Do you dream of standing on the frontline of the ongoing battle for better understanding of human health and diseases, leading to better prevention and treatment options? The Master of Biomedical Sciences at KU Leuven will truly immerse you in scientific biomedical research. By doing scientific research in a domestic or foreign laboratory you will gain thorough know-how, strengthen your scientific skills and learn the newest scientific methods.

What is the programme all about?

Biomedical sciences is a university bachelor and master education aimed at scientific research to support the field of medicine in particular. The education focuses on acquiring knowledge about healthy and ill humans by learning how the body of a healthy person functions - on a molecular level and for the entire organism - as well as by learning what causes diseases and how to prevent them.

Programme structure:

The Master of Biomedical Sciences (120 ECTS credits) consists of two stages, each having 60 credits.

• In the first and the second stage all students follow a common programme, which includes 80 of the 120 credits and where your knowledge of the origin and the treatment of diseases will continue to expand. There is also a lot of attention to bioinformatics and the development of drugs and other medical products. Furthermore, you will also learn how to cope with new discoveries and their legal protection. During the first stage, you will also find out more about the research in three different laboratories during the lab rotations. 

• During the second stage, you get the chance to do an internship in the lab that fits your interests. During eight months you will do your own research about a biomedical problem. Moreover, you also learn new skills specific to the chosen study area. Finally, you must process the results of your research in a thesis, called the Master’s Thesis, which you have to defend before a jury.

• Besides the common programme, you will have the opportunity in the Master to choose your own topics of interest (40 credits) from a wide range of Research Tracks.

Strengths:

• Graduates will be fully equipped to solve critical biomedical challenges, whether it be as part of a group or individually.

• The international programme is key to opening mindsets to global solutions in health and disease, and by doing scientific research in a domestic or foreign laboratory, you will strengthen your scientific skills and learn the latest scientific methods.

• Graduates can expect to embark on international-level careers in diverse areas.

• All of these skills and accumulated knowledge will be applied in your final master's thesis.

Student profile:

Students who are interested in our Biomedical Sciences programme should have a relevant bachelor’s degree at a high-level university, within the field of Biomedical Sciences, Bio-Pharmaceutical sciences or life sciences.

In order to be able to succeed in our Master’s programme, we recommend:

• prior knowledge within the subjects of: Molecular Cellular Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Anatomy, Pathology, Physiology, Microbiology, Neurosciences, Epidemiology and Statistics.

• practical training is also required.

If students lack certain background knowledge within a certain field, this can be compensated by sufficient previous education in other subjects relevant for a Biomedical Science education.