Education

The Master programme in Plant Biology emphasizes the fundamental understanding of plants from the molecular genetic to the organismal level. In particular, students will experience, both in theory and in their experimental work, how the interconnected networks of genes and gene products work together in steering processes in plants, e.g. during development or under specific environmental conditions.

Apart from plant biology, students are encouraged to broaden their educational skills in areas such as cell and structural biology, genetics, microbiology and plant protection, systems biology and metabolism.

In plant biotechnology students learn how their knowledge can contribute to crop improvement.

As members of the Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center , ETH Master students also benefit from joint PSC courses and courses given at the other two universities.

The successful completion of the Master programme in Plant Biology prepares the student for a professional career in scientific research areas concerned with plant-related questions on the molecular, cellular and systems level. It provides a solid scientific background for further academic studies towards a PhD followed by postdoctoral training, but also provides the Master graduates with a scientific profile desired for competitive positions in biotechnology, agriculture, and the agrochemical and biomedical industry.