This two-year Master of Science programme in Biochemistry provides a rigorous, research-oriented education delivered entirely in English, designed to prepare you for an international scientific career. The curriculum balances advanced theoretical instruction with extensive hands-on laboratory work, exposing students to contemporary experimental and conceptual approaches in biochemistry and molecular life sciences. The course structure is flexible, allowing you to shape your studies around your interests through a large selection of elective modules.
The programme offers six specialisations (examples include Membrane Biochemistry, Stem Cells, Molecular Medicine), and about one-third of the curriculum consists of compulsory courses while the remaining two-thirds are elective. During the first semester you sample four of the six major research areas; at the start of the second semester you select your chosen specialisation, which then guides the remainder of your master’s programme. Practical training culminates in a research internship in the third semester, followed by an individual master’s research project and thesis in the fourth semester.
Many research projects are embedded in collaborative, inter-faculty networks, including partnerships with Max Planck Institutes and industry, giving you opportunities for interdisciplinary work and links to the private sector. Graduates commonly continue to doctoral studies in Germany or abroad, and career paths also extend into industry (chemical and biotech companies), food hygiene and quality control, environmental protection, science communication, and public service. Notably, positions in the chemical industry are among the highest-paid across sectors.
Key facts and programme essentials
This two-year MSc curriculum combines core theoretical coursework with intensive hands-on laboratory training and a research-focused thesis. In the first year you take compulsory lectures in biochemistry, bioinformatics and radiation safety, plus a biochemical seminar that examines current topics in the field. You also choose a focal point programme: two elective lectures in that focal area are taken in year one while completing compulsory practical phases across four different focal point programmes during the first semester, giving broad practical exposure early in the programme.
The second semester of year one and the second year emphasize deeper, research-oriented experience within your selected focal point. You complete two research-oriented advanced practicals in your chosen focal point during the second semester of year one, and later add another elective lecture in that focal area along with an elective in chemistry. There is also a required lecture that includes integrated hands-on training in animal research techniques. One semester-long, research-oriented advanced practical in the focal point programme takes place in the second year, and the degree culminates in a six-month Master’s thesis.
This structure is designed to develop both conceptual and practical competencies: broad foundational knowledge in biochemistry and bioinformatics, safe handling of radiation sources, multi-focal laboratory skills from the compulsory practical phases, specialized experimental design and execution via the advanced practicals, and experience with ethical, regulatory and technical aspects of animal research—before undertaking an independent research project. The full curriculum is provided as a downloadable PDF.
Applicants must hold a university degree that the admissions office recognizes as equivalent to a German Bachelor’s degree. In addition to the overall degree, your prior program must include a substantial practical component: at least one third of your credit points should come from practical courses.
"Practical courses" typically means hands-on laboratory classes, internships, fieldwork, or project-based coursework that involve applied, experimental or technical training rather than purely theoretical lectures. Admissions will evaluate your submitted documents to verify both the level of your degree and the proportion of practical credits.
To streamline the review, prepare clear documentation showing the credit breakdown and the nature of your coursework. If your national degree system differs from the German system, contact the admissions office early to clarify how equivalence is determined and which documents best demonstrate your practical training.
Admission requirements (bullet points)
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Graduates are well prepared for academic research and many proceed to doctoral programmes in Germany or abroad thanks to the programme’s strong research orientation and extensive lab experience. The curriculum trains you to design experiments, analyse complex data and carry out independent research — key skills for PhD work.
Outside academia, alumni find roles in chemical and biotechnological companies, food hygiene and quality control, environmental protection agencies, science communication and public service. The programme’s practical focus and industry connections also support entry into well‑paid technical and development positions within the chemical and biotech sectors.