Education at a Glance
Studying Biology in Basel
The Biology degree programs offered by the Faculty of Philosophy and Natural Sciences at the University of Basel are increasingly designed to meet the requirements of biological research. In line with the Bologna reform, the curricula have been largely adapted to the three-stage system, namely "Bachelor's – Master's – PhD ".
Biology is a subject that covers many disciplines. The practical advantages of the subject are found not only in basic research but also, increasingly, in business, society and politics. Numerous jobs are on offer to biology graduates, within the university and also in private industry, government service, schools and organizations, be it as researchers, communicators, teachers or advisors. For these reasons, biology can rightly be considered as this century's key science.
Bachelor's – Master's
The Bachelor's degree program in Biology at the University of Basel is run by the Biozentrum together with the Biology division of the Department of Environmental Sciences (the Botanical and Zoological Institutes, as well as the Institute for Nature, Landscape and Environmental Protection) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. Three majors are offered at bachelor level: Molecular Biology, Animal and Plant Sciences, and Integrative Biology. On completion of the Bachelor's degree, students wishing to continue their studies can choose from six possible Master's programs: Animal Biology, Epidemiology, Infection Biology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, and Plant Sciences. The Biozentrum focuses on the Master's degree in Molecular Biology. In addition, the Bachelor's degree program in Computational Sciences with a major in Computational Biology allows a direct access to the Master’s degree program in Molecular Biology. Both the Bachelor's and Master's degrees are generally recognized throughout Europe.
PhD
Students with a Master's degree can then continue to the third stage and be awarded a Doctoral degree (PhD) on completion of a dissertation.
Credit points
Following the Bologna reform, credit points (CP) are awarded for successfully completed studies, in accordance with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The number of CP per learning unit corresponds to the working time the student needs to put in to achieve its objectives. The nominal value of a credit point corresponds to 30 hours' working time. The three-year (six-semester) Bachelor's program requires proof of 180 CP; a further 90 CP are awarded in the subsequent two- or three-semester Master's program.