Program Outline

Students with an appropriate Bachelor’s degree can complete their studies in two semesters. The total number of 90 credits necessary to obtain the Master’s degree must be acquired within three years.

Categories of course units

Students have to obtain credits in the following categories:

• Core subjects: 18 credits at D-BSSE
  
• Elective subjects: 10 credits at University of Basel
  
• Research project: 20 credits
• Master thesis: 40 credits
  
• Electives in humanities, social and political sciences (GESS): 2 credits

Course Overview: Master Programme Biotechnology

Description of the categories

Core subjects - corresponding majors
There are three majors offered at D-BSSE: Biotechnology, Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology. For each major there are mandatory core subjects with the same name. Of the minimal necessary 18 credits, at least 6 credits have to be out of the core subjects of the chosen major.

Please note: as a Biotechnology Bachelor student of ETH you are only allowed to take core subject exams in case you need 12 credits at the most to acquire your Bachelor diploma. If you are admitted to the Master`s program on condition of additional requirements, you are only allowed to take core subject exams in case you need 10 credits at the most to fulfill the respective additional requirements.

Elective subjects
Elective subjects include a broad spectrum of advanced topics in chemical and bioengineering, process engineering, biotechnology as well as topics from related areas. Students may also take core subjects and compensatory subjects as elective subjects as long as they have not taken them as such.

Research project
Students have to carry out a research project in a core subject or elective subject area. Students are free to choose the area.

Master thesis
The master thesis is carried out under the supervision of a professor in a research group of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering. Students are free to choose the area. The duration of the master thesis is 32 weeks.

Elective subjects in humanities, social and political sciences
All students must collect credits in courses offered by the University of Basel in the faculty of humanities.

For more information please also visit: Website compulsory elective GESS