General description

The combination of research knowledge and entrepreneurial thinking spurs medical progress. If the translation of findings from basic research into the world of business succeeds, ideas turn into marketable products, therapies and applications. Conversely, research can be inspired by practical needs in the life sciences.
Would you like to acquire know-how and skills in this field? Then the new Minor in BioMed Entrepreneurship (BEP, 30 ECTS) is for you.
This specialized Minor is a joint program of the Faculty of Science (MNF) and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine · IREM, Faculty of Medicine (MeF). It offers a specialization in a field of expertise, which can be beneficial when defining the later professional profile.

Admission requirements

The following academic degrees exempt the holder from having to pass any further examinations for admission to the a Master’s degree course: -A Bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Science of the University of Zurich, whereby the Faculty determines which types of the Bachelor's degree are required for admission to the respective Master's degree courses. - Corresponding degrees of Swiss and foreign universities which are generally recognized by the Faculty, or recognized by subject. In terms of paragraph 1, such degrees are reviewed according to the stipulations of § 3 of the Bologna guideline of the Swiss University Conference. Further possibilities for admission to a Master’s degree course: the Faculty assesses all other qualifications, in particular those from universities of applied sciences, according to its own criteria, whereby. The principle of equal treatment applies to assessing the equivalence of Bachelor's degrees The Faculty can require the fulfillment of additional conditions in form of evidence of academic achievement. The Faculty decides about the acceptance of academic achievements and credit points which were obtained elsewhere.

Specific requirements

The minor is particularly suitable for master students in the last academic year.
Requirements for admission:
1. Admission is by application, the number of places per year is limited. Fully submitted application documents are a prerequisite for admission (see www.bep.uzh.ch).
2. Students who have a completed Bachelor of Science degree in a scientific or medical field of study from the UZH or the ETH Zurich with at least 120 ECTS credits in life sciences (biology, biochemistry, biomedicine, chemistry, business chemistry, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, physics) are eligible.
Students with a Bachelor's degree from another university can apply if they are enrolled in a Master's program in the UZH Faculty of Science.
3. Classes are taught in English. Students must be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English, at least level C1 according to the scaling of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), unless English is their first language, or they have already completed the BSc in English. Recognized English diplomas can be found on the following page: https://www.uzh.ch/cmsssl/en/studies/application/languagerequirements.html
4. If more applications are received than places are available, further criteria apply:
a. Overall grade of the Bachelor's degree or of an equivalent degree.
b. Proof of motivation and quality of the application.
c. Additional qualifications relevant to the field of study.
5. The modules of the minor program can only be taken by students of the Minor in BioMed Entrepreneurship. They are not available for students of other programs, mobility students and auditors.

Educational goals

Graduates of a Minor in BioMed Entrepreneurship are able to:
1. recognize and formulize company-relevant questions for the translation of scientific knowledge;
2. acquire in-depth knowledge through independent work;
3. apply methods of interdisciplinary collaboration and understand the value of interdisciplinarity;
4. analyze theories and case studies to critically evaluate their results and incorporate them into concrete projects;
5. understand the various dimensions of entrepreneurial implementation and their significance in specialist and operational contexts;
6. communicate knowledge and complex interrelationships in a way that is appropriate for a range of different stakeholders.

ECTS credits

30 ECTS Credits

Program structure

The Minor in BioMed Entrepreneurship has a scope of 30 ECTS credits and can only be completed within the framework of a Master's degree at the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Medicine. The curriculum consists of five compulsory modules: a lecture and three block courses, which take place in the fall semester, and an internship.

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

English