Master’s in Biology

The MSc in Biology is a two-year programme and contains 120 credits (ECTS) in total. The programme consists of various courses, an internship, and a master’s thesis which are carried out within one of the four specialisations.

Together with your study adviser, you will design a tailor-made study programme that fits your interests and ambitions. Below, you see which elements are part of a study programme. Check the Study Handbook to find in-depth information of all courses and specialisations.

Courses first and second year

In the first year, you have ample opportunity to choose courses that align with your passions and ambitions. You will take:  

• A course on the latest developments in Biology, including guest lectures of scientists sharing their latest research
• A course on data science (choose the one that suits you best from a list of courses)
• Two specialisation courses. Within each specialization, you can choose from a wide variety of courses, to personalize your path.
• 4 electives: deepen your knowledge, broaden your horizons, or take courses from other master's programmes: this is your chance to fully tailor your studies to your needs. You can even follow courses abroad.
• Academic Master Cluster, choose between two options:
  • Work with students from different master’s programmes on a question from an organisation outside the university and experience what it’s like to work as a consultant. In parallel you will select some modules to develop your skills, like scientific writing, management skills or career orientation.
  • Write your own PhD proposal with the support of experts, coaches and fellow students. This is very useful if you want to pursue a PhD after graduation.

In your second year, you will write a thesis and complete an internship.  

Thesis (36 ECTS) 

During your thesis, you will conduct your own research project at one of WUR's 30 biological research groups. You can choose your own topic: a great opportunity to spend six months diving into a topic you are passionate about! You can do lab work or fieldwork, even abroad.  

Internship (24 ECTS) 

During your internship, you will work at an organisation outside the university. You will gain valuable work experience that you can use when applying for jobs after graduation.

Examples 

Some examples of thesis and internship topics: 

• Landing approach of a malaria mosquito under the presence of host cues.
• Assessment of oviposition strategies of butterflies in nature and the role of an egg-killing plant trait therein.
• Untangling the relation between lionfish abundance, habitat complexity and prey biomass in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Mathematical modelling of Auxin Response Factor Protein dynamics and activity in common liverwort.
• Neonicotinoids affect multiple aspects of bird life: a meta-analysis.
• The use of pH additives in gourmet and medicinal mushroom production to mitigate inhibited or stunted mycelium growth. 

Within the Master's in Biology, you can choose one out of four specialisations to meet your personal interests. Each specialisation has a variety of courses you can pick from and chair groups at which you can do your thesis. Check the Study Handbook to read more about the specialisations.

• Cell Biology and Molecular Interactions
  You will study processes at a molecular and cellular level using modern, state-of-the-art research techniques. This will help you understand complex biological processes and phenomena such as evolution, ageing, symbiosis, bio-interactions, physiology and immunology.
• Development and Adaptation
  You will learn to use biomechanics, behavioural observations, genetic principles, biochemical analysis, molecular and physiological techniques. This will help you understand how individual organisms, particularly plants and animals, adapt to their biotic and abiotic environment, both during development and in adult life.
• Health and Disease
  You will focus on the prevention of health problems and the functioning of healthy organisms. Therefore, you will learn about molecular, immunological, virological, physiological and disease ecological approaches.
• Ecology
  The main theme in the Ecology specialisation is the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in changing terrestrial and marine environments. Field research, molecular techniques, modelling and quantitative analysis of large datasets form an integral part of this specialisation.

• Lectures: a lecturer covers the course material in class.
• Tutorials: you complete an individual or small-group assignment with the help and supervision of teachers.
• Lab practicals: practical work in the lab.
• Computer practicals: assignments on a computer, for example about modelling or data analysis.
• Field work/excursions: Go outside and gain practical experience in the field.
• Self-study: self-study is included in your schedule, but you can also pick your own moments. 

The study advisers are here to support you during your studies. You can contact them to talk about selecting courses, planning your study programme, or if you are facing (personal) issues that affect your studies. They are happy to help! 

Below you can find a list of some other masters in Wageningen, related to biology. Most of these masters cover a more specific and more applied field of research, while the Master’s in Biology is very broad and has opportunities for both fundamental and applied research. Here you can find a full list of all master's of Wageningen University.

• Animal Sciences
• Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management
• Bioinformatics
• Forest and Nature Conservation
• Molecular Life Sciences
• Plant Sciences

For more in-depth information and to see how you might be able to compare this programme, check Studiekeuze123.nl.

Biology is a very broad field, and biologists therefore end up in many different jobs. You will have plenty of career opportunities. Some alumni work in the field of their own unique specialisation, whilst others work in other biological or non-biological jobs. 

• PhD student
• Consultant
• Manager
• Teacher
• Researcher
• Project employee/trainee
• Analyst/assistant
• Policy officer
• Entrepreneur
• Other  

Student Career Services facilitates WUR students towards the labour market. If you need help in your orientation towards your future career. 

Have a look at the Career Booklet for more information about career opportunities.

Purpose and reason for the admission requirements

The admission requirements for the master's programme Biology are defined in such a way that the students should be able to successfully complete the programme in two years. To comply, students should have a broad knowledge on concepts and methodologies related to biology on all levels of organisation. For collection and analyses of experimental data, a solid basis in statistics and mathematics is necessary.

The criterion used for admission is

a Dutch BSc degree in Biology (with CROHO 56860 or 59325), or equivalent.

The norm for this equivalence is

at least 150 ECTS in:

• Biology (molecular biology, cell biology, organismal biology (plant and animal), evolutionary biology, taxonomy, genetics, ecology).
• Natural sciences (chemistry, physics).

At least one course in the previous education specifically focused on each of these topics:

• Statistics ((multiple) linear regression, formulation of hypotheses, non-parametric tests, contingency and chi-squared tests, normal and binomial distributions).
• Mathematics (linear algebra, calculus, differentiation, integration, first order differential equations, systems of linear equations, vectors and vector geometry, matrices and determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, functions of two variables).

Not all topics mentioned need to be mastered at the same level; they will be weighed by the Admission Board per individual application.

Method of assessment whether this norm is met

• Transcript of records displaying the content of previous course subjects and project work;
• Curriculum vitae displaying relevant work, internship and/or project experience on an academic level in a relevant field if applicable.

Scores attributed by the Admission Board

Admitted / not admitted / admitted under condition obtaining the BSc or MSc degree / not admitted with offer of pre-master's

Admissible study programmes

Graduates from Applied Biology from a University of Applied Sciences (NL: hbo) may meet the knowledge requirements.

Study programmes with knowledge gaps

Graduates from the Dutch University of Applied Sciences programme “Biologie en Medisch Laboratorium Onderzoek” often have to follow additional courses during the bachelor's or a pre-master's.

Ready to start your application process? Find everything you need to know about Application & Admission before applying for a master's.

The Admission Board may allow and/or suggest compensation of knowledge gaps by:

• a GPA≥7.0* for the previous education for small discrepancies as new knowledge is sufficiently easily acquired;
• a GPA≥7.0* and an individual pre-master's programme for larger discrepancies that can be compensated in ≤30 ECTS and one year of study.

*Check the Application & Admission page for master's for the International credentials evaluation guide for international equivalencies to a Dutch GPA>7.0. This guide includes compensating factors for a slightly lower GPA the Admission Board may include in their judgement.

Want to know if you are eligible for a pre-master's? Follow the steps below: 

• For students that already completed their bachelor’s: apply for our master’s programme. In the application process you can upload your transcript of records and curriculum vitae. If you are eligible for a pre-master’s programme, the admissions board will contact you about this.
• For students that are still following their bachelor’s: contact us by e-mail: biology@wur.nl. It might be possible to close your knowledge gap already during your bachelor’s by adding specific courses to your current study programme. Please include in your e-mail:
  • A list of all courses from your bachelor’s (the ones you completed and the ones you still have to follow)
  • Detailed information about your knowledge on statistics and mathematics (algebra)
  • If you have room for electives in your bachelor’s programme, and if so, in which months.

We will contact you to discuss the possibilities.

Find out more about pre-master's programmes.

Pursuing a degree comes with expenses. Want to know what to budget for? Explore more about Tuition fees and study finances. 

Student life goes far beyond lectures and exams. From game-nights to joining lively parties, cozy pubs, and student associations, there’s always something happening. Festivals and sports clubs make Wageningen and its surroundings full of experiences. And of course there is beautiful nature all around. Explore more about Student life in Wageningen.