Master of Science in Biochemistry and Biotechnology
The Master in Biochemistry and Biotechnology not only offers scientists a thorough knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and physiology but also the skills to use biochemical and biotechnological techniques on plants, animals or humans in a creative and inventive manner.
What
The Master in Biochemistry and Biotechnology not only offers scientists a thorough knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and physiology but also the skills to use biochemical and biotechnological techniques on plants, animals or humans in a creative and inventive manner. With our programme, we also initiate students in the interesting world of bioinformatics.
In addition, the curriculum also has a social dimension: to apply research and knowledge for the benefit of humanity and society. This social involvement is reflected in research on the origin and treatment of all kinds of illnesses (such as cancer, chronic inflammation and metabolic diseases), research on the improvement of plants (sustainable food production, production of food with improved nutritional quality, production of biofuels) and research on the use of micro-organisms in certain chemical processes (detoxification of contaminants).
Our curriculum is founded on a close interaction between education and research, which is in turn based on the solid and world-famous research tradition of the three departments involved.
For whom
The admission requirements vary. Depending on your prior education, you are either able to enrol directly, or there are additional requirements.
Structure
Our Master’s curriculum contains Dutch-taught as well as English-taught course units, but we offer a fully English-taught curriculum as well. The two-year Master’s programme (120 credits) consists of four modules of thirty credits each:
- common general course units (general, broadening)
- set of major course units (specialising)
- set of minor course units (broadening)
- Master’s dissertation (practical training).
The Master’s programme offers five specialising majors:
- the Bio-informatics and Systems Biology major is based on the recent need for bio-computing and computational biology for the processing of the vast amount of data generated by the biological information flow at different levels (genome, transcriptome, proteome, interactome, signalosome);
- the Biochemistry and Structural Biology major focuses on the determination of protein structures and the study of how molecular ‘machines’ function;
- the Biomedical Biotechnology major studies the relation between basic cell biological processes and pathological processes (inflammation, cancer, metabolic illnesses) and also pays attention to biomedical applications such as the development of new vaccines and new therapies;
- the Microbial Biotechnology major studies microbial diversity and functionality, and applies the fundamental knowledge of the molecular genetics of micro-organisms such as bacteria, yeast, moulds and viruses in a broad variety of biotechnological applications;
- the Plant Biotechnology major aims at the development of biotechnological applications of plants in agriculture (e.g. disease resistance or drought tolerance), production of biofuels and the biosynthesis of products with medical applications.
The major is supported by a project course unit (6 credits) in the first-year curriculum and a Master’s dissertation (30 credits) in the second-year curriculum.
The Master's programme offers three broadening minors:
- the Research minor offers the students an extra speciality, to be chosen from the remaining majors, as well as an additional project course unit (this minor is particularly interesting for English-speaking students);
- the Economics and Business Administration minor offers an introduction to different aspects of business life;
- the Interdisciplinary Combination minor allows for the combination of a major with a coherent set of course units from a different discipline (informatics, chemistry, engineering sciences,...).
The second-year curriculum contains a research project (i.e. the Master's dissertation) of thirty credits. Completing the Master's dissertation is a requirement for any student who wants to obtain their Master’s degree. The Master’s dissertation is an original piece of research. Its aim is to develop and strengthen the students’ research skills. Students choose a topic and receive guidance from a supervisor. The Master’s dissertation consists of a literature review, practical research, and an original analysis of the chosen topic.
In addition to the (domain) Master’s programme described above, you can also choose a Master’s Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: Educatieve Master). The Educatieve Master, however, is a Dutch-taught programme. Find out more at www.ugent.be/educatievemaster (in Dutch).
Labour Market
A high number (between 40-60% in the past five years) of our current graduates starts doctoral studies, with most of them graduating successfully. Ghent University has a strong research tradition in the domain of biochemistry and biotechnology, which leads to highly qualified PhDs in an internationally competitive research environment. Later, these PhDs find their way to national and international universities, research institutions and a growing number of young biotechnological companies.
In view of the increasing use of biochemical and biotechnological methods and production strategies increases in the health care and the environmental sectors, as well as in the food, the agricultural and the chemical industries, there is and will continue to be a steady demand for biochemists and biotechnologists with a solid academic and practical education.
Given our study programme’s broad education in the basic sciences, its ombination of chemistry and biology, and its practical and research-oriented aspects, our graduates enter the labour market well-prepared. They find their way into various fields of employment: scientific research at universities, research centres, R&D in companies, the pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics companies, laboratories for medical analysis, the food industry, fermentation industry, agricultural industry, petrochemical industry, chemical industry, biotechnological companies, companies in environmental technology, public services for water treatment, the environmental sector etc.
Finally, Biochemistry and Biotechnology graduates often end up in secondary education (at Master’s level) or higher education (at PhD level).
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
- Focus on research: our study programme places great emphasis on research competencies. Our graduates are highly capable of setting up experiments independently, which lead new insights into the functioning of biomolecules, the role they play in various life forms (i.e. micro-organisms, plants, animals and humans) and how they relate to phenomena such as development, growth and disease. Our students learn to apply these insights to the solution of real problems (e.g. the fight against cancer, sustainable agriculture in a changing climate and food safety, …).
- Multiperspectivism: our students receive a broad education within the life sciences in which different domains of biomedical and bacterial biotechnology are covered (e.g. biomedical, microbial, plant, technology development). This is what distinguishes our study programme from Biomedical Sciences. By means of cross-curricular practicals, students become familiar with the multidisciplinary character of research in the life sciences (e.g. the application of physical principles in the microscopic analysis of cells and tissue).
- Knowledge creation: our study programme places great store by a strong and broad theoretical knowledge of the basic sciences (i.e. physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry) during the first year and a half. This is followed by a varied theoretical and application-oriented training in molecular life sciences (i.e. biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, physiology, immunology). The latter focus distinguishes the study programme from the Biology Programme, which focuses more on, among other things, ecology and biodiversity.
- Integration of theory and practice: our curriculum consists of tutorials and practicals in which theoretical knowledge is practiced and applied. In addition, we sharpen our students’ critical thought and problem-solving skills, and keep them informed of the latest technological developments in the field, such as new methods for DNA sequencing and genome editing. In the Master’s curriculum, our students achieve this by actively participating in current research within leading (international) research laboratories on such topics as e.g. inflammation, the development of new protein-based medicines, the development of drought- and heat-resistant crops or the application of enzymes in sustainable production methods.
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Talent development: the Master’s curriculum contains different minors for students to choose from (i.e. Research, Interdisciplinary Combination or Economics and Business Administration), as well as a number of major (i.e. Biomedical Biotechnology, Plant Biotechnology, Microbial Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology). Students make these curricular choices based on their own interests. They further hone their skills as independent researchers-to be by means of Master’s projects and experiments. In addition, students can opt for the Master’s Programme of Teaching.
Strengths
- Research competencies: our study programme is closely intertwined with the renowned Ghent Biotech sector, in which various companies have clustered around the Tech Lane Ghent Science Park/Campus Ardoyen. Students come into contact with, and participate in top research in a highly advanced research infrastructure (e.g. high-resolution microscopy and mass spectrometry). Almost all of our lecturers are active researchers.
- Feedback: in our programme, we pay a lot of attention to (interim) feedback. Group feedback is organized after the first term of the first year. After practicals and projects, students are reminded of the most important points of attention and, as such, prepared for the final assessments.
- International dimension: our Master’s programme is English-taught and our student population is internationally diverse. Students also come into contact with international researchers. In addition, we encourage our students to participate in Erasmus programmes.
- Approachability: as a medium-sized study programme, we focus on low-threshold and intensive personal contacts between lecturers and students, and on student guidance. This manifests itself, for example, during integrated practicals, during which students come into close contact with their supervisors. This aspect is very appreciated by our students.
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Connection to the professional field: there is great appreciation for the in-depth and broad theoretical and application-oriented knowledge of our graduates, both in the (international) research community and in the Flemish Biotech sector. Most students obtain their degree within the foreseen study time. Graduates also easily find a job in a varied job field, especially in research and development in both research institutions (e.g. Flemish Institute for Biotechnology) and in companies, especially in the pharmaceutical and plant biotechnology sector, but also in the food or chemical industry.
Weaknesses
- Study load: the (Bachelor’s) curriculum is quite intense and activating, containing lecture blocks in the mornings and practicals in the afternoons.
- Entrepreneurial orientation and (bio)ethics: in a curriculum with a mainly scientific and research-oriented focus more room could be made for the development of entrepreneurial competencies.
- Civic competencies: in addition to the strong focus on research competencies and the emphasis on acquiring practical skills in the life sciences, civic competencies can be made even more visible in the study programme (e.g. communicating to society).
This study programme is accredited by 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 (peer-learning visit) in 2018. A screening of the Education Monitor by Ghent University’s Education Quality Board is planned in the years 2021-2024.
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.