What you can expect in our master's program

The master's degree program in Biology at KIT offers you the opportunity to design your studies flexibly and individually - with a clear focus on research-oriented teaching and practice-oriented work. The standard period of study is 4 semesters and you will earn 120 ECTS credits.

You choose three biological subject areas from a wide range of courses covering classical, modern and interdisciplinary topics. You can currently choose from

• Biochemistry
• Biotechnology
  
• Botany
  
• Developmental Biology
  
• Genetics
  
• Life Science Engineering
  
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Taxonomy and Geoecology
  
• Technical Biology
• Toxicology
• Zoology

Within each of these three areas, you will take two research modules (four-week block practicals with accompanying lectures) and a project module in which you will carry out your own research project. You can choose from a wide range of topics for these modules within the departments so that you can design your studies very individually. You can find out what these are in the module handbook. As some of the elective modules are offered exclusively in German and others exclusively in English, you can organize your studies entirely according to your language preferences - whether completely in German, completely in English or in a combination of both languages.

The special feature of the master's degree program in Biology at KIT is its block structure: the semester is divided into several four-week time slots in which you concentrate on one module at a time. This allows you to deal intensively with the content, work on research projects and, in some cases, already achieve usable results. The order in which you complete the modules does not matter.

The program is supplemented by four seminars, including two interdisciplinary networking modules (e.g. doctoral seminars or courses offered by the Language Center or House of Competence) and two literature seminars on presentation and research skills.

Another fixed component is the academic project planning module. In this module, you will learn how to independently apply the knowledge you have acquired so far to a project and link it in an interdisciplinary way. You will develop a structured project plan for your planned master's thesis. This includes the development and precise formulation of the research question, a well-founded review of the current state of research and the creation of a detailed schedule.

If you would like to broaden your professional horizons beyond the prescribed modules or prepare yourself specifically for your career entry with certain modules from other disciplines, you can earn up to 30 CP as part of additional credits.

Program structure

Internship

The study program does not include a compulsory internship. You can complete a voluntary internship during your studies. If it serves the objectives of your studies and covers at least half of the lecture period, you can apply for a semester off (leave of absence). Such an internship offers you valuable experience outside the university and can make it easier for you to start your career later on.

Make your studies international

You have various options for integrating a stay abroad into your master's degree course. For example, you can study at a foreign university of your choice for one or two semesters via Erasmus+ or as a freemover. You can also do an internship abroad. In addition, selective mobility is possible via Eucor - The European Campus: KIT students can flexibly attend individual courses in addition to courses at KIT or study full-time for an entire semester or year at an Eucor partner university.

There are special international programs related to the master's degree program in Biology: for example, the Eucor master's program in Plant Science.

Further information can be obtained from the KIT Department contact persons responsible for stays abroad or from the International Students Office.

Master's thesis

At the end of your studies, you will complete your master's thesis (30 CP), an academic paper that allows you to apply and deepen the knowledge and skills you have acquired. It deals with a specific topic from your field of study and requires independent research, analysis and the preparation of a written thesis. The master's thesis takes 6 months to complete. You can start it as soon as you have achieved 90 LP. Upon request, the master's thesis can also be completed in a company or at another KIT Department. The master's thesis also includes a presentation of your results.

After completing a master's degree in biology, students often aim to go on to do a doctorate. After studying biology, there are a wide range of opportunities at universities and research institutes, in companies in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, in the healthcare sector, e.g. in hospital laboratories, in botanical and zoological gardens and nature parks as well as in public administration, e.g. in environmental agencies.

Characteristic features of Biology M.Sc. at KIT

• research-oriented teaching
  
• involvement of students in current research projects
  
• numerous elective options
  
• major excursion in marine biology or the Alps
  
• focus on molecular methods and issues
  
• integration into the EUCOR university network enables participation in courses at the universities of Freiburg, Basel, Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse
  
• wide range of PhD opportunities after the master's degree
  

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• Lernraum app
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network
  

Admission requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's degree program in Biology are based on the current admission regulations:

• bachelor's degree
  a Bachelor's degree (or at least an equivalent degree) in Biology (or a degree program with essentially the same content) from a university, university of applied sciences, university of cooperative education or a foreign university. The degree must have been completed within a standard period of study of at least three years and with a minimum number of 180 ECTS credits.
  
• successful participation in the selection interview
  successful participation in an interview in accordance with § 6 of the statutes for the university's own admission and selection procedure for the master's degree program in Biology.
  

Language requirements and certificates

For the Master's degree course in Biology, you need sufficient knowledge of German or English. It is sufficient to demonstrate proficiency in one of the two languages at the required level. Your German language skills must be at least level C1 and your English language skills at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above for your German language skills by the application deadline, admission is still possible if you can present a provisional document proving that you have at least B2 language level. Proof of B2 level only includes

• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with an overall result of DSH-1
  
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 3 in all four parts of the exam
  
• passed telc German B2 exam

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Proof of sufficient knowledge of English

The following is sufficient proof of your English language skills

• your university entrance qualification, if
  • it certifies English language proficiency at CEFR level B2 or higher or
  • it shows that you have studied English for at least five years up to graduation and your final grade or average grade of the last two years of English lessons corresponds to at least the German grade 4 (sufficient) or at least 5 grade points or
• a university degree with English as the sole language of instruction and examination in the completed degree program - this must be clearly stated in the Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records or in the degree certificate.

Otherwise, only the following English tests listed in the KIT admission and enrollment regulations are accepted as proof of English proficiency:

• TOEFL iBT (internet-based) with at least 90 points
• IELTS with an overall score of at least 6.5, no section below 5.5
• TOEIC with at least 400 points in Listening, 385 in Reading, 160 in Speaking, 150 in Writing
• Cambridge Certificate C1 Advanced (CAE)
• Cambridge Certificate C2 Proficiency (CPE)
• Cambridge Certificate B2 First (FCE)
• UNIcert, at least level II
• Pearson PTE Academic with at least 58.5 points overall and at least 56.8 in Listening, 60.6 in Reading, 53.5 in Speaking, 74.1 in Writing

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable B2 proof of English at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the B2 certificates listed above for your English language skills by the application deadline, admission is still possible if you can present a provisional document proving that you have already acquired English language skills.

But please don't forget: you will still have to submit the actual B2 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take one of the recognized language tests.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extension can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Students Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

There are 60 places available each year. These are allocated on the basis of a ranking list of applicants who meet the admission requirements. The ranking list is based on a maximum of 180 achievable points.

You can achieve in detail

• max. 54 points for the overall grade of the final academic examination
• max. 18 points for the result of the bachelor's thesis
  
• max. 36 points for other previous experience (completed, relevant vocational training or relevant professional activity, special previous education, practical activities related to biology, scientific achievements such as publications, outstanding work, research activities, research stays or semesters abroad)
• max. 72 points for the selection interview

Detailed information on the time, registration and other modalities of the selection interview can be found on the KIT Biology website.

Weitere Ansprechpersonen:

• KIT-Fakultät für Chemie und Biowissenschaften
• Biologie am KIT
• Fachstudienberatung
• Vorsitzender des Prüfungsausschusses
• Informationen zum Auslandsstudium
• Fachschaft ChemBio

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• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
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