Physics of Life Abschluss: Master
Breakthroughs in life science research often occur at the interface between biology and physics, chemistry, mathematics, programming, as well as engineering. In the past, this has led to revolutionary developments of new methodologies, such as super-resolution microscopy, magnetic resonance techniques, and DNA sequencing techniques. Furthermore, scientists with training in physical and mathematical sciences, as well as engineering, have made broadly impactful contributions to the understanding of living systems by introducing quantitative concepts and theoretical models. This has not only led to innumerable discoveries at the atomic and molecular scale but also at the cellular, multicellular, and ecosystems scale, and for the origin of life itself. As recent developments of molecular techniques have led to the rapid acquisition of huge amounts of quantitative data for biological systems, the impact of scientists with training in physics, mathematics, computer science, and engineering is expected to grow. To accelerate future discoveries in life sciences, the MSc Physics of Life therefore trains students with a BSc education in physical sciences, mathematics, computer science, and engineering in the concepts and techniques of frontier research in life sciences.
Focal areas of teaching and research
The MSc Physics of Life offers courses and research training in both experimental and theoretical approaches. The major focus of the MSc Physics of Life program are research projects: Two smaller research projects and a longer research project for the Master thesis. These projects are conducted in research groups at the Biozentrum, or in research groups at other departments within the Faculty of Science at the University of Basel, the Department of Biomedicine, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, or the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. This practical research is supplemented by attending courses in Physics of Life, and courses in your field of choice, which may include courses from physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, developmental biology, biophysics, structural biology, microbiology, infection biology, immunology, neurobiology, pharmacology and computational biology – a wide variety of options for theoretical and experimental topics are available.
Through the combination of coursework and research projects within the MSc Physics of Life program, you will be able to identify important biological research questions and deploy appropriate physical, mathematical, or biological methods to address these questions. You will also have the practical experience to complete a research project and the skills to communicate your results.
Course structure
The Master of Science degree program is a postgraduate degree program. To enroll in a Master of Science degree program, a successfully completed Bachelor’s degree is required. The Master’s degree program Physics of Life awards 90 ECTS credits and is a so called «mono-course» consisting of only one core subject.
| Master of Science (90 ECTS) |
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Physics of Life |
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Mono-courses |
Combination of subjects
The degree programs at the Faculty of Science are generally mono-courses.
Career opportunities
The Master of Science in Physics of Life opens up diverse career perspectives. These include a research career at a university or in industry, work in the lab or at a school, in a patent attorney firm or in consulting, bioinformatics, or science journalism. With your knowledge of biological processes and your training in quantitative methods, many doors open up for you in biomedicine, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical and food industries, at universities, or in public organizations. For a career in research, a PhD is typically required.