Bachelor of Science in Biology
Biology studies ‘life’ in all its diversity and on all organization levels. Studying the complexity of living systems requires a solid knowledge of different sub-disciplines of biology. The programme contains field work as well as a fair amount lab work, depending on your choice of specialization.
What
Biology studies ‘life’ in all its diversity and on all organization levels. Studying the complexity of living systems - whether they be a cell, an embryo or an entire ecosystem - requires a solid knowledge of different sub-disciplines of biology, ranging from physiology, cell and developmental biology, taxonomy, population biology, to ecosystem, ecology and nature conservation. Figuratively speaking – and sometimes even literally - our study programme will take you to deserts, polar regions, forests, seas and many other familiar and not-so-familiar places. After all, our entire planet - every nook and cranny of it - harbours a rich diversity of life forms and ecosystems. Biology, however, also reveals itself in laboratories, under microscopes and by means of complicated measuring equipment. Being one of the fundamental sciences, biology is at once profound and holistic. It studies fundamental concepts, processes and underlying mechanisms. Biologists often work closely together with other scientific and applied disciplines, such as biochemistry and biotechnology, chemistry, geography or geology.
For whom
Biologists are fascinated by the origins of life and the evolution that resulted in the diversity, complexity and functioning of all living systems. You have a broad interest in the exact sciences and fundamental research, you can observe well, and you have the necessary skills to learn to conduct laboratory experiments and/or do fieldwork. Since all first-year course units start with the basic principles and gradually build up from there, the programme is open to students with a wide range of prior education. A strong interest in biology and science in general is your most important asset.
Structure
Bachelor
Fundamental knowledge of living matter presupposes, among other things, insight into biochemical, physiological and molecular properties. To study these, scientists avail themselves of laws and techniques from other disciplines such as chemistry, physics and mathematics. The first year, therefore, focuses strongly on those basic subjects a lot of attention is paid to those fundamental basic subjects. The purpose being, to bring all students to the same level with sufficiently broad insights into biological diversity, building plans and processes. From the second year onwards, the curriculum almost exclusively consists of biologically oriented course units. By way of Bachelor’s dissertation, the third year contains a five-week independent project. It is an assignment that will allow you to experience first-hand what it means to conduct academic research. The third year also offers the possibility to study abroad for the duration of one term.
Freedom of choice is limited: the third year offers a choice between the Biology Track or the Education Track, the latter giving direct access to the Master Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: Educatieve Master). The Bachelor’s programme offers a taste of various disciplines of biology, which are later elaborated as Main Subjects in the Master’s programme. Naturally, the Biology programme does not consist of a theoretical component alone; the practical component is just as important! As a freshman, you already spend half the time in labs and practicals. Practicals and tutorials are conducted in small groups and under supervision. You are made familiar with the principles of scientific experimenting and observation, and you learn to master the theory by putting it into practice. The programme also contains a number of field trips, as well as day-long or week-long excursions to nature reserves in Flanders and Northern France.
Master
The Master in Biology is (largely) English-taught. In so doing, we prepare you for the international aspect of the professional field, you will learn/learn to use the proper English jargon. The Master’s programme offers two options for further specialization by means of a minor and a major. The broadening focus of the minor prepares you for either a career in research or in business. You can choose between a Research Minor and a Bio-Inspired Innovation and Sustainability Minor. Your choice of minor determines your choice of major in the first year of the Master’s programme. Via the major you gain an in-depth and integrated insight into one of three major research areas that are supported by the research expertise present at Ghent University. Your choice determine in which one of these areas you will specialize. The Research Minor allows for a choice between the following majors: Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Global Change Ecology and Functional Biology.
In addition to the (domain) Master’s programme described above, you can also choose a Master’s Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: Educatieve Master). For more information, go to de educatieve master (120 sp).
Labour Market
In days gone by, biologists were usually found either in the research or the education sector. Nowadays, biologists are present in almost every sector of the labour market. The business world values biologists’ broad scientific knowledge of biologists, as well as their research skills. Then there is the ever-growing environmental sector. In the end, though, the research sector still remains the most important sector for our graduates: about half of them find a job there. The government and the private sector each employ 20 % of our graduates, whereas the remaining 10% find an education-related job.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- Multiperspectivism: our students start their training with a broad scientific basis, which paves the way for various specialized subdisciplines in biology later on the curriculum. In so doing, our students acquire a multidisciplinary outlook on all things biological. In addition, we broadly contextualize the importance and applicability of biology in society (e.g. nature conservation, sustainable development, climate change, bioethics), encouraging our students to becoming critical and socially conscious thinkers. By means of numerous group activities we create a stimulating environment for students to acquire a problem-solving attitude with a focus on interaction and multidisciplinarity.
- Talent development: our broad Bachelor’s curriculum equips our students with the necessary knowledge and skills for them to discover their own interests and talents. The Master’s curriculum, then, offers majors, minors and elective course units and the Master’s dissertation. It offers students the freedom to compose a curriculum that suits their own interests. Curricular choices are also determined by our students’ professional interests: research, education or entrepreneurship. By means of a specific choice of teaching methods we offer our students the tools to stimulate awareness of their own talents, also within a professional context (e.g. organizing a symposium, writing application letters, opting for a professional work placement, …).
- Knowledge creation: in our curriculum, we strive for a balance between knowledge development and practical skills acquisition. We apply this balance in as integrated (and interdisciplinary) a manner as possible. Critical, analytical and problem-solving thinking is key in coming to well-founded yet easy-to-understand solutions and syntheses. The Biology curriculum relies on the extensive research expertise from the lecturers involved, whose teaching practice is based on their own specialization and excellence.
- Programme: in our English-taught Master’s curriculum students choose one of three profiles/majors: Research Biology, the Master of Science in Teaching in Biology, or General Biology (entrepreneurship). Each major is founded on the core expertise of researchers at the Biology department: Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Functional Biology and Global Change Ecology. Depending on the chosen profile, the curriculum offers further options and room for studying abroad.
- Integration of theory and practice: the Master’s curriculum contains a balanced combination of lectures and an extensive set of practical teaching methods (in the lab, the computer lab, in the field, the classroom, etc.). Individual or group assignments stimulate a creative and critical approach to scientific problems, and how to translate them to specific target groups (other students, policy makers, society, etc.). In so doing, our curriculum emphasizes and stimulates the students’ growth in academic integrity, communication skills, technical and analytical skills.
Strengths
- Educational vision and objective: our revised curriculum is based on a well-considered and up-to-date education vision (i.e. “delivering “creative and reflective practitioners”, who translate their problem-solving thinking within a realistic (professional) context into adequate action, through a process of constant assessment and adjustment of their learning and thinking process”), which was regarded as ‘excellent’ by the visitation committee. Among other things, this vision translates into a curricular structure and curricular options that steer students towards a more conscious professional profile. At Master’s level, the education vision also reflects the Biology Department’s policy vision, which guarantees education provided by experts from the focus disciplines involved.
- Broad scientific basis: the Bachelor’s curriculum starts with a broad scientific foundation, based on three learning pathways (i.e. functional biology, biodiversity and evolution, and ecology). In the Master’s curriculum these learning pathways make sure that students can make targeted choices tailored to their individual interests and talents, while at the same time stimulating a broad interdisciplinarity.
- Integration of theory and practice: Theory in lectures is extensively linked to a wide range of different active teaching methods (either individually or in group), during which integration (of interdisciplinary information and techniques) and critical self-reflection are key.
- Analytical Skills: Research competencies in biology require extensive analytical competencies in statistics. Throughout the curriculum, students are given the opportunity to develop the necessary statistical and analytical skills, and to apply them in research (also in a professional context).
- Communication and accessibility: We place great store by an efficient communication structure, both among the teaching staff (in the context of quality assurance) and towards students (course units and active teaching methods aimed at acquiring communicative competencies for reaching a wide range of target audiences). Our low-threshold approach stimulates an active flow of information in both directions.
Challenges
- Integration of practical teaching methods: the current curricular structure implies that practical teaching methods are linked to individual course units, while interdisciplinarity and integration would benefit from a more coordinated approach. We will carry out a feasibility study to detach practical teaching methods from individual course units, and to integrate these into an overarching integrative practicum.
- Feedback: students rightly wish for more interim feedback on assignments completed throughout the year. We encourage our lecturers to communicate their expectations and achievements more clearly and more frequently.
- External view: graduated biologists end up in a very broad field, ranging from researcher in biodiversity and nature management, to environmental consultant or medical representative. However, the needs of the professional field are evolving very quickly under the influence of new scientific and social developments, such as the increasing use of genome analysis in all branches of biological research, or the urgent need for adequate assessment techniques to map the impact of climate change on ecosystems. Keeping abreast of these changing needs and developments, and adjusting the curriculum accordingly, can only be achieved through close consultation with the broad and dynamic professional field. Since 2016 we are advised by an advisory group counting representatives from 10 major sectors within the (international) professional field. However, it is a challenge to develop a modus operandi that suits our needs as well as theirs.
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.
This information was last updated on 01/02/2023.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.