Programme structure
1. The programme option’s structure
Example of study plan for students who commence on their studies in the Autumn semester:
| 4. semester | Master's thesis | Master's thesis | Optional Master's course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | Master's thesis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | MBV4330 - Forsøksdyrlære | Master's thesis | MBV4320 - Advanced Physiology and Cell Biology | MBV4340 - Advanced neurobiology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | MBV4310 - Comparative and ecological physiology | MBV4030 - Laboratory methods in cellular biology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The courses MBV4320 and MBV4310 are held every second year. Please see information on course pages.
Optional courses can be chosen from all MBV4000 courses. Choose a course in collaboration with your supervisor.
Example of study plan for students who commence on their studies in the Spring semester:
| 4. semester | Master's thesis | Optional Master's course | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | Master's thesis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | MBV4010 - Methods in molecular biology and biochemistry I | MBV4310 - Comparative and ecological physiology | MBV4030 - Laboratory methods in cellular biology | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | Master's thesis | MBV4320 - Advanced Physiology and Cell Biology | MBV4340 - Advanced neurobiology | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The courses MBV4320 and MBV4310 are taught every second year. Please see information on course pages.
Optional courses can be chosen from all MBV4000 courses. Choose a course in collaboration with your supervisor.
2. How the Master’s programme is organized
The programme option contains mandatory courses and optional courses chosen in collaboration with supervisor. The programme usually starts in the Autumn semester with MBV4010 - Methods in molecular biology and biochemistry I , MBV4310 - Comparative and ecological physiology and MBV4030 - Laboratory methods in cellular biology.
At the beginning of the first semester, you also have to attend two mandatory e-learning courses in Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and a practical course in firesafety as follows:
- HMS0501 Safety and Physical Environment
- HMS05020 Positive Learning Environment
- HMS0503 Laboratory Safety
- HMS0507 Fire Safety
You are exempted from these HSE course requirements, if you have already completed the equivalent HSE courses in relation to a bachelor programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UiO.
The course Comparative physiology includes a laboratory project where groups of students work on a written report with elements also present in the Master’s thesis. This way you will at an early stage learn the skills needed for your thesis.
The second semester you will take MBV4320 - Advanced Physiology and Cell Biology and MBV4340 - Advanced Neurobiology and start working on your thesis. You may also replace one of these courses with an optional course which can be oriented towards methods or theory from other programme options in the Master’s programme. If you wish to work more on your thesis during the second semester, you can place this course in the third or fourth semester instead. If you are taking a course which includes specialised curriculum, you should place this in the fourth semester.
If you start your studies in the Spring semester, you start on your thesis straight away and take the course MBV4010 - Methods in molecular biology and biochemistry I and MBV4030 - Laboratory methods in cellular biology the following Autumn semester.
The practical part of the programme, a 60 ECTS credit thesis, is usually carried out in a scientific environment for general physiology at the Department of Molecular Biosciences. The thesis work also includes collaboration with external institutions in regard to thesis supervision.
If you will be conducting experiments on animals, you must take the course MBV4330 - Forsøksdyrlære (Norwegian decription). In addition to the practical work with the thesis, the course will give you a foundation for becoming certified to carry out experiments on animals when you have completed the programme. The main part of this course is practical work involving animals in connection with your thesis and therefore the course does not in itself grant ECTS credits that can be used for the theoretical part of the Master’s programme.
The results from the practical part of the Master’s thesis must be presented in a written thesis. You will receive guidance throughout the programme in regard to the writing process.
In the final examination you will present your results from the practical part of the Master’s thesis in a 30 minute oral presentation. The written thesis and oral presentation will be assessed by an external examiner.
Recognition of Master courses from former education
If you are admitted to the Masters Programme and you have completed Master courses outside the University of Oslo, you may apply to have these courses recognised as part of your degree. Please contact the Department of Biosciences for more information.