Composition of the Master's programme
The Master's degree programme in molecular biology consists of courses, projects and a Master's thesis corresponding to two full-time equivalents with a scope of 120 ECTS. The composition of the degree programme takes place under the supervision of the Student counsellor and/or the Head of Education.
The thesis is placed at the end of the programme and is normally experimental, with a scope of 60 ECTS credits (see also course catalogue). Alternatively, a theoretical Master's thesis of 30 ECTS credits can be made (see also course catalogue), which at the same time contributes to increase the number of courses with 30 ECTS.
You must combine courses for 60 ECTS credits during the first year of the Master's degree programme, which will prepare you in the best possible way for your Master's thesis project during the second year. The first academic year comprises the compulsory project course, Molecular Biology Project, 10 ECTS (see course catalogue) and elective courses corresponding to 50 ECTS credits. The molecular biology project is often placed in the spring immediately before the thesis, but can also be placed in the autumn. It is also possible to take a semester at a foreign university. The stay abroad can be placed during the candidate's first or second semester. It is also possible to do a small project in a company (Business Project, see more here).
The study programme for the Master's degree education must constitute a unified whole and must together contain advanced study elements within molecular biology of at least 90 ECTS credits, including the thesis and the compulsory Molecular Biology project. Two of the following five specialisations should be included in the programme:
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Protein Science
- Molecular Nutrition
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
The specialisation courses are described in detail in the Guide to the composition of the Master's programme, which is available on a sub-page (see on the left panel on this page). As an alternative to the specialisations, supplementary courses constituting a total of 30 ECTS can be selected from another study programme (often chemistry, biology or nanoscience; see more about this in the previous mentioned guide). If you choose to take a semester at a foreign university, the requirement for specialisation/supplementary subject lapses.
The composition of the Master's programme takes into account the student's interests and desired qualification profile, and it is ensured that the academic progression and integrity of the study fulfils the requirements for a Master’s degree programme. Bachelor courses can be included in the program after approval and to a limited extent.
In consultation with your Head of Education, you can also choose courses from other faculties (typically Tech and Health). This is also called credit module, and it needs approval of the Board of Studies to follow these (see more here). Prior approval must be submitted via mitstudium.au.dk. Please also pay attention whether you have the necessary background to follow courses from other departments or faculties. If you are in doubt, it is always a good idea to contact the course person in charge of the course. .
The study programme is submitted for approval by the programme coordinator via the contract generator. You can only register for courses (course registration for spring courses during the period 1-5 November; course registration for autumn courses during the period 1-5 May), once the study programme has been approved. Thus, it is important to plan and act well in advance.
A minimum of 80 ECTS credits for courses and projects in the Master's programme must be graded and a minimum of 40 ECTS must be subjected to external co-examination. The thesis is always graded and with external co-examination. Thus, if you perform an experimental Master's thesis (60 ECTS), the requirement for external co-examination is met, whereas you still need to find courses/project work with grading for the final 20 ECTS. For a theoretical Master's thesis (30 ECTS), you must select an additional 10 ECTS courses with external co-examination and 30 ECTS with grading to fulfill the above requirement. Of course, this is only the minimum. As there is freedom of choice and not all courses are graded and/or with external co-examination, you should be aware of this rule.
When you are composing your Master’s degree programme, it is a good idea to talk to your future supervisor about the choice of specialisation courses/supplementary subjects and other elective courses. More information about Master's thesis supervisors and their projects. It is also possible to do your Master's thesis project with an external supervisor outside Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. This requires that you also have an internal supervisor at Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, who will help to ensure that your project is sufficiently grounded in molecular biology, and that the formal rules regarding exams etc. are complied with
In due time before the course registraton (1-5 May/1-5 November) you must:
- find out which areas of specialisation you are most interested in, and possibly, the preferred supervisor for your Molecular Biology project and Master's thesis. It is often the same supervisor, but it is not a requirement.
- compose your study programme so that it supports your academic interests and the research area in which you will be doing projects. Remember to check whether the programme complies with the rules for the Master's programme. The person responsible for the degree programme can advise you on the composition of your Master's programme.
- complete and submit your Master's degree contract electronically at https://kontrakt.scitech.au.dk/.