Molecular Microbiology (M. Sc.)

The Master's programme "Molecular Microbiology" includes fields of microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, genetic engineering, environmental and drug research. The programme is both research-oriented (basic research in the fields of microbial genetics and biochemistry, microbial cell biology, virology, infection biology, environmental microbiology) and application-oriented (in the fields of biotechnology, microbiological chemistry, active substances). Thus, the M.Sc. Molecular Microbiology programme is oriented towards today's requirements in the fields of molecular basic research, industrial research & development and microbiological analytics.

Compulsory part

In your first semester you will go through a levelling with the four compulsory modules "Molecular Microbiology", "Modern Molecular Methods of Cell Biology", "Microbial Chemistry" and "Environmental Microbiology", which will raise your knowledge and practical skills to a common level. We recommend that you successfully complete these four compulsory modules including all module offers such as lectures, seminars, (experimental) exercises and examinations, as several modules of the elective area require these.

Elective part

From the second semester onwards, you can focus on your area of interest. With research-oriented teaching, you will be able to penetrate the complex aspects of molecular microbiology, experience the professional networking of promising fields of research and participate in current research projects.

Key skills

The Key Competences area combines the two modules Key Qualifications for Master Students in Biosciences (SK-MA1) and Additional Professional Qualifications (SK-MA2). You can put together your preferred modules from a large number of offers, the Special Language Centre, the Centre for Key Competences, the Graduate School of Natural Sciences (GRANAT) and Leibniz Universität IT Service (LUIS), etc. In total, you earn 12 credit points, 50% of which must be earned from the submodules SK-MA1 and 2.

Qualification goals

In the first semester, the programme provides a solid foundation with four compulsory modules in the fields of molecular biology and cell biology of microorganisms (2 modules), environmental microbiology, and microbiological chemistry. By imparting further special knowledge in elective modules in the first three semesters, especially in the second semester, the students possess knowledge of the most modern techniques of molecular microbiology on the one hand and further special aspects of the different orientations of molecular microbiology on the other hand. Elective modules not based on compulsory modules are already offered in the first semester. Specialization modules of the different orientations usually take place in the second and third semesters. Additional modules that impart additional professional qualifications or so-called "soft skills" are preferred in the third and fourth semesters. The focus of the third semester is on a research internship in which students gain an insight into project-related research and carry out their first own research work.