Biology (MSc)

Sabine Werndlij

1st Year Student, Track Biodiversity and Sustainability

I like Leiden. The community is nice and it is easy to casually talk to teachers. When I have questions about anything, I can just walk in and chat with them. They will always want to help you.

I appreciate how flexible they are in Leiden. There is one Biology master and within that, you can choose a track. There is always the option to follow courses from other tracks which makes it diverse. Furthermore, there is a lot of freedom in the research because we have many institutes. There is the IBL, but as a Biology student you can also do research at the LUMC, Naturalis or CML. Whatever you want to do, there is always an internship that fits you.

What does this master's programme entail?

The knowledge that you acquire during this programme will provide an overall understanding of life and how this can be of great value to the society. For example, with your knowledge about DNA, you will be able to work on important topics such as enhancing sustainability in agri- and horticulture, or developing new antibiotics by using fungi or bacteria. The programme offers four research specialisations, which optionally can be combined with a more practical-oriented specialisation in communication, education or business. The master’s programme also involves training general skills that will be important for your future career, be it in academia, industry or government.

Read more about our Biology master's programme.

Why study Biology at Leiden University?

• Leiden University offers you a unique combination of knowledge and expertise through close collaboration between three renowned research institutes.
• Within the programme, you have ample opportunities to assemble our own study path based on your own interests and ambitions.
• You have access national biodiversity collections of the National Herbarium and Naturalis, and to state of the art facilities, such as a lab for high throughput genotyping, the Nanopore Sequencing Lab, the Metabolomics Facility, or the Cell Observatory.

Find more reasons to choose Biology at Leiden University.

Biology: the right master’s programme for you?

Biology is the right master’s programme for you if you are interested in molecular biology, biotechnology, cell biology, evolutionary biology, biodiversity and/or environment. In one of the research specialisations you will be trained for a career in research within or outside academia. You can also choose for a more practical-oriented specialisation where you combine one year of biology research with one year of training in business, communication or education.

Read more about the entry requirements for Biology.

Chat with a student

Do you have a question about studying at Leiden University or student life in Leiden? Do you want more information about the Biology master's programme? Chat with a current student for answers to your questions!