Biology

Specializations

• Ecology
• Green Life Sciences 
• Brain and Behaviour
  
• Societal specialization
• Education specialization
• Communication specialization

Any unanswered questions about a specialization? Please contact one of our specialization coordinators.

Ecology

The Ecology specialization is intended for students who also want to specialize in other biological topics apart from Ecology. Students with a Bachelor’s degree oriented towards Biology and Earth Sciences are invited to apply to this programme, which aims at approaching Ecology either from a molecular perspective or from a field scale approach and preferably both. The programme is taught in English. Students who want to focus on Ecology are encouraged to take part in the Master’s Ecology programme of VU University Amsterdam.

Selection of courses 

Study guide with course descriptions
Study guide for Ecology

Green Life Sciences

This specialization provides a broad curriculum through the combined efforts of Plant Science groups from both the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) of the University of Amsterdam (UVA) and the Institute of Molecular Cell Biology at VU university Amsterdam (VU).

Training in theoretical and practical aspects of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and physiology is combined with ecology, systematics and population biology to give the student an integrative view of how plants function. Students should be able to understand biochemical processes as well as evolutionary and ecological questions and their inter-relationship.

Course programme for Green Life Sciences

Brain and Behaviour

This specialization focuses on training knowledge, insight and understanding of the multiple facets that play a role in various kinds of behavioural functions - and how these are influenced by genes, environmental factors and developmental factors. Behavioural models are presented and discussed to demonstrate the significance of the brain and behaviour in the context of brain research and its clinical implications. Special attention is given to research issues in mice and in humans.

Study programme  

Study guide with course descriptions
Study guide for Brain and behaviour

Societal specialization

The Societal or M-specialization is a specialization in the field of policy, management and entrepreneurship on biological and medical issues. The societal programme requires 1 year of specialized study. This specialization must be combined with a specialization in biological research and may not be combined with the communication specialization or the education specialization. 

Programme
The programme is equal to the first year of the Masters programme in Management, Policy- Analysis and Entrepreneurship in the Life and Health Sciences (MPA). For a detailed description of the programme see the description of the Master programme MPA). The societal specialization programme consists of 60 ECTS (12 ECTS compulsory courses; 18 ECTS optional courses and 30 ECTS internship). The course language is English, unless all students participating in the course speak Dutch, in which case the course language will be Dutch. 

Study programme

Education specialization

This specialization specifically trains students to be professional teachers of biology in the Dutch VWO system(higher secondary school). This specialization must be combined with a specialization in biomedical research and may not be combined with the societal specialization or the communication specialization. 

Structure of the programme
The educational programme is taught in Dutch and consists of 60 ECTS of compulsory modules.

Students can begin this programme at two different times during the year: in September and February. More information is available on the website:
Onderwijscentrum

Communication specialization

This specialization is intended for students with a BSc degree in any of the beta-studies who want to specialise in communication. The programme focuses on science communication theory and research as well as on science communication in practice. This includes science journalism as well as museology, the use of internet  for science communication and health communication. The programme for the communication specialization is 1 year in duration. This specialization must be combined with a specialization in biological research and can not be combined with the societal specialization or the education specialization.

Study programme

Study guide with course descriptions
Study guide for Communication specialization