Solving challenges generated by the growing human population such as preserving biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable development requires a deep understanding of the biological processes that shape life on earth. Acquiring such knowledge requires research in various disciplines of biology such as cell biology, physiology or ecology.

The specialization Biosciences immerses students in the forefront of research in these disciplines.

Within this specialization, students can choose between three different directions

1. Cell and Molecular Biology
2. Physiology
3. Ecology, Behavior and Evolution.

Compulsory courses (82.5 ECTS)

• Experts in Teams (7.5 ECTS)
• Study design (7.5 ECTS)
• Academic and career training in Biology (7.5 ECTS)
• Master thesis (60 ECTS)

Optional courses (37.5 ECTS)

• This specialization offers around 25-30 courses (7.5 ECTS each) to tailor your individual subject interests.
• You can choose to do an internship during your 2nd year of studies as part of your optional courses (7.5 ECTS). 

Each direction includes specific courses providing students with advanced knowledge in these different disciplines. The specialization offers a wide variety of research projects including research in fundamental or applied science, in the lab or in the field, as well as theoretical projects. Projects can entirely belong to one of the three specific directions, or they can be at the intersection of these different disciplines.

Many projects are developed in collaboration with external research institutions. During the study, emphasis is placed on a good comprehension of the scientific process, from the establishment of a theory, the test of predictions through appropriate study design, the data analysis and the interpretation and presentation of the results.   

Well functioning ecosystems provide us with a broad range of provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting ecosystem services all of which are fundamentally sustained by biodiversity. This is the foundation of our livelihoods and our societal welfare. However, biodiversity is under increasing threat due to rapid changs in land use, overexploitation of populations, climate change, pollution, and the spread of invasive alien species. As a result, we are not only loosing unique biodiversity in the ecosystems of nature, but we are loosing nature’s contributions to people, benefits that are crucial to our existence, our society and future welfare. 

Compulsory courses (90 ECTS)

• Interdisciplinary Project for Environmental Sustainability (7.5 ETCS)
• Natural Resources Planning & Management (7.5 ECTS)
• Experts in Teams (7.5 ECTS)
• Academic and career training in Biology (7.5 ECTS)
• Master thesis (60 ECTS)

Optional courses (30 ECTS)

• This specialization offers around 10-15 courses (7.5 ECTS each) to tailor your individual subject interests.
• You can choose to do an internship during your 2nd year of studies as part of your optional courses (7.5 ECTS). 

To address this urgent challenge, transformative changes across all sectors of society are needed. This transition demands an interdisciplinary approach that combines knowledge with a holistic understanding of sustainability, including environmental, economic, and social dimensions. It also requires strong collaboration and communication across disciplines, bridging academic communities and engaging with both public and private sectors.  

Students in the BNM spezialisation participate in joint interdisciplinary courses alongside students from the Master's program in Geography. These courses are designed to deepen understanding of how Earth's natural resources are managed and conserved, integrating perspectives from both the natural sciences and the social sciences. In addition, BNM students take elective courses in biology. 
 
The specialization offers a wide variety of master projects which are directly or indirectly related to management of biodiversity. In addition to projects hosted by NTNU, many projects are developed in collaboration with external research institutions. 

At this specialization you will join the Nordic Academy of Biodiversity and Systematic Studies (NABiS).

NABiS is an educational collaboration between 7 of the largest universities in Scandinavia, focusing on theoretical and practical taxonomic skills needed for work on biodiversity and its conservation.

Compulsory courses (80 ECTS)

• Fundamental and molecular systematics (10 ECTS)
• Alphataxonomical principles (10 ECTS)
• Master thesis (60 ECTS)

Optional courses (40 ECTS)

• This specialization offers around 10-15 courses to tailor your individual subject interests.
• The optional credits are 5-10 ECTS each.

The specialization is designed to tailor individual student's interests and goals. The elective portfolio offers a wide range of subjects, and courses are continually updated to reflect developments in all areas of biodiversity and systematics research.

The specialization provides a thorough introduction to biodiversity and systematics including identification skills in one or more groups of organisms. The program will provide an overview of living organisms and kinship / classification between them, species formation and evolutionary history and processes underlying diversity patterns, as well as knowledge about the rules for naming of species.

The thesis is a substantial element of work that focuses learning on an area of particular interest to the student. The Nordic Master’s in Biodiversity and Systematics provides an intellectually challenging learning environment with roots in a research group and a wide range of courses, distributed across the Nordic countries, combining theoretical studies with practical elements.

The courses will be taught as a combination of assisted e-learning and intensive field or lab sessions where students and teachers meet for a short period of time at the host university or at a field station.