Master of Science in Biology

The Master in Biology has a far-reaching impact on numerous areas within science and society. The research domain of biology itself is very broad, and covers the entire spectrum of life, its diversity and its formation at all the different organisation levels, ranging from a cell and ecosystem to the level of the biosphere.

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Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Sciences

English

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

After graduation

First year

(version 8 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Computational Biosciences	1	sem 1	en	Peter Dawyndt	5

Academic Grant Writing	1	sem 2	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

2 Minors

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 minor from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

Distribution over the first standard learning path is depending on the major.

2.1 Minor Research

Subscribe to 30 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Courses Research

Subscribe to no more than 30 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
International Project		year	en	Marleen De Troch	5

Biological Excursions in the Human Brain				Robrecht Raedt	5

Evolution of Primates and Paleo-anthropology		sem 2	en	Dominique Adriaens	3

Immunology and Pathology		sem 2	en	Martin Guilliams	5

Insect Physiology		sem 1	nl	Dirk de Graaf	5

International Course		year	en	Ann Vanreusel	5

Limnology		sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	5

Marine Ecology		sem 1	en	Ann Vanreusel	6

Microbial Ecology		sem 1	en	Anne Willems	5

Molecular Plant Physiology				Thomas Depaepe	5

Introduction to Multivariate Data Analysis				Koen Sabbe	3

Mycology: Basidiomycota		sem 1	nl	Annemieke Verbeken	5

Ornithology		sem 2	en	Luc Lens	5

Paleobiology of Micro-organisms		sem 1	en	Stephen Louwye	5

Phylogenetics and Evolution of Flowering Plants		sem 2	nl	Lars Chatrou	5

Teledetection: Image Registration and Processing		sem 2	nl	Rudi Goossens	5

Geographic Information Systems (partim)		sem 1	nl	Nico Van de Weghe	3

Biodiversity of Aquatic Food Webs: from Algae to Marine Mammals		sem 1	en	Marleen De Troch	3

Laboratory Animal Science		year	en	Katleen Hermans	9

Advanced Cell Biology				Geert van Loo	5

Functional Diversity of Prokaryotes				Anne Willems	4

Practical Plant Anatomy					5

Vegetation Science		sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	3

Nature Conservation		sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

History and Philosophy of Sciences				Johan Braeckman	3

History and Philosophy of Biology		sem 1	en	Johan Braeckman	3

Practical Skills in Academic Biological Education		year	nl	Dominique Adriaens	3

Introduction to Biomimicry		sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Writing Academic Papers		sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	4

Global Minds	UKV	sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.1.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

Subscribe to courses for no more than 30 credit units to be chosen from study programmes of UGent including the minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability, major General Biology, the Ghent University elective courses or from study programmes of other universities of the Flemish Community.

2.2 Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Basic Entrepreneurship	UKV	1	sem 1	nl	Yannick Dillen	3

Dare to Venture		1	sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Bio-inspired Project		1	year	en	Matthew Shawkey	9

Subscribe to 14 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.2.1 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 7 and no more than 14 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Biomimicry		sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Environmental Economics and Policy		sem 2	nl	Brent Bleys	6

Sustainability Thinking	UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Corporate Social Responsibility		sem 2	nl	Saskia Crucke	3

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Microbial Ecology and Environmental Sanitation		sem 1	en	Tom Defoirdt	4

Co-Creation	UKV	year	nl,en	Jan Detand	6

Clean Technology: Assessment Methods		sem 1	en	Sophie Huysveld	3

Forest and Nature Policy		sem 1	nl	Myriam Dumortier	5

Financial and Cost Price Reporting in Companies		sem 1	nl	Sophie Maussen	6

Marketing Management		sem 1	nl	Maggie Geuens	6

Business Management		sem 2	nl	Ludo Poelaert	3

Intellectual Property and Valorization		sem 2	en	Benedikt Sas	3

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Product Innovation in the Food Industry		year	nl		7

Functional Foods		sem 2	en	John Van Camp	5

Human Nutrition		sem 1	en	John Van Camp	5

Environmental Inventory Techniques		sem 1	en	Kim Calders	3

Materials Technology		sem 2	nl	Kim Verbeken	4

Rational Use of Materials		sem 1	en	Tom Depover	5

Food Fermentations		sem 2	en	Katleen Raes	4

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Michiel Dehaene	5

Global Minds	UKV	sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.2.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

Subscribe to courses for no more than 7 credit units to be chosen from study programmes of UGent including the Ghent University elective courses or from study programmes of other universities of the Flemish Community.

3 Majors

Subscribe to 42 credit units from 1 major from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

3.1 Major General Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Taxonomy and Systematics	1	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Phylogenetics	1	sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Integrated Biodiversity Research Project	1	sem 2	en	Olivier De Clerck	5

Paleobiology	1	sem 1	en	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Biodiversity Conservation	1	sem 2	en	Ana Rita Giraldes Simoes	4

Microevolution and Speciation	1	sem 1	en	Frederik Hendrickx	6

Evolutionary Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

Climate Change	1	sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	4

Spatial Ecology	1	sem 1	en	Dries Bonte	5

Ecosystem Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Elie Verleyen	5

Ecosystem Functioning	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	5

Behavioural Ecology	1	sem 2	en	Diederik Strubbe	4

Ecological Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Dries Bonte	7

Plant Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Tom Beeckman	5

Biology of Ageing	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Physiological Regulation in Plants	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	5

Physiological Regulation in Animals	1	sem 2	en	Johan Aerts	5

Functional Biotic Interactions	1	sem 2	en	Dirk de Graaf	6

Functional Abiotic Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	6

Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Bioethics	1	sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

3.2 Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Taxonomy and Systematics	1	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Phylogenetics	1	sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Integrated Biodiversity Research Project	1	sem 2	en	Olivier De Clerck	5

Paleobiology	1	sem 1	en	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Biodiversity Conservation	1	sem 2	en	Ana Rita Giraldes Simoes	4

Microevolution and Speciation	1	sem 1	en	Frederik Hendrickx	6

Evolutionary Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

3.3 Major Global Change Ecology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Climate Change	1	sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	4

Spatial Ecology	1	sem 1	en	Dries Bonte	5

Ecosystem Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Elie Verleyen	5

Ecosystem Functioning	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	5

Behavioural Ecology	1	sem 2	en	Diederik Strubbe	4

Ecological Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Dries Bonte	7

3.4 Major Functional Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Plant Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Tom Beeckman	5

Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Animals	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

Biology of Ageing	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Physiological Regulation in Plants	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	5

Physiological Regulation in Animals	1	sem 2	en	Johan Aerts	5

Functional Biotic Interactions	1	sem 2	en	Dirk de Graaf	6

Functional Abiotic Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	6

Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Bioethics	1	sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

Second year

(version 8 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Advanced Biostatistics	2	sem 1	en	Carl Vangestel	5

Scientific Communication	2	sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	5

2 Minors

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 minor from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

Distribution over the first standard learning path is depending on the major.

2.1 Minor Research

Subscribe to 30 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Courses Research

Subscribe to no more than 30 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Professional Internship I		2	year	nl	Luc Lens	5

Professional Internship II		2	year	nl	Luc Lens	10

International Project			year	en	Marleen De Troch	5

Biological Excursions in the Human Brain					Robrecht Raedt	5

Evolution of Primates and Paleo-anthropology			sem 2	en	Dominique Adriaens	3

Immunology and Pathology			sem 2	en	Martin Guilliams	5

Insect Physiology			sem 1	nl	Dirk de Graaf	5

International Course			year	en	Ann Vanreusel	5

Limnology			sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	5

Marine Ecology			sem 1	en	Ann Vanreusel	6

Microbial Ecology			sem 1	en	Anne Willems	5

Molecular Plant Physiology					Thomas Depaepe	5

Introduction to Multivariate Data Analysis					Koen Sabbe	3

Mycology: Basidiomycota			sem 1	nl	Annemieke Verbeken	5

Ornithology			sem 2	en	Luc Lens	5

Paleobiology of Micro-organisms			sem 1	en	Stephen Louwye	5

Phylogenetics and Evolution of Flowering Plants			sem 2	nl	Lars Chatrou	5

Teledetection: Image Registration and Processing			sem 2	nl	Rudi Goossens	5

Geographic Information Systems (partim)			sem 1	nl	Nico Van de Weghe	3

Biodiversity of Aquatic Food Webs: from Algae to Marine Mammals			sem 1	en	Marleen De Troch	3

Laboratory Animal Science			year	en	Katleen Hermans	9

Advanced Cell Biology					Geert van Loo	5

Functional Diversity of Prokaryotes					Anne Willems	4

Practical Plant Anatomy						5

Vegetation Science			sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	3

Nature Conservation			sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

History and Philosophy of Sciences					Johan Braeckman	3

History and Philosophy of Biology			sem 1	en	Johan Braeckman	3

Practical Skills in Academic Biological Education			year	nl	Dominique Adriaens	3

Introduction to Biomimicry			sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Writing Academic Papers			sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	4

Global Minds	UKV		sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.1.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

2.2 Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability

Subscribe to 14 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.2.1 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 7 and no more than 14 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Biomimicry		sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Environmental Economics and Policy		sem 2	nl	Brent Bleys	6

Sustainability Thinking	UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Corporate Social Responsibility		sem 2	nl	Saskia Crucke	3

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Microbial Ecology and Environmental Sanitation		sem 1	en	Tom Defoirdt	4

Co-Creation	UKV	year	nl,en	Jan Detand	6

Clean Technology: Assessment Methods		sem 1	en	Sophie Huysveld	3

Forest and Nature Policy		sem 1	nl	Myriam Dumortier	5

Financial and Cost Price Reporting in Companies		sem 1	nl	Sophie Maussen	6

Marketing Management		sem 1	nl	Maggie Geuens	6

Business Management		sem 2	nl	Ludo Poelaert	3

Intellectual Property and Valorization		sem 2	en	Benedikt Sas	3

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Product Innovation in the Food Industry		year	nl		7

Functional Foods		sem 2	en	John Van Camp	5

Human Nutrition		sem 1	en	John Van Camp	5

Environmental Inventory Techniques		sem 1	en	Kim Calders	3

Materials Technology		sem 2	nl	Kim Verbeken	4

Rational Use of Materials		sem 1	en	Tom Depover	5

Food Fermentations		sem 2	en	Katleen Raes	4

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Michiel Dehaene	5

Global Minds	UKV	sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.2.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

3 Majors

Subscribe to 42 credit units from 1 major from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

3.1 Major General Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Biodiversity Patterns in Space and Time	2	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Evolutionary Morphology	2	sem 1	en	Lars Chatrou	5

Conservation Genetics	2	sem 2	en	Philippe Helsen	5

Ecosystem Management and Services	2	year	en	Maurice Hoffmann	7

3.2 Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Biodiversity Patterns in Space and Time	2	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Evolutionary Morphology	2	sem 1	en	Lars Chatrou	5

3.3 Major Global Change Ecology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Conservation Genetics	2	sem 2	en	Philippe Helsen	5

Ecosystem Management and Services	2	year	en	Maurice Hoffmann	7

3.4 Major Functional Biology

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

4 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en	N. N.	30

Full programme

(version 8 )

Print

1 General Courses 18

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Advanced Biostatistics	2	sem 1	en	Carl Vangestel	5

Computational Biosciences	1	sem 1	en	Peter Dawyndt	5

Academic Grant Writing	1	sem 2	en	Matthew Shawkey	3

Scientific Communication	2	sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	5

2 Minors 30

Subscribe to 30 credit units from 1 minor from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

Distribution over the first standard learning path is depending on the major.

2.1 Minor Research

30

Subscribe to 30 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.1.1 Elective Courses Research

Subscribe to no more than 30 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Professional Internship I		2	year	nl	Luc Lens	5

Professional Internship II		2	year	nl	Luc Lens	10

International Project			year	en	Marleen De Troch	5

Biological Excursions in the Human Brain					Robrecht Raedt	5

Evolution of Primates and Paleo-anthropology			sem 2	en	Dominique Adriaens	3

Immunology and Pathology			sem 2	en	Martin Guilliams	5

Insect Physiology			sem 1	nl	Dirk de Graaf	5

International Course			year	en	Ann Vanreusel	5

Limnology			sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	5

Marine Ecology			sem 1	en	Ann Vanreusel	6

Microbial Ecology			sem 1	en	Anne Willems	5

Molecular Plant Physiology					Thomas Depaepe	5

Introduction to Multivariate Data Analysis					Koen Sabbe	3

Mycology: Basidiomycota			sem 1	nl	Annemieke Verbeken	5

Ornithology			sem 2	en	Luc Lens	5

Paleobiology of Micro-organisms			sem 1	en	Stephen Louwye	5

Phylogenetics and Evolution of Flowering Plants			sem 2	nl	Lars Chatrou	5

Teledetection: Image Registration and Processing			sem 2	nl	Rudi Goossens	5

Geographic Information Systems (partim)			sem 1	nl	Nico Van de Weghe	3

Biodiversity of Aquatic Food Webs: from Algae to Marine Mammals			sem 1	en	Marleen De Troch	3

Laboratory Animal Science			year	en	Katleen Hermans	9

Advanced Cell Biology					Geert van Loo	5

Functional Diversity of Prokaryotes					Anne Willems	4

Practical Plant Anatomy						5

Vegetation Science			sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	3

Nature Conservation			sem 1	nl	Lander Baeten	4

History and Philosophy of Sciences					Johan Braeckman	3

History and Philosophy of Biology			sem 1	en	Johan Braeckman	3

Practical Skills in Academic Biological Education			year	nl	Dominique Adriaens	3

Introduction to Biomimicry			sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Writing Academic Papers			sem 1	en	Danny Haelewaters	4

Global Minds	UKV		sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.1.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

2.2 Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability

30

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Basic Entrepreneurship	UKV	1	sem 1	nl	Yannick Dillen	3

Dare to Venture		1	sem 2	en	Johan Verrue	4

Bio-inspired Project		1	year	en	Matthew Shawkey	9

Subscribe to 14 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 2 modules from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

2.2.1 Elective Courses

Subscribe to no less than 7 and no more than 14 credit units from the following list.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Introduction to Biomimicry		sem 1	en	Liliana D'Alba Altamirano	3

Environmental Economics and Policy		sem 2	nl	Brent Bleys	6

Sustainability Thinking	UKV	year	nl	Thomas Block	5

Politics of Sustainability		sem 2	nl	Erik Paredis	6

Corporate Social Responsibility		sem 2	nl	Saskia Crucke	3

Environmental Risk Assessment		sem 1	en	Karel De Schamphelaere	5

Microbial Ecology and Environmental Sanitation		sem 1	en	Tom Defoirdt	4

Co-Creation	UKV	year	nl,en	Jan Detand	6

Clean Technology: Assessment Methods		sem 1	en	Sophie Huysveld	3

Forest and Nature Policy		sem 1	nl	Myriam Dumortier	5

Financial and Cost Price Reporting in Companies		sem 1	nl	Sophie Maussen	6

Marketing Management		sem 1	nl	Maggie Geuens	6

Business Management		sem 2	nl	Ludo Poelaert	3

Intellectual Property and Valorization		sem 2	en	Benedikt Sas	3

Economics and Management of Natural Resources		sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Product Innovation in the Food Industry		year	nl		7

Functional Foods		sem 2	en	John Van Camp	5

Human Nutrition		sem 1	en	John Van Camp	5

Environmental Inventory Techniques		sem 1	en	Kim Calders	3

Materials Technology		sem 2	nl	Kim Verbeken	4

Rational Use of Materials		sem 1	en	Tom Depover	5

Food Fermentations		sem 2	en	Katleen Raes	4

Sustainable Cities		year	nl	Michiel Dehaene	5

Global Minds	UKV	sem 2	en	Eric Vanhaute	5

2.2.2 Elective Courses of an University of the Flemish Community

3 Majors 42

Subscribe to 42 credit units from 1 major from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

One combination between minors and majors is possible:

Minor Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability - Major General Biology
Minor Research - Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Minor Research - Major Global Change Ecology
Minor Research - Major Functional Biology

3.1 Major General Biology

42

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Taxonomy and Systematics	1	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Phylogenetics	1	sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Integrated Biodiversity Research Project	1	sem 2	en	Olivier De Clerck	5

Biodiversity Patterns in Space and Time	2	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Paleobiology	1	sem 1	en	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Biodiversity Conservation	1	sem 2	en	Ana Rita Giraldes Simoes	4

Microevolution and Speciation	1	sem 1	en	Frederik Hendrickx	6

Evolutionary Morphology	2	sem 1	en	Lars Chatrou	5

Evolutionary Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

Climate Change	1	sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	4

Spatial Ecology	1	sem 1	en	Dries Bonte	5

Ecosystem Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Elie Verleyen	5

Ecosystem Functioning	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	5

Behavioural Ecology	1	sem 2	en	Diederik Strubbe	4

Ecological Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Dries Bonte	7

Conservation Genetics	2	sem 2	en	Philippe Helsen	5

Ecosystem Management and Services	2	year	en	Maurice Hoffmann	7

Plant Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Tom Beeckman	5

Biology of Ageing	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Physiological Regulation in Plants	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	5

Physiological Regulation in Animals	1	sem 2	en	Johan Aerts	5

Functional Biotic Interactions	1	sem 2	en	Dirk de Graaf	6

Functional Abiotic Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	6

Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Bioethics	1	sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

3.2 Major Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology

42

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Taxonomy and Systematics	1	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Phylogenetics	1	sem 1	en	Olivier De Clerck	4

Integrated Biodiversity Research Project	1	sem 2	en	Olivier De Clerck	5

Biodiversity Patterns in Space and Time	2	sem 1	en	Koen Sabbe	4

Paleobiology	1	sem 1	en	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Biodiversity Conservation	1	sem 2	en	Ana Rita Giraldes Simoes	4

Microevolution and Speciation	1	sem 1	en	Frederik Hendrickx	6

Evolutionary Morphology	2	sem 1	en	Lars Chatrou	5

Evolutionary Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

3.3 Major Global Change Ecology

42

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Climate Change	1	sem 2	en	Dirk Verschuren	4

Spatial Ecology	1	sem 1	en	Dries Bonte	5

Ecosystem Dynamics	1	sem 1	en	Elie Verleyen	5

Ecosystem Functioning	1	sem 1	en	Tom Moens	5

Behavioural Ecology	1	sem 2	en	Diederik Strubbe	4

Ecological Modelling	1	sem 2	en	Dries Bonte	7

Conservation Genetics	2	sem 2	en	Philippe Helsen	5

Ecosystem Management and Services	2	year	en	Maurice Hoffmann	7

3.4 Major Functional Biology

42

Subscribe to 42 credit units from the following list, distributed over the first standard learning path as follows:

no less than 30 and no more than 42 credit units in year 1,
no more than 12 credit units in year 2.

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Plant Developmental Biology	1	sem 2	en	Tom Beeckman	5

Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Animals	1	sem 2	en	Paul Witten	5

Biology of Ageing	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	4

Physiological Regulation in Plants	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	5

Physiological Regulation in Animals	1	sem 2	en	Johan Aerts	5

Functional Biotic Interactions	1	sem 2	en	Dirk de Graaf	6

Functional Abiotic Interactions	1	sem 1	en	Dominique Van Der Straeten	6

Model Organisms	1	sem 2	en	Bart Braeckman	3

Bioethics	1	sem 1	en	Farah Focquaert	3

4 Master's Dissertation 30

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	en	N. N.	30

Learning outcomes

Competence field 1: Competence in one or more scientific disciplines

Describes and explains in an integrated and in-depth manner biological patterns and processes within an evolutionary framework.
Integrates the different levels of organisation in biology at which biological patterns and processes are to be situated (from gene to ecosystem).
Applies knowledge and understanding of the most recent developments within a more specialised subdomain within biology (biodiversity, evolutionary biology, fundamental and applied ecology and/or functional biology).
Applies in a creative, interdisciplinary and problem oriented manner the models, theories and methods in biology (as well as those of associated sciences), and further develops them towards specific and specialised biological questions.

Competence field 2: Scientific competence

Estimates the complexity of a biological problem (both from a fundamental and applied nature) in a self-sustained manner.
Relies on the scientific method and builds upon a prior critical assessment of available information to formulate relevant research questions and formulate hypotheses.
Translates biological questions into hypotheses towards a problem oriented and structured research strategy.
Designs in a self-sustained manner a problem oriented strategy, and makes use of the appropriate scientific techniques to perform experiments and make observations within both a field and laboratory context.
Accurately performs focused observations and measurements of complex biological structures, patterns and processes.
Relies on a broad knowledge of computational and statistical techniques to manage and analyse complex biological datasets.
Autonomously follows-up and critically evaluates new conceptual and methodological developments in the international literature.

Competence field 3: Intellectual competence

Frames specialized biological knowledge with a broader scientific context.
Acts through prioritisation, depending on the complexity of the biological question related to research, education and/or a broader scientific and socio-economic context.
Analyses and synthesizes recent developments as part of dealing with a scientific problem within one or more subdisciplines in biology, and addresses this in a critical manner.
Shows an attitude of eagerness to learn (lifelong learning), where biological information is being critically analysed and verified, matching the reliability of the source of information.

Competence field 4: Competence in collaboration and communication

Starting from complex scientific information, extracts the relevant information for proper communication towards a particular target audience.
Communicates own research, as well as research published in international literature towards both a specialized and broader audience.
Uses appropriate formats of communication, depending on the nature, aim and target audience, when communicating about biological themes and related topics (with the goal to inspire, inform, obtain funding, PR, job soliciting, policy advice).
Synthesises scientific information in written and oral fashion in Dutch and English, and this both individually and as a team.
Organises efficiently and target oriented team work to come to a shared conclusion, through task division and mutual consulting, and reports about it.

Competence field 5: Competence in social responsibility

Develops and communicates a scientifically supported vision with respect to the consequences of human activities on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Acts in a scientific-ethical manner when addressing biological research and teaching, and other affiliated professional activities.
Puts the use and importance of biological research within a broader societal and/or economical context.

Competence field 6: Professional competences

Has the attitude to perform supportive scientific activities in a professional context, and/or applies this in a self-sustained, correct, critical and creative sense.
Apprehends knowledge, insights, practical skills and attitudes when explaining biological patterns and processes.
Functions in a self-sustained manner or as part of a team to solve biological questions in a focused way, and to translate this to useful information within a fundamental and applied context.
Focus Bio-inspired Innovation and Sustainability: Relies on basic concepts and insights in innovation, entrepreneurship and management to commercially valorize biological information and/or analytical tools.
Can apply the gained knowledge, skills and attitudes in biological sciences within a broader range of jobs (situated in research, education, services, policy advice and entrepreneurship).