Bachelor in Biological Chemistry

Bachelor in Biological Chemistry is one of 3 English-taught Chemistry programmes at bachelor’s level in the register, offered by 2 institutions. 3 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 2 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

The Bachelor's degree in Biological Chemistry at Johannes Kepler University Linz is a joint programme with the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czechia. You earn two degrees: a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Bachelor (Bc). All courses are taught in English, and you need English at level B2 to be admitted.

What you study

The programme covers the chemistry you need to understand biological processes, with a strong hands-on laboratory component. The areas of specialisation are:

• Chemistry: general, organic, inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry, in class and in labs.
• Mathematics and Physics: differentiation, integration, statistics, Fourier transforms, series expansion, linear algebra, the main theorems of thermodynamics, mechanics and quantum mechanics.
• Bioinformatics: the foundations of phylogenetics and sequence analysis.
• Biochemistry: the chemical processes in the body and the building blocks of life.
• Molecular Biology: from DNA to RNA to protein, how biological molecules are structured, synthesised and interact.

You learn to work safely in a lab and to use analytical techniques such as antibody testing, chromatography, electrophoresis, calorimetry, mass spectrometry, patch clamp methodology, PCR and protein sequencing. Structural analysis includes DNA and RNA sequencing, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, molecular dynamics simulation, NMR and Raman spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Preparative techniques include CRISPR-Cas9, cloning, organic synthesis, recombinant protein expression and ultracentrifugation. You also work on social skills: working in an interdisciplinary team, communicating findings to a wider audience and writing an academic paper.

How the programme is organised

The degree takes 6 semesters and 180 ECTS credits, full time. You study at two universities and split your time between them:

• 1st and 2nd semester: JKU Linz, Austria.
• 3rd and 4th semester: University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia.
• 5th semester: JKU Linz.
• 6th semester: divided between both universities, for the Bachelor's thesis and final exam.

You do not commute between the two universities; you spend an academic year at each. New students must complete the Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase (StEOP) at the start, and until you pass all StEOP courses your choice of classes is limited. The programme requires two hands-on theses: a more biologically oriented thesis at the University of South Bohemia during the second year, and a final Bachelor's thesis at JKU that focuses more on chemistry.

Who it suits

This programme suits you if you want to work at the interface of biology and chemistry and are ready to study in two countries. You should be comfortable with lab work and with the mathematical and physical concepts behind a STEM degree. The programme is taught entirely in English, so you should be ready to study at level B2. If you want a single campus and a single degree, this joint structure is not for you. If you want international experience and two Bachelor's degrees, it is built around that.

Admission, language and next steps

To be admitted you need general higher education entrance qualifications, such as an Austrian Matura or a German Abitur, and proof of English proficiency at level B2. You can start in either the winter or the summer semester, but the programme recommends starting in the winter semester; starting in summer can delay completion within 6 semesters. You register to enrol at JKU, and the University of South Bohemia's Department of Student Affairs contacts you at the beginning of the semester with the information you need. There is no central application portal: apply directly to the institution, and its own page gives the application period. At a public university, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester. The detailed curriculum and course catalogue are available from JKU.

The undergraduate degree programme in Biological Chemistry focuses on the following:

Chemistry: general, organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry, during class and in lab exercises you will get to know the basics of different types of chemistry.

Mathematics and Physics: you will learn about the required mathematical and physical concepts needed for any STEM major, such as differentiation, integration, statistics, Fourier transforms, series expansion, linear algebra, main theorems of thermodynamics, mechanics and quantum mechanics.

Bioinformatics: How do you analyse biological data? Learn more about the foundations of phylogenetics and sequence analysis.

Biochemistry: you will delve deep into learning about our body's chemical processes to learn more about the building blocks of life.

Molecular Biology: From DNA to RNA and protein: How are biological molecules structured? How are they synthesised? How do they interact with each other.

gemeinsam mit der südböhmischen Universität in Budweis als grenzüberschreitendes interuniversitäres Studium

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Johannes Kepler University Linz. For most bachelor’s programmes at public universities the general application period ends on 5 September for the winter semester and on 5 February for the summer semester. The dates are earlier for applicants from outside the EU/EEA and for programmes with an entrance procedure, so confirm the exact date on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.