MSc MCBI curriculum (discontinued)

--- applications until 2023 ---

During the two years of the master program, the first three semesters (18 months) you take courses of at least 90 ECTS credits and in the last semester you perform your master thesis (6 months).

Generally, lectures and seminars are running along the semester. Lab courses are practical classes held in blocks of 4 weeks (semesters 1 & 2) or 8 weeks (semester 3).

Course types and ECTS credits in the MSc MCBI program

All content (lectures, seminars, practical lab courses) of the MCBI program is organised in modules. A successful participation in a module is graded.

A module covers a specific topic, to which it offers one or more courses. For example, the module "Principles of Cell Biology" deals with the principal concepts & techniques in the area of Cell Biology and comprises three courses: a lecture, a seminar and a lab course.

The definitions of the two types of modules, Mandatory Modules (MM) and Optional Modules (OM) are given on the right.

Together with the 30 ECTS credits awarded for the master thesis in the last semester, you will achieve a total of 120 ECTS credits for your MSc MCBI degree.

Mandatory Modules

Mandatory Modules are modules you are required to take and these are offered by researchers participating in the MCBI program. The completion of the mandatory modules leads to 39 ECTS credits.

Optional Modules

Optional Modules are modules you can choose according to your interests. For your master degree you need at least 51 ECTS credits from optional modules.

Of these 51 ECTS credits at least 21 should come from modules of the MCBI program.

The remaining 30 ECTS credits you can acquire from modules from the Department of Biology (up to 30 ECTS credits) and from modules offered by other Departments of the University of Tübingen (up to 12 ECTS credits).

ECTS credits

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) aims to make higher education more comparable across Europe.

ECTS credits are based on the workload students need to achieve expected learning outcomes.

"60 ECTS credits are attached to the workload of a full- time year of formal learning (academic year) and the associated learning outcomes. In most cases, student workload ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 hours for an academic year, whereby one credit corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of work."

European Commission/ECTS