Biodiversity and Systematics, Nordic master, 120 hec

Biodiversity and Systematics concerns the multitude of organisms living on our planet and the evolutionary relationships among them. Far from all existing organisms have been discovered and described, and among those organisms science knows of, classification is still ambiguous.

With molecular tools and morphological and anatomical observations, new species are continuously being identified and their relationship to other organisms is being disentangled. Molecular data also give science an opportunity to get answers to fundamental questions about evolution.

NABiS – Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics at the University of Gothenburg is offered in cooperation with eight Nordic universities: University of Oslo and University of Tromsø in Norway, University of Copenhagen and University of Århus in Denmark, and University of Lund, University of Stockholm, University of Uppsala, and Swedish Agricultural University in Sweden.

Researchers from different disciplines (zoology, botany, mycology, lichenology, microbiology) at the major universities and Museums in Sweden, Norway and Denmark join and form an all-inclusive master education in Biodiversity and Systematics. Students are trained to gain the systematic and taxonomic expertise needed in our society to be able to take action against global loss of biodiversity.

Career options

This programme is directed to students who are interested in a career as Nature conservation manager (public administrator or private consultant), officer at government agencies (Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish biodiversity Centre, etc) or non-governmental organizations (World Wildlife Foundation, Nature Conservation Organizations, etc), manager of biodiversity infrastructures (GBIF etc.) or want to pursue an academic career as Museum curator or university researcher.

Contents and Structure

The Nordic Master in Biodiversity and Systematics provides an intellectually challenging learning environment with roots in a research group and a wide range of courses, distributed across the Nordic countries, combining theoretical studies with practical elements.

It is designed to tailor individual student’s interests and goals. Our elective portfolio offers a wide range of subjects, and courses are continually updated to reflect developments in all areas of biodiversity and systematics research. The thesis is a substantial element of work that focuses learning on an area of particular interest to the student.

Students are admitted to the university at which their thesis work will be supervised. At the time of admittance each student, together with an appointed tutor, establish an individual curriculum designating the courses to be included in the master degree.

The programme offers a total of 24 courses amounting to 165 hec. Courses can be divided into four categories: Biodiversity – identification (9 courses of 5 hec), Biodiversity – classification (6 courses of 10 hec), Systematic theory (3 courses of 10 hec), and Tools and skills (6 courses of 5 hec). The courses will be taught as a combination of assisted e-learning and intensive field or lab sessions where students and teachers meet for a short period of time at the host university or at a field station. The curriculum should include at least one course from each category mentioned above, as well as courses given by at least two cooperating universities.

More information about the programme is available on www.nabismaster.org

Entrance requirements

Bachelor of Science in Biology (180 hec), or equivalent degrees that are based on courses in Biology amounting to at least 90 hec. All credits in the Degree need to be from an accredited university. The applicant’s university education must also include a thesis, term paper or equivalent proof of proficiency in academic writing. English Proficiency documentation is also required.

Start/term

Autumn 2012, full time (100%)

Application

Application international students: Closed for late application.
Application Swedish/EU/EEA citizens: Apply here