Master's Degree Programme in Biosciences: Evolutionary Biology

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Join the evolution of our biological knowledge

In this Master's Degree Programme in Biosciences: Evolutionary Biology specialisation track, you can expect to acquire scientific and analytical skills together with expertise in present theories and up-to-date technologies. After starting with a general overview of evolutionary biology and what it entails to be a biological researcher, this programme focuses mainly on evolutionary genetics.

Emphasis is on gaining data science (programming) skills, with expertise in bioinformatics, molecular and quantitative genetics. Teachers include experts in human genetics, microbial, and quantitative evolutionary genetics. Expertise in phylogenetics of animals and plants is brought in by experts from our Museum of Natural History. The skills a way for future career paths in academia or industry.

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Biosciences at the University of Turku

The Evolutionary Biology specialisation track is a part of the Master’s Degree Programme in Biosciences. The other specialisation track in this programme is Molecular Systems Biology.

In the Evolutionary Biology track the focus is on deepening knowledge of evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, and physiology, with a special focus on bioinformatics and computational methods for analysing and interpreting evolutionary and NGS data, both modern and ancient DNA.

The Molecular Systems Biology track offers extensive training in modern molecular biology and education focused on systems biology (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, gene/protein structure-function relationships) with a special focus on practical laboratory skills and molecular interaction networks.

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Program Structure

Courses will contain a mix of teaching methods, including lectures, exercises, laboratory and computer practicals, student-driven presentations as well as completion of an independent research project (MSc thesis). Numerical analysis of biological data including bioinformatics and other statistical analyses will be another part of the curriculum.

The Master’s degree in Bioscience is a two-year programme amounting to 120 ECTS. Both tracks follow their own curriculum of courses. The degree is comprised of:

• common courses that provide you with the essential knowledge needed as well as transferrable skills including mandatory language studies;
• track-specific major subject studies that will provide state-of-the-art theories and practical skills relevant to the field;
• selectable studies that expand your knowledge in specific thematic areas and special themes of your choice;
• master’s thesis where you will apply your newly acquired knowledge.

Master's Thesis & Topics

To complete your studies, you will carry out a final project that is an independent and experimental, supervised research project aiming for the master’s thesis. The purpose of the master's thesis is to display your obtained skills in terms of data gathering, data analysis, and interpretation of the analyses, as well as setting your project within the larger scientific background based on scientific literature. You will present your project and its results in a master’s seminar that follows the procedures used in scientific meetings. You will also write a master’s thesis that describes your experimental work and its results as well as includes a review of relevant background literature.

Examples of fields for MSc topics:

• evolution of antibiotic resistance,
• human paleogenomics,
• life history of pre-industrial humans,
• changes in gene expression in response to climate change,
• evolutionary quantitative genetics,
• phylogeny of Amazonian ferns.

Competence Description

In the Evolutionary Biology track, you will get a strong background for working with phenotypic and genetic variation, both theory and practice. The practice focuses on bioinformatics and statistical analyses using various platforms, where a number of courses include hands-on computer practicals, to provide the student with concrete data analysis skills much sought after in both research and industry.

Job Options

Master's Programme in Biosciences educates future experts for positions in academia, industry, and the public sector. After graduating from the programme, you will be eligible for scientific postgraduate degree studies and may work, among others, as a:

• research scientist,
• lecturer,
• project manager,
• research coordinator.

Career in Research

Master of Science degree also provides you with eligibility for scientific postgraduate degree studies – doctoral and licentiate degrees. Degrees can be completed at the University of Turku Graduate School and in one of the Doctoral Programmes.