Biomedical Sciences

Research Specialisation

The study programme aims at deepening and broadening the student’s knowledge within those research areas which encompass the LUMC Research Themes. Deepening will primarily take place during the two Junior Research Projects (JRP1: at least 20 weeks in MSc1, JRP2: at least 28 weeks in MSc2) and during the Scientific review. Broadening will be achieved as students are encouraged to cover a diverse spectrum of research disciplines and subjects in their programme through their choice of the Junior Research Projects, the Frontier of Science (FOS) and elective courses. The Research specialisation allows students to focus to a certain extent on a specific scientific area during their master. Focus is offered in specific tracks related to the research themes of the LUMC - namely Neuroscience, Immunity, Infection, Medical Genomics, Cardiovascular, Cancer, or Regenerative Medicine, but students can organize and plan their own track as well. The Research specialisation consists of compulsory components (e.g. courses and research projects) and electives. The elective area can also contain additional FOS courses, courses elsewhere or extension of internship(s). Please check the list below for a detailed description of the components involved in the Research specialisation. The MSc programme in the Research specialisation is taught in English.

Management Specialisation

The Management specialisation is offered by Leiden University Medical Center in collaboration with the Faculty of Science. This specialisation encompasses the compulsory components of the master’s programme (at least 60 EC) combined with courses from the Business programme at the Faculty of Science and a management internship. It broadens the student’s perspective predominantly in the field of management (e.g. marketing, finance, project management). The specialisation prepares students for a career outside scientific research, but graduates will also be equipped to pursue a career within scientific biomedical research. The entire programme is taught in English.

Mandatory business courses are: Strategy and Technology, Marketing Science, Strategic Financial Management and Operations Management (15 EC in total). These courses can be combined with elective business courses. Students with prior education in management, business and/or entrepreneurship (e.g. students who have completed the Science Based Business (SBB)/Business Studies Fundamentals course – Bachelor edition) are exempted from following these 4 courses. In this case the mandatory courses need to be substituted by at least an equal number of EC of other SBB/Business studies master courses, or business courses elsewhere. For detailed description of the course modules/components of Business studies, please refer to the website of Business studies directly .

The management internship (26-42 EC) will be executed at an organization/company with a link to the biomedical field. Approval of this internship should be given beforehand by the examination board of the master Biomedical Sciences. Prior to the internship an internship proposal (3 EC) is written.
Please check the list below for a detailed description of the components involved in the Management specialisation.

Communication Specialisation

The Communication specialisation is offered by Leiden University Medical Centre in collaboration with the Faculty of Science. This specialisation encompasses the compulsory components of the master’s programme (at least 60 EC) combined with courses from the Science, Communication and Society (SCS) programme at the Faculty of Science and a communication internship. It broadens the student’s perspective predominantly in the field of communication (e.g. writing for a newspaper, website or science magazine or working for a museum). The specialisation prepares students for a career outside scientific research, but graduates will also be equipped to pursue a career within scientific biomedical research. The entire programme is taught in English. For Dutch students it is also possible to follow writing classes in Dutch and to do an internship in an environment where Dutch is the only or preferred language.

Mandatory SCS courses are: Informal Science Education, Policy & Development in Science and Society, Research in Science Communication, Science Journalism (ENG) / Wetenschapsjournalistiek (NL), Science Communication Product Development, and Innovative Methods in Science Communication and Society (23 EC in total). For detailed description of the SCS courses, please refer to the website of SCS directly .

A communication internship (23- 34 EC) will be executed at an organization/company/museum with a link to the biomedical field. The internship should contain a research project related to communication of at least 10 EC. A communication research internship can also be performed separately from a more practical communication internship. A proposal is written prior to the start of the communication research internship. Approval of the internship(s) should be given beforehand by the examination board. Please check the list below for a detailed description of the components involved in the Communication specialisation.

Education Specialisation

Fluency in Dutch required!

Deze specialisatie is bedoeld voor studenten die een baan als eerstegraads biologiedocent op een middelbare school ambiëren, of zich anderszins willen specialiseren in onderwijs. Maar de mogelijkheid om verder te gaan in het biomedisch onderzoek, blijft ook met een diploma in deze specialisatie bestaan.

De opleiding is deels in het Engels en deels in het Nederlands.

Het programma bevat, naast de verplichte onderdelen van de opleiding Biomedical Sciences (totaal 60 EC), twee onderdelen (in totaal ook 60 EC) bij het ICLON, namelijk:

• een pakket ter opheffing van deficiënties in de biologie;

• de ICLON lerarenopleiding Biologie.

Het programma van de biologiedeficiënties omvat de volgende onderdelen en kan in zelfstudie worden uitgevoerd.

• Gedragsbiologie

• Evolutionaire morfologie

• Evolutiebiologie

• Dierfysiologie

• Plantenfysiologie

• Biodiversiteit van planten en dieren

• Ecologie

• Een excursie, gevolgd bij de faculteit W&N

Verdere informatie over startactiviteiten en het aanmelden van ICLON is te vinden op de Education specialisation website van het ICLON.

Health Specialisation

Fluency in Dutch required!

Dit programma geeft studenten de gelegenheid een master BMS te combineren met de master GNK en staat alleen open voor:

• Leidse studenten Geneeskunde die een bachelor Geneeskunde en een premaster programma (BW-track) met succes hebben afgerond.

• Studenten die toegelaten zijn tot de master Biomedical Sciences en daarnaast ook de master Geneeskunde in Leiden volgen.

Career Preparation

Career preparation at Leiden University

In addition to offering you a solid university education, Leiden University strives to prepare you as well as possible for the job market, and thus contribute to the development of your employability. This will make it easier for you to make the transition to the job market, to be employable in a dynamic job market, in a (career) job that suits your own personal values, preferences and development.

'Employability' consists of the following aspects that you will develop, obtain, and work on during your master:

1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
   Knowledge and skills specific to Biomedical Sciences.

2. Transferable skills
   Transferable skills can be used in all kinds of jobs irrespective of your study programme, for example: researching, analysing, project-based working, generating solutions, digital skills, collaborating, oral communication, written communication, presenting, societal awareness, independent learning, resilience.

3. Self-reflection
   This concerns reflection in the context of your (study) career, including reflecting on the choices you make as a student during your studies and what you can do with your knowledge and skills on the job market.
   You reflect on your own profile and your personal and professional development, answering questions such as: Who are you? What can you do well? What do you find interesting? What suits you? What do you find important? What do you want to do?

4. Practical experience
   Gaining practical experience through internships, projects, and practical (social) assignments, which can be integrated into a master course, elective, or internship.

5. Job market orientation
   Gaining insight into the job market, fields of work, jobs and career paths through, for example, guest speakers and alumni experiences from the work field, career events, the use of the alumni mentor network, and interviewing people from the work field.

Employability in the curriculum

General
The programme of the master BMS contains the mandatory course Career Orientation of 2 EC. The assignments and activities within Career Orientation are designed to stimulate you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as well as discover your career options and choices, and are spread out through your whole master programme. You will get to know the broad job market for Biomedical Scientists by meeting researchers, alumni and employers during the various activities within this course. You will practice how to present your professional profile to your network. Entering the job market should feel like a logical follow-up of your activities in the master and this course offers the opportunity to find out what you can and want to do with your master’s degree Biomedical Sciences.

Activities within Career Orientation
In the Brightspace module Career orientation, instructions are provided for all assignments.

First year

• Reflection assignment 1: You are here!

• Professional Development Plan JRP-1 (part I and II)

• Reflection assignment 2: Choosing your direction

Second year

• Professional Development Plan JRP-2 (part I and II)

• Reflection assignment 3: Preparing for the next step

Throughout the master

• Guest lectures

• Alumni Evenings

• Career Event(s) (most useful in second year)

• Workshops and Career Colleges LUMC Career Service

It is always possible to attend additional activities organised by Career Service and LU Career zone.

Career Service, LU Career Zone and career workshops calendar

Faculty Career Service
The Career Service of your faculty offers information and advice on study (re)orientation and master's choice, (study) career planning, orientation on the job market and job applications.

Leiden University Career Zone
The Leiden University Career Zone is the website for students and alumni of Leiden University to support their (study) career. You can find advice, information, and tools in the area of (study) career planning, career possibilities with your study, job market orientation, job applications, the Alumni Mentor network, job portal, workshops and events and career services.

Workshops and events
On the course calendar you will find an overview of career and application workshops, organised by the Career services.