General description

Biomedicine studies functions of human body and analyze physiological processes both in health and diseases. At the interface of natural sciences, medicine and mathematics; biomedical research investigates biological processes leading to diseases on cellular and molecular level. The better knowledge of these mechanism is the base for further development of diagnostical and therapeutic methods ultimately leading to improvement of the healthcare. The analysis of large amounts of data generated in biomedical research requires application of several mathematical applications (programming, database analysis). Hence, biomedicine is a part of translational medicine, which combines methods from the natural sciences and clinical research. Nevertheless, there is a clearly distant from human medicine, which focuses on diagnosis and treatment of patients.
In order to check the suitability for the study program and to verify the interest, the following questions may help: Do you have a strong interest in natural sciences? Are you interested in the functions of the human body? Do you want to do research that contributes to diagnoses, treatment and prevention of diseases? Do you want to become an expert in solving biomedical problems and their translation to therapies?
After the bachelor's degree (see study structure) follows the automatic transfer to the Study Program Master Biomedicine, which includes the one-year master's thesis on an individually chosen topic and thematically complementary theoretical and practical modules (see Master Study Program).
Graduates of the study program Biomedicine are employed in basic and clinical research at universities, research institutions and hospitals but also in pharmaceutical and life sciences industry. Many graduates work as expert support for authorities and public health sector, in science communication and teaching; as well as in all life sciences areas where analytical, structured thinking together with essential networking is required. Many graduates pursue their scientific carrier further in PhD thesis. However, graduates of biomedicine do not exercise any medical activity with a direct contact to patients. For this purpose, a degree in human medicine is required. In many areas, however, there is close professional cooperation between these two disciplines. The common expertise and understanding on the one hand and the different competences and skills on the other hand, promote and improve the comprehensive (clinical and scientific) development of medical care and health care

Admission requirements

The conditions for admission to the Bachelor’s degree programme are regulated in: „Verordnung über die Zulassung zum Studium an der Universität Zürich (VZS)".

Branch of studies

Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical sciences

Educational goals

Graduates of the Major Study Program Bachelor in Biomedicine (150 ECTS Credits) are able to apply their sound knowledge in scientific, biological and medical subjects as well as in biostatistics and bioinformatics in the solution of biomedical questions in theory and practice and to recognize, describe and explain biomedical concepts and phenomena.

Career possibilities

A permanent professional position is hardly possible with a Bachelor’s degree, at best it is only possible to do an internship or to enter a training program in private or public companies. The prerequisite for employment is normally a Master’s degree.

ECTS credits

150 ECTS Credits

Program structure

The compulsory modules (110 ECTS) of the basic studies (1st-4th semester) cover the natural sciences (chemistry, physics, biochemistry), the basic and applied mathematics (analysis, statistics, programming, data analysis), the relevant biological subjects (molecular genetics, cell biology, evolution and developmental biology of humans, microbiology, neurobiology) and the medical subjects (anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, immunology, virology). In the elective modules (40 ECTS) of the advanced studies (5th and 6th semester), knowledge of molecular and cellular mechanisms of important human diseases is acquired, as well as biomedical research methods for their diagnosis, therapy and prevention. The main part of the 3rd year of study is formed by practical courses in research courses of the Faculty (e.g. in the Institutes of Physiology, Medical Virology, Experimental Immunology, Molecular Cancer Research, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Molecular Life Sciences, Anatomy, quantitative biomedicine, etc.) and in various University hospitals in Zurich.
There, students get the possibility to find their thematic priority within biomedicine or to choose a program within the Biology Master.

Part-time studies

Part-time studies are well possible due to the modular structure of the basic study period. However, the duration of studies will be extended and it must be noted that the sequence of compulsory modules of the basic study period is constructive. The third regular year of studies for the Bachelor's degree (advanced studies) contains block courses and lectures that take up the whole working week. Part-time students thus have to organize their time in advanced studies to ensure their presence in coherent time blocks of at least three and a half weeks. If necessary, the study counselling service can be contacted.

Major/minor subject combinations

The Major Study Program in Biomedicine worth 150 ECTS Credits can be combined with a Minor Study Program worth 30 ECTS credits. Minor Study Programs can be chosen from the entire range of subjects offered by the University of Zurich. A Minor Study Program starts in the second year of study. In the second year of study, all elective modules are replaced with modules of the Minor Study Program (10 ECTS), in the third year a part of elective modules are replaced with modules of the Minor Study Program (20 ECTS).

Examination and assessment regulations

The student's achievement is assessed at the end of each module.
Achievements are graded on a scale from 1 to 6, whereby 6 denotes the highest grade of achievement and 1 the lowest. A grade below 4 is insufficient. Achievements can also be graded with 'passed' or 'failed'.

Language of instruction

German, English