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.
The Minor Study Program in Biomedicine (60 ECTS) is suitable for students who have a keen interest in the natural sciences and medicine, wish to understand the structure and functions of the human body and are interested in how diseases develop and how they can be detected and treated at the molecular and cellular level. In order to understand the contents, in-depth knowledge of natural sciences and biology is necessary, therefore the subjects of chemistry, physics and biochemistry as well as genetics and cell biology must be completed as compulsory modules. Students should therefore have an interest in human biology and medicine as well as the willingness to deepen their knowledge of the natural sciences. This often requires additional effort, especially in the case of a Major Study Program outside the Faculty of Science.
Completion of the Minor Study Program in Biomedicine enables students to specialize in the field of health and medicine. In combination with the respective Major Study Program, there are career opportunities in clinical psychology, in the life science industry, for the approval of medicines, in the field of health education and prevention, or in the field of health communication. The combination with the Major Study Program in Biology is particularly suitable for the teaching diploma for Matura schools with biology as the first subject. The Minor Study Program in biomedicine is only offered at bachelor level.

Admission requirements

The provisions laid out in the framework ordinance for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs and the provisions defined in the program regulations at the Faculty of Science of the University of Zurich, apply.

Branch of studies

Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical sciences

Educational goals

Graduates from the minor study program (60 ECTS credits) Biomedicine are able to

• apply their foundational knowledge of fundamental subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology to address biomedical questions.
  
• recognize, describe and explain important biomedical concepts and phenomena.
  
• find, summarize and critically evaluate information using the primary and secondary literature.
  
• effectively communicate scientific hypotheses and results in written and oral form.
  

ECTS credits

60 ECTS Credits

Program structure

The Minor Study Program in Biomedicine (60 ECTS credits) teaches in the basic studies the relevant principles in chemistry, physics and biochemistry, in genetics and cell biology as well as anatomy and physiology of the human body.
In the advanced studies, the molecular and cellular reasons, processes and treatments of important human diseases were taught. There are no practical courses and research projects in the Minor Study Program.

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