Do biomolecules and biotechnology make your heart beat faster? How about reprogramming and optimizing cells, obtaining biomolecules, or constructing them with improved or new functions, or combining knowledge from genetic engineering, protein chemistry, and biophysical methods with databases and simulation methods? Is this exactly your thing? Then start your TUM Bachelor's program in Molecular Biotechnology with us in Freising and Garching in the heart of Bavaria.
Studying Molecular Biotechnology successfully: What can you expect?
Key data
Type of study: full time
Standard period of study, credits : 6 semesters, 180 ECTS
The TUM Bachelor’s program in Molecular Biotechnology deals with the production or construction of natural and artificial biomolecules with the help of cells or organisms. In times of genetic engineering and synthetic biology it has become much easier to reprogram or optimize the construction of natural and artificial biomolecules with the help of cells or organisms. It is also possible to create artificial biomolecules with improved or innovative functions. Through protein design but also proteomics, metabolomics, animal and plant biotechnology, cell culture technology, and modern microbiology you can create new molecular "tools". For example, you can develop new active ingredients and antibodies for medicine or biocatalysts for use in industrial biotechnology. To do this, you use genetic engineering, protein biochemistry, and biophysical methods in conjunction with databases and computer simulation methods (bioinformatics).
In the foreground of this interdisciplinary course is the scientific construction and manipulation of biomolecules, cells and organisms in connection with modern biotechnological production processes. Get into new technologies and change the future.
What are your career opportunities?
Still not had enough of molecular biotechnology? Most graduates follow a consecutive master's program that enables them to carry out scientific work with professional decision-making competence. Still not enough? A doctorate allows you to become scientifically active independently.
Not looking for an academic career? The Bachelor of Science is of course already a first professional qualification, which allows you to start your career directly in an industrial company. In addition to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, the biotechnology sector is of particular relevance to your skills. This industry is currently showing strong growth, giving you very good chances in the job market.
What is this study program about?
The goal of the Molecular Biotechnology program is a comprehensive education in molecular biology, biotechnology, and biochemistry. At the beginning of the program, the focus is therefore a thorough grounding in the core subjects of natural sciences, especially chemistry, as well as computer science. For this reason, the lectures are initially also held across faculties, both at the TUM School of Life Sciences, the TUM School of Natural Sciences, and the TUM School of Engineering. You will benefit from the fact that you will always be taught by the respective specialists in the field and thus be at the cutting edge of science.
Compared to the traditional study of biochemistry, which has many similarities with molecular biotechnology, you will focus on constructive-synthetic research approaches in contrast to the deductive-analytical research approaches of biochemistry. Thus, you do not focus on analysis, but rather on the construction of molecules to solve medical or biochemical problems.
In addition to your compulsory modules such as Biochemical Analysis, General Pharmacology and Molecular Genetics, the elective modules allow you to pursue your own interests and thus build your own profile.
In the sixth and final semester of your studies, you will complete a Bachelor's thesis on a topic of your choice and conclude it with a colloquium, i.e. a presentation.
At the end of your studies you will have strong fundamental knowledge in the fields of biotechnology, mathematics, statistics, bioinformatics, chemistry, physics and biology and will be able to further apply this knowledge. The degree program prepares you for an independent scientific working environment with experimental methods through a close interlocking of theory and practice. You will be a specialist in the fields of genetic engineering, protein engineering, and metabolic engineering and your knowledge will help you to solve scientific problems. Due to your numerous laboratory internships you will be skilled in the use of analytical instruments, handling of microbial and human cell cultures, ELISA tests, cell staining, real-time PCR, purification of proteins, molecular biological DNA techniques and will have methodical and technical competence.
You will be familiar with the different fields of application of molecular biotechnology in research and industry. You will be able to familiarize yourself with new biotechnological topics of research relevance and work on them using your professional competence based on the current state of scientific knowledge. You will then be able to evaluate, explain, and interpret the results and place them in their scientific context.
In addition to your biotechnological knowledge, you will learn entrepreneurial thinking and trading methods, have expertise in soft skills, project management, patent law and bioethics, among others.
How do you apply for a place of study?
During the application period you can easily apply for a place in the winter semester via the application portal TUMonline. You can upload your documents for the admission to the Molecular Biotechnology course directly in the portal.
After your documents have been checked, you will receive, depending on the points you have achieved, immediate admission, a rejection or an invitation to an interview at the university.
If you are offered admission immediately or after the interview, you will have to submit some certified hard copies.
Prerequisite for the study program is the general university entrance qualification or a comparable qualification.
A pre-study internship before the start of your studies is not required for admission.
Timetable: Via TUMonline you can have a timetable created for each semester according to FSPO.
You can also create your own individual timetable, which can contain not only the dates of the selected courses but also your personal appointments. First steps with TUMonline
In TUMonline you can register for the module examinations that accompany your studies.
Important: You can only take most of the exams if you have actively registered yourself via TUMonline within the registration period. The registration and deregistration period will be displayed at the exam date.
