Goals of the Master's Programme

The goals of the Master's programme are divided in four parts: A general part applicable for everyone, and one of three parts applicable to certain specialisations.

General qualifications

The Master’s graduate in Molecular Life Sciences:

• is, on the basis of a broad knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying biological and biomedical processes and combined with specialist knowledge and research experience in at least one sub-specialisation of Molecular Life Sciences, able to set up and conduct research designed to acquire new knowledge of and insights into this research area.
• is able to independently identify, critically read and comprehend relevant, up-to-date international literature from different disciplines and integrate the literature into a common theme.
• is able to formulate new questions and hypotheses in the field of Molecular Life Sciences and to select the correct paths and research methods to resolve the questions/hypotheses, taking into account the availability of services and resources.
• is able to set up and conduct a scientific experiment independently, including the appropriate controls, as well as interpret and evaluate the results obtained in terms of well-founded scientific conclusions.
• is able to clearly describe research results in a written report, in accordance with the standards of a scientific article.
• is able to show independent professional practice whereby, depending on the chosen direction, the emphasis is on conducting fundamental scientific research (under supervision), transferring existing scientific knowledge or applying existing scientific knowledge.
• is able to provide insight and problem-oriented thinking with a critical attitude towards scientific insights and, also based on an ability to abstract, to analyse a scientific problem by reducing the problem to testable sub-problems, whereby in the analysis the essentials are discerned from side issues, and to achieve a synthesis from solutions of sub-problems, to put the synthesis into a scientific context, and as such contribute to the general development of theories.
• is able to practice his/her profession with social responsibility, considering the ethical consequences of research in the field of Molecular Life Sciences and along with an ability to reflect on the potential effects towards society and sustainability of the community.
• is, through self-reflection and discussions with others, able to evaluate his or her own performance.
• is able to follow the general scientific developments in the field of Molecular Life Sciences, particularly within the specialisations chosen, besides current specialisations, to master another Molecular Life Sciences area at a specialist level.
• is able to communicate with professional colleagues working in the same field about scientific knowledge at a specialist level.

Specialisation specific qualifications

The Master’s graduate in Molecular Life Sciences with a specialisation in Chemistry for life, Clinical Biology, Medical Epigenomics or Neuroscience:

• based on specialised knowledge and research experience in two sub-specialisations within the field of Molecular Life Sciences, is able to set up and independently perform experiments, design appropriate checks and evaluate the results in a given time frame.
• is able to independently write the basis for a scientific publication or research proposal.
• based on a critical analysis of research results, is able to break new ground in research areas.
• in addition to his/her current specialisations, is able to work at a specialist level of another branch of Molecular Life Sciences.

The Master’s graduate in Molecular Life Sciences with a specialisation in Science, Management and Innovation:

• Graduates have gained deep knowledge on their theme, based on connections made between their own science discipline and other science disciplines, on the one hand, and approaches from fields that study society, politics and policy, economics and companies (remember/understand).
• With this knowledge, they can analyse specific problems within their theme, are able to name a range of approaches to address the problem, and argue for and select feasible options, taking into account the full width of technological, societal, political and economic perspectives (understand/analyse).
• The students are proficient in the use of methods and techniques, including basic financial and economic ones, to substantiate strategies and plans, and are able to effectively use a wide variety of information and communication channels (apply/evaluate).
• The students can balance perspectives and interests in the specific context of a company, governmental organisation or international organisation, or in configurations of those and other actors, in order to formulate feasible strategies and plans to implement options to address their thematic challenges (evaluate/create).
• The students are capable of clearly communicating their insights and choices to others, both in written and in spoken form (communicate).
• The students are capable of working in multidisciplinary teams; they know how to divide tasks based on knowledge and competencies and how to take responsibility, and they respect diverging views.

Master’s graduates in Molecular Life Sciences with a specialisation in Science in Society are:

• Capable of analysing the role of scientific expertise in societal and political decision making with regard to socio-scientific issues.
• Capable of designing and conducting independent and methodologically sound social research at the interface of science and society and capable of contributing to academic research.
• Capable of understanding and designing public and stakeholder participation processes in research and innovation.
• Capable of analysing, improving and evaluating interdisciplinary collaborations with multiple stakeholders, integrating different perceptions, interests and types of knowledge (experiential, professional and scientific).
• Capable of substantiating and communicating the relevance of one's scientific discipline in society.

The Master’s graduate in Molecular Life Sciences with a specialisation in Science and Education:

• Graduates have knowledge of and insight into the theoretical principles of discipline-specific thinking, educational design, and the methods and techniques of applying didactic research in the discipline.
• Graduates are able to design, implement and systematically evaluate an educational design and a scientific study, drawing a link between didactic and professional practice concepts, discipline-specific thinking of the students at different levels and problems from teaching practice.
• Graduates devote attention to discipline-specific learning of individual and unique students, and focus on developing inspiring education.
• Graduates are able to apply thorough scientific knowledge of general didactic concepts about the learning of individual students, and methods to improve both the social climate in the classroom and to answer individual learning needs of the students.
• Graduates are able to act in a differentiated way and improve the social climate for collaboration, and in doing so, set independent priorities and, after consultation with relevant third parties, respond appropriately to development and behavioural problems.
• Graduates focus on collaboration and responsible behaviour based on clear communication with individual students and colleagues, and on the basis of a personal vision.
• Graduates develop a personal professional knowledge base to justify their own actions and understand the actions of colleagues and supervisors.
• Graduates use the professional knowledge base and contextual feedback (students, colleagues, supervisors) to evaluate and guide their own professional development.
• Graduates develop a personal identity in the context of their own actions, external frameworks and ethical dilemmas.