Biological Sciences (Master of Science) University of Konstanz

We offer a wide variety of advanced courses. This allows students to individually tailor their curriculum and to select the best-suited package for their future ambitions (general track), or to select from a pre-tailored curriculum (priority tracks) of what we think is a sound combination of advanced courses.

Priority track: CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Master's students in CMB 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 DB provides a background on diverse hot topics in biomedical research. The courses mostly cover the fields of immunology/infections, cell death mechanisms, toxicology, and stem cell research. Further areas covered include medical microbiology, cancer research, neurodegenerative diseases, and biogerontology as well as advanced molecular and systems biology approaches to cell signalling and proteostasis.

Priority track: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION & BEHAVIOUR

Our priority track EEB 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, 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 joint graduate school for PhD students together with the MPI for Animal Behaviour (IMPRS Quantitative Behaviour, Ecology & Evolution). 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 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 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 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 providing the tools necessary to become independent, self-confident, and highly qualified researchers.

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

Curriculum

• Two advanced courses (2 x 15 ECTS)
• Third advanced course or external internship / credits from abroad + advanced course lecture (10 + 5 ECTS)
• Preference module (8 ECTS)
• Optional module (19 ECTS)
• Oral Master's examination (colloquia from two advanced courses - 2 x 3 ECTS)
• Master's preparation course (12 ECTS)
• Master's thesis (30 ECTS)

Advanced courses

• Advanced Technologies for the Life Sciences
• Applied Bioinformatics for Studying Health and Disease
• Behavioral Neurobiology
• Biochemical Pharmacology
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics and X-Ray Structural Analysis
• Cell Biology – Cell Adhesion and Signal Transduction
• Cellular Immunology
• Chemical Ecology / Biological Chemistry
• Collective Animal Behaviour
• Comparative Behavioural Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Environmental Genomics
• Global change ecology and plants
• Going Wild: Behaviour and Ecology of Animals
• Immunology
• Microbial Ecology
• Microbial Ecology and Evolution
• Molecular Evolutionary Biology
• Molecular Genetics: Cell cycle regulation – from mechanisms to disease
• Molecular Microbiology and Cell Biology: Chaperone functions in health and disease
• Novel in vitro Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants
• Physiology, Ecology and Molecular Biology of Algae
• Systems & Molecular Toxicology: Cancer Risk and Predisposition
• The role of microbes in stress response and resilience of aquatic metaorganisms
• Theoretical and Experimental Ecology and Evolution

Preference module courses (4 ECTS each)

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

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.

Entry requirements for the Master's programme Biological Sciences are as follows:
Documentation of a three-year (or more) study programme at a state or officially recognised institution of higher education or "Berufsakademie" in the subject of 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).

Total amount per semester: 179 EUR (70 EUR administrative fee + 95 EUR student services fee + 14 EUR student body fee)
There are additional fees for some graduate study programmes, for non-EU/EEA students and for second degree studies. International visiting students who are enrolled in an exchange programme (e.g. Erasmus) have to pay 90 EUR. For more detailed information, please visit the university's website: http://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/study/study-essentials/finances/

The good news is that studying at German public universities is not expensive. For your stay, you will require a budget for daily life and certain study expenses. The cost of living for students in Konstanz is approx. 790 EUR per month.
Example of the average monthly living cost in Konstanz:
Rent (including utilities): 352 EUR
Food: 168 EUR
Clothing, laundry, personal hygiene: 42 EUR
Learning materials (books, copies): 20 EUR
Health insurance, medical care, medicine: 115 EUR
Phone, Internet, broadcasting fees: 31 EUR
Leisure time, culture, sports: 61 EUR

You can find a number of advertisements for jobs both on and off campus on online platforms (in German):

Jobbörse Seezeit: the job portal of our student services called Seezeit

Hilfskraftstellen an der Universität | Datenbank Career Service: our career service’s job portal

Jobs are also posted on the university’s notice boards in the foyer and canteen areas as well as in the departments.

Teaching and research assistant jobs at the Department of Biology are also posted online.

Students with great academic credentials and community service experience can apply for scholarships in Germany. In cases of unexpected financial hardship, the university will try to help with emergency financial support. For an overview of financial support options, check out our websites:
https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/international-office/study-in-konstanz/degree-studies/fees-and-scholarships
http://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/study/study-essentials/finances/financing-your-studies
For example, you may apply for the Deutschlandstipendium. The scholarship amounts to 300 EUR per month and is awarded without regard to income for a minimum of two semesters.

There are a number of possibilities for accommodation for students: in apartments, flat shares, or residence halls run by the university. Check out our website, where we provide an overview of the different options as well as general tips. You can also contact the team of our International Office for advice on housing.

Please note that it is important to begin your search for accommodation as early as possible since our city and surroundings are very popular not only with students but also with families and outdoor enthusiasts. Since both Switzerland and Lake Constance border Konstanz, the available living space is limited and not always inexpensive.

Would you like to study at one of the best research universities in Germany? Then the University of Konstanz is the right place for you. We offer you excellent study conditions in a beautiful location between Lake Constance and the Alps. For us, excellence in studies and teaching also means cultivating close cooperation. We encourage our students to take part in discussions and get involved in research from the start.

Our university is currently home to some 10,000 students enrolled in around 120 different study programmes in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences, humanities, politics, law, and economics. With students from more than 90 countries around the world, we are proud to call our university an international community. This international character is further strengthened by our extensive network of over 245 Erasmus+ partnerships across Europe, more than 60 bilateral partnerships with universities worldwide and several Master’s programmes with double degree options. The University of Konstanz is a campus-based university: you will get to know other students quickly, come into contact with other departments and feel at home right away. Our university has an open-door policy: professors are very accessible and happy to help you with any questions or issues you might have.

We will give you a very warm welcome and support you in every stage of your stay. We have an excellent supervision ratio and top advisory services. You will learn in small groups and work across disciplines. We promote innovative teaching methods and strategies such as transfer formats or virtual classrooms and support lecturers in further developing their teaching. Our Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track (ADILT) complements all study programmes by teaching the fundamentals of computer science and data processing methods, along with their legal foundations. Additionally, it provides reflection on their relevance for society.

In Konstanz, you will find optimal conditions for research, studying, and teaching.

The University of Konstanz has set the following five research priorities:

• Collective Behaviour
• Cultural Dynamics and Social Transformation
• Material – Function - Quantum
• Molecular Principles of Life
• Inequality and Conflict

We want to give you the best possible opportunities to develop personally and professionally. You will have many opportunities to put your own ideas into action – whether you conduct research or start a spin-off. In Konstanz, we foster close communication and a strong sense of community to enhance the potential of our university members at all levels. We bring together our different backgrounds and disciplines to create something truly outstanding. At the same time, you will enjoy an /exceptionally beautiful environment with a historical city, lake, and nearby mountains as well as excellent sports facilities.

Find out more about our university and student life in Konstanz on our website.

Konstanz is situated in south-west Germany in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, and it shares its border with the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen. It is beautifully located on the shores of the Rhine River and Lake Constance, central Europe's second-largest lake, where the borders of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland converge. The lively university city, with about 87,000 inhabitants, among them more than 14,000 students, is the economic and cultural centre of the Lake Constance region. Take a stroll through the shopping mall and the historical centre featuring both large department stores and small specialist shops. Take a break in one of the many cafés, restaurants, ice cream parlours, pubs, and wine bars. Konstanz is not only a popular tourist destination but also an attractive business location (light industry, commerce, high technology). It is a very safe place to live offering a high quality of life with its excellent infrastructure and diverse cultural and recreational facilities. Konstanz has a long and rich historical tradition. The first settlements were erected in Konstanz Bay in 2000 BC, and the city was given its name "Constantia" by the Romans in the fourth century AD. Konstanz has a well-preserved medieval town and numerous historical buildings from the Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque periods.

Konstanz has the perfect location for all kinds of outdoor leisure activities. The region has an excellent network of routes for walking, cycling, and in-line skating tours. The beaches are a major attraction for relaxing in the sun and swimming in the lake or the Rhine. The lake offers various water sports, such as sailing, canoeing, and diving, while the nearby Alps provide year-round enjoyment for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and climbers. Konstanz is the home of the oldest running theatre in Germany and of the famous Southwest German Philharmonic Orchestra. There are several museums, art galleries, and art centres offering a broad spectrum of events: art and documentary exhibitions and concerts in all genres of music. Konstanz is also an ideal starting point for excursions to many attractions in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein. On the city's doorstep are the famous gardens of Mainau Island and the Island of Reichenau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can take boat trips to beautiful towns around the lake, such as Meersburg, Überlingen, and Lindau. The lakeside town of Friedrichshafen is the home of the Zeppelin, and the Austrian city of Bregenz is renowned for its summer festivals, featuring spectacular opera and musical performances on a floating stage in the lake. A boat trip along one of the most beautiful parts of the Rhine takes you to the magnificent Rhine Falls at the Swiss town of Schaffhausen. From Konstanz, you can easily reach major cities, such as Zurich, Basel, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Milan.