The curriculum structure

Schematic overview of the Elite Master Program “Human Biology – Principles of Health and Disease”. The curriculum contains lectures, seminars, practical courses and research practical courses.

1st semester – Basic training
The 1st first semester of the master’s program aims to enlarge and deepen existing know-how gained from the previously completed Bachelor’s program. After the 1st first semester, the students will be prepared with the basic practical skills for the more specialized courses in the main topic areas . Throughout the 1st first semester the students will also have opportunities to practice skills such as in giving presentations, teamwork and intercultural sensitivity.

2nd semester & 3rd semester – Advanced training on the main topics
In the 2nd and 3rd semester, students may choose their priority topics. The focus in the second semester is on the topics “Cell Biology, Stem Cells and Epigenetics” and “Molecular Microbiology and Infection Biology”. The emphasis in the third semester is on the topics “Molecular Oncology”, “Neurosciences” and “Cardiovascular and Lung Research”. Each topic consists of a lecture, a seminar, a topic-specific practical methods course and an 8-week long research practical course. The research practical courses can also be completed within the industry or at our collaborative partner institutes in Munich or abroad. Speakers are frequently invited to hold talks during this part of the program, giving students an opportunity to network and make contact with potential future employers.

Through additional, interdisciplinary courses during the 2nd and 3rd semesters, students will have the possibility to deepen their expert knowledge by choosing courses based on their interests. In transferable skills courses, students will acquire cross-curricular vocational and social abilities, such as presentation skills, time management, self-reflection, team-work, conflict management, and leadership ability.

4th semester - Master Module
The Master’s Program culminates in a 24-week period devoted to the research, writing and defense of a Master’s Thesis. Through their Master’s Thesis, students prove their skills in conducting independent and responsible research.