Programme structure
Master's programme
The programme’s duration is four semesters. This includes courses (60 ECTS credits) and the Master’s thesis (60 ECTS credits). Some of the courses are mandatory for the three programme options, while others can be chosen freely. You will find more information about this on the websites of the programme options.
| 4. semester | Master's thesis | Master's course | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | Master's thesis | Master's course | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | Master's thesis | Master's course | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | Two Master's courses depending on programme option. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The courses are 5 or 10 ECTS credit courses. Tuition is based on lectures, practical exercises, colloquiums and seminars. How much of each, varies from course to course.
Mandatory courses
MBV4010 - Methods in molecular biology and biochemistry I and MBV4010 - Methods in molecular biology and biochemistry II are mandatory for the programme option Molecular biology and biochemistry.
At the beginning of the first semester, you also have to attend two mandatory e-learning courses in Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and a practical course in firesafety as follows:
- HMS0501 Safety and Physical Environment
- HMS05020 Positive Learning Environment
- HMS0503 Laboratory Safety
- HMS0507 Fire Safety
You are exempted from these HSE course requirements, if you have already completed the equivalent HSE courses in relation to a bachelor programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UiO.
Optional courses
You may choose freely from the courses listed below. You should however ask your supervisor for recommendations after you have been given a topic for your Master’s thesis.
Molecular biosciences - courses . Choose from all 4000-courses. You may also take 10 ECTS credits in a specialised syllabus of your choice and up to two 3000-level courses.
Courses you may choose from:
BIO4200 - Molecular evolution
BIO4500 - General Toxicology
KJM3000 - Applied spectroscopy
KJM3600 - Molecular Modeling
KJM5230 - Bioactive Molecules
KJM5240 - Mass spectrometry
KJM5250 - Organic NMR Spectroscopy
KJM4350 - Protein crystallography
How the Master's programme is organised
Apply for admission to the programme option you are interested in. After admission, follow the study plan with mandatory and optional courses for the programme option. You will be given a supervisor during the first semester. During the first week of tuition, a seminar will be arranged with short lectures and posters where each supervisor presents topics for Master’s theses. A synopsis of each thesis can be found on the Master’s programme’s website and you choose among the theses presented here. An agreement with your supervisor must be handed in at a given date. We will try to make sure that you get a thesis which you are interested in.
One month after you have found a supervisor and the thesis has been described, you must hand in your study plan which you have filled out with your supervisor. In the your curriculum and time plan is laid out. It is a binding agreement for all parties and must be approved by the programme council at the Master’s programme. If you have not completed your Bachelor’s degree, the remaining courses must be plotted in to the study plan. If the study plan is not handed in by the end of the first semester, the programme is considered as terminated, and your admission to the programme is withdrawn.
There are separate rules for engineers/bioengineers with permanent positions of at least 5 years at a university with supervision from a professor or an associate professor at UiO. Please contact the Department for more information.
If you commence on the Master’s programme in the Spring semester, you will most likely take optional courses the first semester, and mandatory courses the following Autumn semester. If you wish to start on your thesis already during the Spring semester, you can choose from the theses presented on the website. You are assigned a thesis in the same way as above, where you hand in your prioritized list within a given date.
Details concerning your thesis can be discussed with your supervisor.
In the final examination you will present your research results. Your thesis and oral presentation is evaluated by an external examiner. Throughout the programme you will receive guidance in regard to the writing process.
Recognition of Master courses from former education
If you are admitted to the Masters Programme and you have completed Master courses outside the University of Oslo, you may apply to have these courses recognised as part of your degree. Please contact the Department of Biosciences for more information.
Diploma and degree
This programme leads to the following degree: Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences