Program structure

The master's degree program in Biology at KIT offers you the opportunity to develop an individual research profile according to your interests. To this end, it is important to have as much freedom of choice as possible, which is guaranteed by a diverse and extensive range of modules. Throughout your studies, you can participate in current and modern research projects. You have to choose three subjects at the beginning of your studies.

The following subjects are currently available to you:

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

Within each subject, you will choose two research modules. These are four-week block lab courses that are accompanied by a lecture. You will also complete a project placement in each of the three subjects, in which you will work on your own small research project. As part of the ecological research module "Major Excursion", you will have the opportunity to analyze an ecosystem in an integrative way. As further interdisciplinary modules, you will attend two interdisciplinary seminars. The degree program concludes with the master's thesis.

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 program in Biology, you need sufficient knowledge of German or English. 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).

Proof of sufficient German language skills

Your school-leaving certificate is sufficient proof of your German language skills if

• you obtainted it at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad
• you 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)
• you obtained your degree at a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country on the recoginition 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 and language certificates that are recognizes as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the webste of the Kultusministerkonferenz (Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany).

If you have not obtained your higher education entrance qualification (HZB) at one of the above-mentioned institutions, you must provide a separate language certificate - regardless of your nationality. Only the following are accepted

• the passed „Prüfungsteil Deutsch“ of the Feststellungsprüfung,
• the passed DSH with an overall result DSH-2,
• the passed TestDaF level 4 in all four parts of the examination (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, oral expression)
• a comparable, recognized certificate of sufficient German language skills

To find our which other recognized certificates can be accepted by KIT as comparable, please contact

• as a German or German-equivalent applicant: Studierendenservice
• as an applicant with non- EU citizenship: International Students Office

Proof of sufficient English language skills

The following is sufficient proof of your English language skills

• your Abitur certificate, if you have taken English for at least five years up to graduation and your final or average grade of the last two years of English lessons corresponds to at least the German grade 4 (sufficient) or at least 5 points or
• a degree from a university with English as the sole language of instruction and examination, whereby English must be the only and official language of the completed degree program noted in the diploma supplement, the transcript of records or the degree certificate
  

Otherwise, only the internationally recognized English tests listed in the KIT admission and enrollment regulations are accepted as proof. These are

• Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) with at least 90 points in the internet-based test or

• IELTS with an overall score of at least 6.5 and no section below 5.5 or

• University of Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or

• University of Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) or

• UNIcert at least level II

Please note:
Language certificates are extremely important application documents that can prevent your enrollment if you do not submit them on time. Therefore, check early on in the application process whether you have the necessary language certificates for your degree program and, if necessary, plan to take one of the language tests mentioned above. The deadline by which you must submit language certificates corresponds to the enrollment deadline stated in your admission offer. In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of this deadline. The extension can be granted until the start of the lecture period at the latest.

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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