites:
http://www.konstanz-unterkunft.de
http://www.vierwaen.de
http://www.suedkurier.de