Bachelor studies in Molecular Biology
The bachelor´s programme leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology. It is a three-year programme (180 ECTS credits).
Main content
New student?
The first weeks of term contain many different events for new students. You will be given a chance get to know your fellow students, be it through lectures and colloquiums, or by getting involved in student organisations. The molecular biology student council, Heliks, arrange different events and meetings throughout the year.
Here you will find information about admission to and content in the Bachelor's Programme in Molecular Biology.
The transition from upper secondary school mathematics and the mathematics taught at university might be a big one, and we advise all our new bachelor students to attend the refresher course in mathematics, week 32, before the official start of term.
Everyday student life
More information on everyday student life can be found at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
Programme Structure
To succeed as a molecular biology student, it is important to give it your best from the start and get into good habits early.
You will notice that as a student at the university you will have a lot of freedom, regarding for example what courses to take and when to take them. The only thing we do ask is that you take all the compulsory courses as well as enough elective courses to you meet the requirements of the bachelor’s degree in molecular biology.
Be aware that most of the courses mandatory in the bachelor degree, is taught in Norwegian.
During your degree you must complete
- MOL100, MOL200, MOL201, MOL221, MOL222, MOL203, and MOL204
- Exphil
- MAT101 or MAT111, and another course in either mathematics or statistics
- KJEM110, KJEM130 and another course in chemistry
- Six elective courses, totalling 60 sp.
Many courses have other courses as prerequisites, whereas others only advise you take other courses before embarking on the next. We have made a nominal course of study – this is how we advise you to organize your bachelor’s degree.
1st year
The first semester you will take Exphil, mathematics, and chemistry. In Exphil you can choose between the seminar model and a regular exam. You have got the choice of two types of mathematics of varying difficulty; MAT101 or MAT111. As the first chemistry course, most students take KJEM110 the first semester, as it’s a compulsory course in the degree. However, if you think KJEM110 looks too difficult, we would advise you to take KJEM100 first.
The second semester you will take your first molecular biology course, MOL100 – Introduction to molecular biology. You will also take two other courses. If you took KJEM100 the first semester, you will take KJEM110 and KJEM130 this semester. If you took KJEM110 the first semester you are free to choose another subject.
2nd year
The third semester you will take MOL200 – Metabolism; reactions, regulation and compartmentalisation. As a full-time student you need to take an additional two courses, and many choose one or two courses in mathematics or statistics this semester.
The fourth semester is the spring you will be moving in to the laboratory! MOL221 – Experimental molecular biology I and MOL222 – Experimental molecular biology II are courses which takes a lot of time and effort, but our students find it very exciting. Here you will really get into and try different methods and techniques in biochemistry and molecular biology. MOL201 – Molecular Cell Biology is also taken this semester.
3rd year
In your fifth semester you take MOL203- Gene structure and function as well as MOL204- Applied bioinformatics. The third subject this semester is an elective, and one course that could be an option is MOL231 – Project in molecular biology. In this course you work on one of the research projects at the department alongside master students, PhD students as well as researchers. It is a little taster on working in a real lab environment, and our master students who took this course as a part of their bachelor’s degree say they really benefited from it.
In the sixth and final semester all courses are electives, and you can go for other courses in molecular biology, take more chemistry or mathematics, take biology courses or even take courses at other faculties at the university. Many students choose this term to study abroad.
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