Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences

BSc in Biomedical Sciences

Why this program?

The bachelor's program in Biomedical Sciences explores how the human body works in day-to-day life, during periods of illness, while aging and while performing to the very best of its ability. You explore the relationship between human beings and their environment from the molecule, to gene, to cell and organ, to individual and to entire populations. The program is often described as the ‘research side of medicine’. So if you would like to make a contribution to the health and wellbeing of others, but would prefer to not become a doctor, Biomedical Sciences is the right choice for you.

Walk through the information on this website to get a first impression. If that information triggers you into thinking "that I want to see and experience for myself" it is a good idea to come and visit us during our Open Day and Experience Days!

Broad and flexible program

The flexible nature of the program means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to specialize. You’ll start by taking mandatory courses, followed by several electives and a minor. This means you’ll have the opportunity to select the topics that best fit your talents and ambitions, allowing you to develop a unique professional profile within the field of biomedical sciences. A personal mentor will guide you in the decisions you'll have to make. You’ll complete your bachelor’s by writing a thesis.

At the interface of research, medicine, and biology

Though this program shares common ground with both biology and medicine, it has a notable different emphasis. ​In biology, you study the links between biological species and their environment. In medicine, you study the phenomenon of illness with the objective to heal individual patients. As a biomedical scientist (and a student Biomedical Sciences), you don't treat or get into contact with patients. Instead, you use scientific knowledge to gain insight into the processes underlying human health and disease.

Five themes

• Living: chemistry of life, cells, organization and communication in tissues
• Protecting: threats, immunity, lymphatic system, infection and infectious diseases, epidemiology
• Acting: moving, sensing your position, nervous system and musculoskeletal system
• Thriving: oxygen supply, nutrient processing, maintenance of physiological equilibrium and nutrition
• Populating: inheritance, reproduction, development and growth, hormones and evolution

Developing competencies

Next to biomedical content, the bachelor’s program in Biomedical Sciences explicitly focuses on training and developing academic and professional competences. These competencies will be valuable in your future career and will give you a head start compared to students at other universities. You are stimulated to improve your competences in three main clusters:

Communicator:

• You are able to communicate about your work.
• You can collaborate with people that have a different specialism or a different cultural background.

Professional:

• You have a professional work ethic.
• You can maintain professional relationships with others.
• You are able to manage and coordinate the work that needs to be done.
• You can manage your own time.

Investigator:

• You are curious and inquisitive.
• You are willing and able to explore problems and find answers.
• You can think critically.
• You have basic research and problem-solving skills.
• You would like to contribute towards the dissemination of knowledge.
• You are interested in the way in which scientific knowledge is obtained, and in the way in which it evolves.

Small groups=big advantages

At Maastricht University, courses are taught using Problem-Based Learning (PBL). In small groups of up to twelve students, you’ll work on practical assignments that approach a biomedical theme from different angles. You’ll gain knowledge, and you’ll also learn how to collaborate, present and set up a laboratory project. Practical and research skills training sessions are also included. You discuss a given problem, set learning goals, study relevant literature and then meet to discuss your findings. You do this independently, but always under the supervision of a tutor.

MaRBLe excellence program

Through the Maastricht Research-Based Learning program, MaRBLe for short, we offer talented third-year bachelor’s students the opportunity to conduct their own research project. You will be guided by experienced academic staff who will help you further develop your critical thinking and research skills. This will help prepare you for a career in scientific research or research positions in business.

The flexibility of the programme insures that you can pursue many different career paths after you’ve graduated. Your knowledge of the human body and the physiological and molecular processes that take place ensures that you'll be very popular amongst employers. After all, you are not only an expert in the field that you specialised in, you have also had a lot of practical training in things such as communicating, writing, presenting and collaborating with people from other disciplines. This makes you an ideal candidate for many different positions, both in the Netherlands and abroad.