Biology (B.Sc.)

Features

From A for Anthropology to Z for Zoology:

The Biology degree programme at Göttingen offers insights into the sundry sides of the subject. You will learn to identify plants, animals and micro-organisms, work on molecular and genetic issues and get to know about chemical building blocks and their biochemical interaction. As early as the first semester, you will begin to perform small experiments and later conclude your studies with your own research project. The Bachelor's degree qualifies students for Master's degree programmes with foci in ecology, biochemistry, molecular biology and neurobiology.

Name:: Biologie
Degree:: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
Teaching language:: German
Standard period of study:: 6 semesters
Start of studies:: Winter semester
Addmission:: Restricted
(application to the University)
Pre-course:: A pre-course is offered

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Programme description

The German-language Bachelor of Science degree course in Biology (full-time course over 6 semesters) provides basic teaching in biology and fundamental knowledge of natural sciences, chemistry and mathematics/statistics in the first part of the course (first and second semesters, “orientation year”).

In the second part of the degree course (third to sixth semesters), students get to know six specialist biological fields that they can freely select themselves from a broad range of available subjects, which is supplemented by two further non-biological subjects. As a result, students acquire specialist scientific knowledge; learn about methodological approaches and handling specialist biological literature.

The degree course is primarily designed to prepare students for the German and English language Masters / Ph.D programme by providing the foundations for a research-oriented career, although it also qualifies students for professions in administrations, companies and national/international organisations.

Research foci and fields of study in Göttingen

Anthropology
Biochemistry
Applied Bioinformatics
Algorithmic Bioinformatics
Biocognition
Developmental and Cellular Biology
Genetics and Microbial Cell Biology
Genome analysis
Microbiology
Animal and Plant Ecology
Evolution, Systematics and Diversity in Plants
Evolution, Systematics and Diversity in Animals
Cellular and Molecular Biology in Plants
Animal Physiology
Behavioural biology

Language skills and language requirements

Good English language skills are required at the start of the degree course. The module “Scientific English I” must be completed during the degree course, which requires English language knowledge at the level of “Mittelstufe II” (Intermediate level II) to start the course. This language qualification can also be acquired during the degree course.

If the module “Scientific English II” is additionally taken, students can then acquire the certificate UNICERT III, which is accepted as an entrance requirement by the Faculty of Biology and Psychology for their international Masters programme.

Occupational fields

Jobs in research and teaching (if necessary, in combination with a Masters / Ph.D programme) in universities and non-university institutions, companies working in the field of life sciences, environmental authorities and German State Offices, scientific publishing houses, textbook publishers and adult education (if necessary, in combination with additional study).

Related and consecutive/graduate programmes

Related programmes

Consecutive/graduate programmes

Features

Structure

Programme structure

The programme's structure is characterised by great freedom of choice from the third semester onwards, so that the individual course of study can vary considerably. The following overview can therefore only be regarded as an example.

The Biology lecture series is an introductory course intended to give you an overview of the broad spectrum of biology and lays the common foundation for advanced modules. This lecture series is divided into two modules (parts A and B).

Module description of part A

Module description of part B

Scope: 10 Credits

During the course of this internship, you will be preparing light microscopy specimens of plant cells, tissues and organs to familiarise yourself with and interpret the structure and evolution of plants and fungi.

Module description

Scope: 6 Credits

This module will refresh and expand on the basic secondary school curriculum in mathematics so that you will be sufficiently prepared for performing and evaluating biological experiments.

Module description

Scope: 6 Credits

Since all biological processes are ultimately based on chemical reactions, chemistry is indispensable for a deeper understanding of biology. This module will introduce you to basic chemistry in lectures coupled with laboratory courses.

Module description

Scope: 6 Credits

The Biology II lecture series is an introductory course intended to give you an overview of the broad spectrum of biology with the main focus on molecular biology and lays the common foundation for more advanced modules.

Module description

Scope: 8 Credits

This internship, together with the accompanying lectures, will introduce you to the biodiversity, phylogeny and evolution of animals. You will be familiarised with the morphology and evolution through preparation of various animal specimens.

Module description

Scope: 6 Credits

This module will introduce you the basic principles of probability theory and elementary methods of descriptive and inferential statistics.

Module description

Scope: 4 Credits

In addition to the basic principles of occupational safety, the chemistry internship will cover work processes in chemical laboratories such as calculation of concentrations and yields, preparation of solutions and the basic principles of analytics.

Module description

Scope: 4 Credits

A choice of 13 subject areas is available, from which 6 must be taken. Each of these modules consists of lectures and a practical part. You will be studying one of the subjects selected here in more detail later on.

Module overview

Scope: 10 Credits

Two modules from general mathematics and natural sciences must be chosen. The available subjects are: Organic chemistry, Physics, Physical Chemistry or Computer science.

Module overview

Scope: 10 Credits

This module will teach you technical language skills in English to enable you to e.g. understand scientific publications and hold simple scientific presentations in English.

Module description

Scope: 6 Credits

In order to sharpen your own profile, you can freely select modules in this area from the permissible programmes offered by the University, such as special biological modules, but also modules from other subjects or language courses.

Module overview

Scope: 11 Credits

This module will introduce you to the moral questions and problems arising from the application of scientific knowledge and techniques, and provide assistance with rational discussion of these issues.

Module description

Scope: 3 Credits

Based on the selected basic modules, a six-week practical in-depth course must be completed in one subject area, including a literature seminar. Here, you will be learning the methods needed for writing your Bachelor’s thesis.

Module overview

Scope: 12 Credits

This module consists of lectures, in which you will be introduced to the values of good scientific practice. The second part will aid the conceptual preparation of your Bachelor’s thesis and follows the completion of your practical in-depth course.

Modul description

Scope: 6 Credits

In the Bachelor’s thesis, which is generally experimental in nature, you will be working independently under supervision on solving a scientific question from the subject area selected for specialisation.

Modul description

Scope: 12 Credits

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Admission

Start:: Winter and summer semester

1st subject semester:: restricted admission (application to the University)
2nd to 6th subject semester:: open admission (enrolment without previous application)