Master of Science
Infection Biology
Master of Science Infection Biology Infection biology focuses on host-pathogen interactions and aims to understand the mechanisms through which viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites colonise their hosts and cause disease. For that matter, infection biologists study molecular, cellular, metabolic or immunological aspects of pathogen biology and infection, try to elucidate mechanisms and evolution of drug resistance and immune evasion, or investigate dynamics of transmission and infection in the field. Knowledge gained from studying these and other aspects of infection biology provides the basis for the development of novel diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines for improved prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The Specialized Master’s degree programme in Infection Biology at the University of Basel is run by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), a world-leading institute in the field of global health with broad expertise in infection biology. Graduates of the Specialized Master of Science in Infection Biology usually work in academia or industry in laboratory-oriented projects in the fields of basic or applied research, in the teaching/training or communication/documentation sectors, or as scientific writers.
Course Structure
The Specialized Master’s degree programme in Infection Biology starts in the Autumn semester, takes three semesters, awards 90 ECTS credits and is a so called “mono-course” consisting of only one core subject. Lectures and courses on infection biology, a supervised 9-month research project and the written Master’s thesis constitute the core of the studies. The course language is English.
Autumn Semester 1
Spring Semester
Lectures in Infection Biology
Project Work and MSc Thesis
Autumn Semester 2
Optional Advanced Courses
Fluorescence microscopy image of malaria blood stage parasites.
Admission Criteria
The following degrees of a Swiss university allow for direct admission to the Specialized Master’s degree programme in Infection Biology: Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology, in Biochemistry, in Medicine, in Veterinary Medicine or in Pharmaceutical Sciences. A minimum average mark of 5.0 for all BSc degrees and basic knowledge in infection biology microbiology of at least 4 ECTS credits are required. Students with a BSc in a different branch will be assessed individually. Students with a BSc degree but insufficient mark can alternatively pass the GRE® General Test «Quantitative Reasoning» or pass the GRE® Subject Test «Biology» with a score in the top 35 % (GRE® = Graduate Record Examinations). Comparable BSc degrees from other Swiss or foreign universities are also eligible but have to be approved by the respective teaching committee of the Faculty of Science.
Application
Application under www.unibas.ch/application; the application fee is CHF 100. Application deadline is April 30 to begin the program in the following Autumn semester.
For Further Information
www.swisstph.ch/en/education-and-training MSc Infection Biology Course Coordinators Prof. Till Voss, till.voss@swisstph.ch Prof. Pascal Mäser, pascal.maeser@swisstph.ch Student Administration Pascal Gschwind, pascal.gschwind@swisstph.ch Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel , Switzerland Phone: +41 61 284 83 60, Fax: +41 61 284 81 06 www.swisstph.ch