Bioinformatics

One of the characteristic features of the MSc programme in Bioinformatics at Saarland University is its aim to encourage interdisciplinary networking by incorporating topics and ideas from contemporary research and by maintaining direct ties to laboratory research being carried out at the university and in industry. Students of the programme address such wide-ranging topics as genetics, drug research, virology, biotechnology, and bioreaction engineering. In the informatics part of the programme, students cover areas such as data structures and algorithms, machine learning, computer graphics and database systems as well as artificial intelligence and software engineering. In addition, students acquire knowledge in other fields such as project management and patent law.

Particularly talented and motivated students are offered the chance to join a dedicated support programme that enables them to graduate early and provides early access to a doctoral research programme. Graduates from Master's programme can pursue a wide range of career opportunities at the interface between informatics and biology. Typical positions are research and development work in industry, in pharmaceutical companies, in the biotechnology sector, or in publicly funded research organisations.

Educational organisation

The sequencing of the human genome has been one of the most significant scientific advances of the last few decades and could not have been achieved without bioinformatics. Bioinformatics now plays a key role not only in genetics but in many other fields, such as AIDS research and cancer therapy. Saarland University is one of the leading centres for bioinformatics in Germany. The internationally respected Center for Bioinformatics (CBI) on the Saarbrücken campus is home to biologists, medical scientists, pharmacologists and computer scientists who collaborate closely to develop new drugs and to improve and enhance the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. The excellent student-staff ratio - on average there is one instructor to every four students - enables students on the programme to gain early exposure to questions of current research interest.
For further information, see: https://www.bioinf.uni-sb.de/teaching

Study abroad unit(s)

Practical training abroad (industry or university) is highly recommended.

Forms of assessment

Exams, project work, final-year thesis

Course objectives

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field. Even outside the field per se, graduates in bioinformatics have the same excellent job prospects as "pure" computer scientists, due to the solid training they receive in informatics. Bioinformaticians find jobs at academic institutions, in bioinformatics and biotech, and in pharmaceutical companies. Their tasks are exciting and diverse: many unsolved problems offer a variety of new challenges. Bioinformaticians contribute decisively to the development of new drugs and therapies. Graduates can choose between positions in bioinformatics and in the standard computer science fields.

Language requirements

TOEFL, IELTS or CPE
Please note: TOEFL score is required only for students who have received their Bachelor's degree from a university located in a country where English is not an official language.

Academic requirements

The requirements for the Bioinformatics Master's programme in Saarbrücken are:
Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in a subject relevant to Bioinformatics and a good command of written and spoken English
Your university education should be equivalent to the BSc degree in Computational Molecular Biology at Saarland University. Our emphasis is on methods development in bioinformatics. Therefore, we require a dual education in Mathematics/Computer Science and Life Sciences as an entrance qualification.

Enrolment fees

None, except for a fee of approx. 186 EUR per semester paid by every student
(includes a semester ticket for public transport services for six months)

Costs of living

About 800 EUR per month to cover personal expenses (incl. accommodation)

Job opportunities

Students may be able to work at the department doing laboratory work or supervising BSc/MSc students during lab courses or seminars.

Arrival support

The International Office can help incoming students with a number of issues that need to be dealt with on arrival: finding suitable accommodation as well as registering with the university and with local authorities. The International Office also organises social and recreational events and intercultural training sessions.

Services and support for international students

Saarland University offers a special support and guidance service for our international students and visiting scholars. Besides welcoming new foreign students to the university, we organise excursions and cultural events at which students and scholars from abroad can meet German students and colleagues. Moreover, we also provide support in dealing with official and administrative matters. To encourage interaction between German and international students, the international office also runs the successful peer mentoring programme "you and me".

Accommodation

We can help students with finding suitable accommodation. Rooms and apartments are relatively easy to find and are affordable. For more information, please visit: http://www.studentenwerk-saarland.de/en/Wohnen