FOKUS Life Sciences (M.Sc.)

FOKUS Life Sciences (Master)

The Idea

The master's program "FOKUS Life Sciences" is a very comprehensive, interdisciplinary and fast track preparation for performing a PhD project at the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS), University of Würzburg.

Available research topics for the master's program as well as for the subsequent PhD are clustered in the sections of Biomedicine, Integrative Biology, Infection and Immunity, and Neuroscience, comprising more than 300 research groups.

The master's program FOKUS Life Sciences thus bundles the leading Life Sciences expertise in Würzburg under the auspices of the faculty of Biology, including the other faculties participating in the Graduate School of Life Sciences: Physics, Chemistry & Pharmacy, Medicine and Psychology.

An emphasis/specialization/major in some aspect of the Life Sciences with a strong foundation in the basic (in contrast to applied) sciences is expected. A bachelor's degree e.g. in biology, biochemistry, biomedicine, pharmacy, bioinformatics, biotechnology, can be a sufficient basis (but see below regarding research experience).

The prospective students have finished their BSc (or are close to completion) and

• have an excellent theoretical knowledge
  
• have substantial experimental research experience, most lilely in the form of an experimental BSc thesis
  
• want to enter a doctoral thesis research project as quickly as possible without omitting the MSc degree
  
• are willing and able to take a high work load
  
• want to study in a highly international class of peers with English as the teaching language
  
• are keen on working in a highly interdisciplinary and diverse environment
  

Please note: This is not the right study programme for you if

• your main career goal is an MSc degree
  
• your main interest is to study any remotely fitting study programme taught in English
  
• you have only a basic education in the natural sciences: study programmes that have a mostly technical/applied content such as nursing, laboratory technology, industrial biotechnology, fisheries science, etc., in most cases are not a sufficient prerequisite to apply. Neither are medical/veterinary programmes, unless substantial experimental research experience can be proven
  
• you lack substantial experimental research experience (practical courses are not equivalent to research)
  
  

Subject requirements

Your bachelor's program must be in biology or at least have a strong emphasis/specialization/major in some aspect of the Life Sciences (e.g. biophysics, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology, pharmacy or similar). Substantial experimental (laboratory) research experience (real research projects, not just learning/applying methods or performing technical support activities), most likely in the form of an experimental bachelor's thesis project, is required. Please note that a prior education and training in a medical profession is not considered sufficient (exceptions may apply if substantial practical research experience in basic science can be demonstrated).

Further informations to this study programme