Decisions and guidelines

According to the decision by the Vice Chancellor 2020-08-25, Uppsala University will from autumn semester 2020 offer a Master's programme in Evolutionary Biology - MEME 120 (UFV 2020/1163).

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree from an internationally recognised university. Also required is 90 credits in biology. For more information about specific entry requirements, see the MEME website.

Language requirements

Proficiency in English. For more information about English language requirements, see the MEME website.

Aims

The programme is given together with Rijksuniversität Groningen in the Netherlands, Université 2 Montpellier in France and Ludwig Maximilians Universität München in Germany. In addition to these, Harvard University in the USA and Université Lausanne in Switzerland are affiliated partners. The collaboration lays the foundation for a solid theoretical and scientific education that will provide the ability for analytical thinking and prepare for postgraduate education in the field.

The programme's focus on key evolutionary biological concepts will provide a good foundation for successful postgraduate education and other career paths outside the academy. Being able to independently distinguish, formulate and solve problems is a central theme within the programme. The students' ability to make independent and critical assessments has been established at an earlier level but is further deepened within the programme.

Learning outcomes

According to the Higher Education Act, the following applies for second-cycle studies:

Second-cycle studies shall be based fundamentally on the knowledge acquired by students during first-cycle courses and study programmes, or its equivalent.

Second-cycle studies shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, aptitudes and accomplishments in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall:

- further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge,

- develop the students' ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and

- develop the students' potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work.

Ordinance (2006:173).

Objectives for a Degree of Master (120 credits) according to the Higher Education Ordinance, System of Qualifications.

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

- demonstrate knowledge and understanding in their main field of study, including both broad knowledge in the field and substantially deeper knowledge of certain parts of the field, together with deeper insight into current research and development work; and

- demonstrate deeper methodological knowledge in their main field of study.

Skills and abilities

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

- demonstrate an ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, even when limited information is available;

- demonstrate an ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate issues and to plan and, using appropriate methods, carry out advanced tasks within specified time limits, so as to contribute to the development of knowledge and to evaluate this work;

- demonstrate an ability to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments behind them, in dialogue with different groups, orally and in writing, in national and international contexts; and

- demonstrate the skill required to participate in research and development work or to work independently in other advanced contexts.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

- demonstrate an ability to make assessments in their main field of study, taking into account relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, and demonstrate an awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work;

- demonstrate insight into the potential and limitations of science, its role in society and people's responsibility for how it is used; and

- demonstrate an ability to identify their need of further knowledge and to take responsibility for developing their knowledge.

Within the framework of the objectives set out in the Higher Education Ordinance above, the student must, after completing the programme

- demonstrate knowledge of key evolutionary biological concepts

- demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and manage complex phenomena, issues and situations

- demonstrate the ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate issues, to plan and with adequate methods carry out qualified tasks within given time frames and thereby contribute to the development of knowledge

- demonstrate the ability to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based, both nationally and internationally, in writing and

- be able to carry out individual project work based on solid evolutionary biological analysis

- be able to independently and critically integrate and analyse knowledge in the field of evolutionary biology

Layout of the programme

The two-year programme is not given in its entirety in Uppsala but jointly with three other universities. In each cohort, about half of the students start in Uppsala and the rest in Groningen. During the second semester, the studies are conducted either in Montpellier or in Munich. During semester 3 and 4, students do their own research projects at one or some of the four partner universities or at the affiliated universities. In exceptional cases, students can conduct studies outside of these, but then with supervision also from one of the partners.

The courses in Uppsala during the first semester are studied together with the master's programme in biology at UU and the courses offered to MEME students during the first semester are Evolutionary processes and Evolutionary patterns. During semester three and four, students are offered their own research projects in the courses 1BG362 Degree Project E2 in Biology and 1BG368 Project Work in Biology.

Students who have studied at least one semester in Uppsala and who meet Uppsala University's requirements for a general degree at advanced level can, after the programme, apply for a degree at advanced level with biology as a main field of study.

Instruction

The first year the teaching mainly consists of seminars and lectures. Written and oral treatment of scientific articles and literature as well as the production of own written works are central parts of the education. During the second year, the students complete two own project courses, each of 30 credits, one of which corresponds to a degree project in biology. Compulsory parts are included in most courses. The language of instruction is English.

Degree

The Master's programme in Evolutionary Biology - MEME leads to multiple degrees and diplomas can, depending on study track, be obtained from several current educational institutions.

At Uppsala University the Vice Chancellor, upon request, issues diplomas for the Master of Science (120 credits) with Biology as the main field of study.

A Degree of Master is a so called general degree, which means that the student achieve the degree in its main subject according to the criteria below, regardless of the courses being part of the program or not, therefore there is a possibility also to include single subject courses in the degree.

Regulations according to Higher Education Ordinance

A Degree of Master (120 credits) is obtained after the student has completed course requirements of 120 higher education credits with a certain area of specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself, including at least 60 higher education credits with in-depth studies in the main field of study. In addition, the student must hold a Degree of Bachelor, a Degree of Bachelor of Arts in…, a professional degree worth at least 180 higher education credits or an equivalent foreign qualification.

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must have completed an independent project (degree project) worth at least 30 higher education credits in their main field of study.

Local regulations

A degree of Master (120 credits) may, except for courses on advanced level, contain one or several courses on basic level comprising not more than 30 higher education credits. The course or the courses are meant to provide such additional competence as is needed for in-depth studies in the main field of study and cannot be included in the student's basic degree. For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must have completed an independent project (degree project) worth at least 30 higher education credits.

Other directives

Application for the programme is done via Rijksuniversität Groningen.