Organismic and Molecular Biodiversity Dresden University of Technology

Understanding and safeguarding biodiversity is one of the key challenges of our time. Thus, scientific and societal interest in biodiversity has been growing consistently, and novel methods in biodiversity science are continuously opening up new research avenues. However, the increased need for biodiversity research and monitoring is not matched by the availability of trained personnel. For this reason, the TU Dresden and Senckenberg offer a comprehensive Master’s programme that addresses both organismic and molecular aspects of biodiversity research. The inclusion of collection-based research as well as applied topics allow graduates to work in a variety of fields.

Lectures are held at: Görlitz, Dresden and Zittau

Compulsory core modules are:

• Systematics and Evolution of Plants, Fungi and Animals
• Applied Ecology
• Basic Molecular Approaches in Biodiversity Research
• Collecting and Analysing Biodiversity Data

The programme is organised into three specialisations:

The specialisation Species Diversity and Natural-History Collections offers courses on a uniquely broad range of taxa, covering their identification, ecology and treatment in natural-history collections. Teaching in museology, in particular in the communication of biodiversity topics, spans the bridge to society.

The specialisation Evolution of Functional Biodiversity focusses on the structural diversity of organisms, including palaeontological aspects, to emphasise the evolutionary component. Possible applications in technology, architecture and design (bionics) are explored and again provide a link to society.

The specialisation Molecular Biodiversity teaches how modern molecular and cytogenetic techniques can be used to trace the evolution, domestication and conservation of species. Courses address the effective design of molecular-biological experiments, as well as the generation and analysis of genetic, genomic and cytogenetic data.

Additionally, courses can be chosen from a general elective area.

Senckenberg Society for Natural Science

Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in biology or related life or environmental sciences with relation to biodiversity

Currently, students pay ~340 EUR per semester (i.e. for six months). This includes a ticket for public transport and regional trains in all of Germany. Additionally, students can use a bike rental service all over the city for free for 30 min. The contribution also assures concessions in the university cafeterias and offers benefits (e.g. price reductions) for many cultural and leisure activities in Dresden.

Zittau and Dresden offer high quality of living at very moderate costs. Currently, students should expect to pay around 850 EUR per month including rent, food, insurance and basic expenses. This figure is relatively low compared to other German cities.

In order to top up their budget, some students may want to look for temporary work. If so, different regulations apply for students from EU member states, countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and students from outside the European Union and the EEA area. In addition, restrictions on the duration of employment may apply. Professors, lecturers and group leaders involved in the programme may offer students the possibility of working as academic assistants. However, living expenses can be financed only partially through a job as an academic assistant.

Information on scholarships and funding for students is summarised on a dedicated web page of the TU Dresden.

TU Dresden offers plenty of counselling and training by the Career Service to help students with finding professional orientation. They offer workshops to equip students with professional skills and help optimise their CVs.

Additionally, there are special workshops for international students to get to know the German and Saxon job market and network.

It is quite easy to find affordable accommodation in Zittau. Accommodation is available either via the "Studentenwerk Dresden" or on the private market. Rent for a single room in a student residence is approx. 250 EUR per month.

Private housing can be found online. We recommend that you move into a hall of residence at the beginning of your stay in Zittau. Subsequently, you can look for a place on the private market or in a shared apartment, which is known as a "Wohngemeinschaft" in German.