Plant Science

The core of the program is the Master’s Thesis, in which you participate actively with your own individual research project, in the current research efforts of a team of plant scientists. You will combine your practical research efforts with courses designed to broaden your knowledge in life sciences and ecology. With a M Sc degree in Plant Science, you will have acquired cutting-edge research capabilities in your chosen field of specialization, as well as broad general knowledge in plant biology. This will enable you to enter a PhD program in all areas of biology, and to grasp opportunities in the agro-, pharma- and biotech-industries as well as in public research units and private enterprises in the domains of ecology and life sciences.Within the Basel life science program, the Department of Environmental Sciences offers a comprehensive 1.5 year Master’s course in Plant Science for graduates with a background in biology (B Sc in biology or equivalent). The cornerstone of this course is an individual research project in one of the areas of plant science of about one year duration. The project ends with a written Master’s thesis. This practical part is complemented by lectures, seminars, and excursions. The course builds upon the strength of the Department in the areas of physiological plant ecology, plant-microbe interactions, symbiosis, ecosystem sciences and sustainable land use. The program benefits greatly from the leadership of the Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, a network integrating more than 600 scientists interested in plant science.