Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, M.Sc.
The students receive a sound theoretical foundation on the topics of biodiversity research, ecology and evolutionary research, which enables you to work out the level of knowledge and to identify open questions. To process them, you learn the planning of experiments, field observations and virtual experiments on the computer and get taught a wide range of laboratory, field and computer methods. They learn to critically interpret and present the results of these research activities.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time, Part-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 31.05 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | Set by the university for international students — the amount is on the programme's official page |
| Semester contribution | €255.50 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
We offer a wide range of courses:
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- evolutionary and ecological processes generating biodiversity;
- biodiversity change, its drivers and consequences;
- the role of biodiversity for ecosystem functions and services;
- conservation and eco-engineering;
- advanced statistics and modelling.
In the master programme you
- learn how exciting and relevant biodiversity research is;
- plan and conduct cutting-edge research;
- apply your science to tackle real-world problems;
- develop essential soft skills;
- prepare for a job in science, conservation, ecological consultancy, biotechnology or the green industry.
What you study
The curriculum is structured in such a way that both the relevant temporal scales (geological, historical, recent), spatial scales (local, regional, global) as well as the levels of the hierarchy of life of the underlying phenomena and processes are covered. Interdisciplinary connections to partner disciplines, such as computer sciences, social sciences, and biotechnology, are also integrated. Methodological competences are taught in quantitative techniques (e.g., advanced biostatistics, experimental design, bioinformatics, modelling), in laboratory techniques (e.g., molecular biology, chemical analysis, single cell analysis), and in field techniques (field experiments, monitoring, sensor-based methods).
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Due to the importance of biodiversity for human society, graduates can follow many avenues for employment in academia and in the private sector. The majority of graduates work in nature and environmental protection and in the management of natural resources in public authorities, state offices, non-governmental organisations, consulting firms, engineering offices, and non-university research institutions. Many graduates complete a research doctorate after receiving their MSc, with excellent local opportunities at our institute and other major research centres (including the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, and others). All these institutions have developed specialised graduate schools.
Cost of study
| Semester contribution | €255.50 |
|---|
Requirements and application
| Previous education | We expect from you enthusiasm for science and the biodiversity on our planet; a BSc degree in Biology or related sciences with a study profile in biodiversity, ecology or evolution; |
|---|---|
| Language | English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 31.05 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application via uni-assist until 31.05uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 31.05.2027 (229 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.