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Biology: Biology and Education

The practical-oriented specialisation Biology and Education (EDU) prepares students for a career as Biology (biologie) teacher qualified to teach in Dutch secondary schools. Students who complete the specialisation Biology and Education are admissible to a PhD programme.

The education component of this master's programme is taught in Dutch.

Coordinator of the Biology component: Prof.dr. D. Claessen

Email: d.claessen@biology.leidenuniv.nl

Year 1: Biology programme (60EC)

Year 2: Education programme (60EC)

For a description of the full programme, go to 'more information'.

Theoretical components should be minimally at level 400.

Year 1: Biology

The Biology component (60 EC) consists of the following:

  • 24 EC of advanced Biology theory (courses)

  • a Biology research project of 36 EC; the course Fish species in animal experimentation (3 EC) or Bird species in animal experimentation (3 EC) is obligatory in case of a research project in which experiments with fish or birds are involved

Prior to the start of the Biology Research Project, the internship coordinator has to approve the Research Project Agreement.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Compulsory courses:

Safety instructions 0
Genomic Architecture 6
Research Project Biology 36

Compulsory Statistics course (choose one)

Basic Statistics for Master students 4
Advanced Statistics 4

Compulsory Orientation course (choose one)

Orientation on Biodiversity and Sustainability 2
Orientation on Evolutionary Biology 2
Orientation on Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology 2
Orientation on Molecular, Cellular and Organismal Biology 2

In case of a research project that involves experiments with fish or birds the corresponding course is compulsory:

Bird species in animal experimentation 3
Fish species in animal experimentation 3

Electives (choose at least 12EC from this list or from 'biology electives or 'other electives'):

Human Impacts on Biodiversity 6
Development and Evolution 6
Mechanisms of Disease 6
Advanced Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology 3
Systematics and Biodiversity 6
Ecotoxicology (2025-2026) 6
Ecosystem Services (2024-2025) 6
Paleobiology 6
Advanced Cell Biology 4
Innate Immune systems 6
Animal Cognition (2024-2025) 6

Year 2: Education

The Education specialisation is a joint programme offered by the Faculty of Science and the Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching (ICLON).

The education component of this master's programme is taught in Dutch.

Na het afronden van het vakdeel (eerste jaar) van de master op de faculteit, kun je starten met het educatiedeel van de master (tweede jaar): de Education specialisation oftewel de lerarenopleiding bij het ICLON. Let op: voor dit deel moet je je apart aanmelden bij het ICLON via dit formulier. Houd hierbij rekening met de aanmelddeadlines:

  • 1 november voor de start eind januari;

  • 1 mei voor de start medio augustus.

The education specialisation consists of the following components:

Basic Module (Basimodule), 30EC

  • Pedagogy in Practice 1, 7EC

  • Adolescent development, 4EC

  • Teaching Methodology 1, 4EC

  • Teaching Practice 1, 15EC

Advanced Module (Verdiepende module), 30EC

  • Pedagogy in Practice 2, 3EC

  • Teaching Methodology 2, 5EC

  • Teaching Practice 2, 15EC

  • Subject-specific research project, 5EC
    Elective course :

    • Subject-specific research project 2, 2EC
    • Adolescent development 2, 2EC
    • Innovations in School, 2EC
    • World Teachers, 2EC

Total: 60EC

For students who passed the minor Education (30EC) during the BSc programme, the programme consists of the ‘Verdiepende module’ (30 EC).

For further information about the programme and a more detailed description of the programme, see this website.

Questions about the Education component of the programme?
Please contact the Study Adviser of the Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching (ICLON): https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/iclon/lo/contact

Biology Electives

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Advanced Academic Skills Course 6
Literature Review 6
Book exam 6
Metabolomics 6
Plant Families of the Tropics 5
Portugal Conservation Field Course (2024-2025) 4
Top Lectures in Biology 3
Tropical Biodiversity and Field Methods 6
Systems Microbiology 6
Advanced Academic Skills Course 6
Urban Ecology and Evolution 6

Other Electives

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Electives organized by the Faculty of Science or LUMC (please check with the coordinator of the course whether you can join the course):

Advances in Data Mining 6
Image Analysis with Applications in Microscopy 6
Model organisms in cancer drug discovery and development 4
Multiscale Mathematical Biology (BM) 6
Science and the public: contemporary and historical perspectives 6
Science Methodology (SCM) 4
Evolutionary Algorithms 6
Multicriteria Optimization and Decision Analysis 6
Biological and Biomedical Informatics 6
Bio-Modeling 6
Introduction to Machine Learning 6
Other approved electives 4-6

TU Delft elective

Joint Interdisciplinary Project (JIP) 15

More info

Description

The MSc Biology programme builds on the unique combination of biological institutes in Leiden joining forces: the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Naturalis). The choice of courses and research projects is further increased by the embedding in the Faculty of Science and the connections with the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) and with bioscience-based companies that are located at the Leiden Bioscience Park.

The duration of the programme is two years (120 EC). Students who complete the programme receive the degree Master of Science in Biology (MSc in Biology) with specification of the specialisation.

The specialisation Biology and Education (EDU) prepares students for a career as biology (biologie) teacher qualified to teach in Dutch secondary schools.
Students who complete the specialisation Biology and Education are admissible to a PhD programme

In addition to the E-Prospectus, the aim and content of the MSc Biology programme is described in the Appendices to the Course and Examination Regulations

Programme (120EC)

The MSc Biology in combination with the Education Specialisation (EDU) consists of two components:

  • Year 1: 60 EC MSc Biology component:

  • Year 2: 60 EC Education component, as described here o For students who passed the minor Education (30EC) during the BSc programme, the programme consists of the ‘Verdiepende module’ (30 EC). o The remaining 30 EC must be used for listed courses and electives of the MSc Biology
    Theoretical components should be minimally at level 400.  
    Biology
    The Biology component (60 EC) consists of the following:

  • 24 EC of advanced Biology theory (courses)

  • A Biology research project of 36 EC; the course Fish species in animal experimentation (3 EC) or Bird species in animal experimentation (3 EC) is obligatory in case of a research project that involves handling or experimental use of fish or birds species, respectively.

Prior to the start of the Biology Research Project, the internship coordinator has to approve the Research Project Agreement.

Education

The education specialisation consists of the following components:

Basic Module (Basismodule) 30 EC
Pedagogy in Practice 1, 7 EC
Adolescent development, 4 EC
Teaching Methodology 1, 4 EC
Teaching Practice 1,15 EC

Advanced Module (verdiepende module) 30 EC
Pedagogy in Practice 2, 3 EC
Teaching Methodology 2, 5 EC
Teaching Practice 2, 15EC
Subject-specific research project, 5 EC
Elective course : Subject-specific research project 2 2 Adolescent development 2, 2 EC Innovations in School, 2 EC World Teachers, 2 EC
Total 60 EC

For further information about the programme and a more detailed description of the programme, see this website.

Questions about the Education component of the programme?

Please contact the Study Advisor of the Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching (ICLON): https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/iclon/lo/contact

Career Orientation

Employability

In addition to offering you a solid university education, Leiden University aims to prepare you as well as possible for the labour market, and in doing so contribute to the development of your employability. In this way, it will become easier for you to make the transition to the labour market, to remain employable in a dynamic labour market, in a (career) job that suits your own personal values, preferences and development. It is therefore important that during your study programme you not only acquire as much knowledge as possible about your subject, but also are aware of the skills you have gained and the further skills you still want to learn.

Future employers are interested not only in the subject-related knowledge that you acquired during your study programme, but also in the ‘transferable skills’. We speak of transferable skills when a skill developed in a specific context can also be applied in a completely different one. This is in contrast to subject-specific skills that are linked to a certain context and are less applicable in other settings.

Employability consists of the following aspects that you will develop within your study programme, among others:

**1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills **

Knowledge and skills specific to your study programme.
Examples of subject-specific skills are: using a microscope, cell cultures, sampling, experimental design, executing fieldwork, morphological analysis, laboratory skills, in situ conservation, bio-modeling, bioinformatics, molecular biology techniques such as genome sequencing, microarrays , et-cetera.

**2. Transferable skills **

These include cognitive skills, such as researching, analysing, project-based working, generating solutions and digital skills; intrapersonal skills, such as reflecting, independent learning, resilience, and metacognition; and interpersonal skills, such as oral and written communication, collaboration, presenting and societal awareness. In short, they are skills that all professionals need in order to perform well.

**3. Self-reflection **

This concerns self-reflection in the context of your (study) career, including reflecting on the choices you make as a student during your studies,:what can you do with your knowledge and skills on the labour market? In addition, reflecting on your own profile and your personal and professional development: 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 research projects/internships, laboratory training, fieldwork, practical assignments et cetera, which are integrated into courses and research projects.

5. Labour market orientation

Gaining insight into the labour market, fields of work, jobs and career paths through, for example, guest speakers and alumni experiences from the work field, career events within the study programme, the use of the alumni mentor network, interviewing people from the work field, and shadowing/visiting companies in the context of a particular subject.

Career preparation in the MSc Biology

During the study program MSc Biology we want to provide you with the best possible preparation for the job market. In addition to knowledge, it is important that you develop skills, gain practical experience, orientate on positions & careers, and reflect on your own profile and development

At various times during the Msc Biology, questions about this subject may arise, such as: How can you use the knowledge and skills you gain within and outside your study program in the labor market? Which direction do you choose within your study and why? What are you already able to do, and what skills do you still want to learn? How do you translate the courses you choose into something you would like to do later?

You may have already discussed this with the study advisor, mentor, tutor, the Science Career Service, fellow students or made use of the Leiden University Career Zone. All kinds of activities are organized where you get the chance to orientate yourself on the job market and gives opportunities to reflect on your own development, possibilities and (study) career profile as well. Central to this are the questions: "What are my capabilities?", "What do I want?" and "How do I achieve my goals?".

In the prospectus, learning objectives have been formulated for each subject, the purpose of which is to inform you which components are covered in the development of your (study) career profile and preparation for the labour market. Various activities are also organized that help you in making all kinds of career choices and to develop skills. An overview of activities is shown below.

Activities

  • Science Skills Platform with a Personal and Professional development domain

  • (Study) career meetings

  • Guest lectures

  • Alumni lectures

  • Company visits and company dinners

  • Lunch & Learn lectures by companies

  • IBL, Naturalis and CML symposia & lecture series.

  • Introductory meeting with the study advisor

  • Introductory meeting Science Career Service

  • (International) Leiden Leadership Programme

  • Mentorship and tutoring

  • Workshops en Career Colleges (Science Career Service)

  • Biology Career Event

  • Other career events such as BCF Career Event, Bio Science Park excursion, Science Career Event/Beta Banenmarkt

  • Events organized by the Study Association ‘Leidse Biologen Club’, such as a Meet & Greet with PhD candidates

  • Regular information sessions with the study advisor

  • Research Project Market

  • Research skills as part of the master research project

Science Career Service

Science Career Service, one of the utilities of the Science faculty, offers information and advice on study (re)orientation, career planning and personal professional profile as well as preparation for the job market, such as job applications. Facilities provided to students include online information, walk-in consultations, workshops and individual counselling sessions. In addition, Science Career Service offers expertise and support to programmes that want to strengthen the connection between their curriculum and the job market. This can vary from providing specific guest lectures/workshops to advising on integrating career orientation programmes into the curriculum.

Open Consultation Hour

On Thursdays between 12:30 – 13:30 hrs., you can reach us by phone (+31 (0)71 527 1867) for short questions, e.g. about your CV, motivation letter, LinkedIn, or job application.

Individual appointment

You can book your appointment (30 minutes) with one of the Career Advisors via the online calendar.

LU Career Zone

The Leiden University Career Zone is the website for students and alumni of Leiden University to support their (study) career planning. You will find advice, information, video recordings of webinars and tools such as professional tests to get an idea of your personal profile. You can also explore positions and sectors, you will find tips about CV, job application, LinkedIn and there is a vacancy platform that you can make use of.

Mentor Network

Leiden University likes to prepare students and young alumni well for the job market. For this we use the knowledge and experience of Leiden alumni. To bring students and young alumni with questions about their careers into contact with experienced alumni, Leiden University has established the Mentor Network. Students and young alumni can register for free.

Contact

Do you have questions about your (study) career choices and has the above information not been able to help you further? Your study adviser is available to discuss your plans and concerns: BioMScStudieadviseur@biology.leidenuniv.nl.