BSc in Molecular Life Sciences
Nijmegen, Netherlands
BSc
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Apr 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Final deadline for EU students: 01.07.2026| Deadline for EU students who want to get assistance with housing: 01.05.2026
* Institutional tuition fee EU/EEA: €13,020.00 | For non-EU/EEA students: €17,809.00
Key Summary
Combine chemistry, biology, and medical sciences in a challenging program. Unravel the workings of healthy and diseased cells and gain the fundamental knowledge necessary for medical innovation.
Something for you?
- Medical challenges can only be solved with a combined expertise in chemistry, biology, medical sciences, physics, and mathematics. This Bachelor's combines all these fields in a challenging programme.
- With our many fundamental molecular and (organic) chemistry research groups at Radboud University, and biomedical and clinical departments at Radboudumc, you will study and work at the forefront of molecular and medical sciences.
- Use unique research facilities: lasers, microscopes, genome-wide DNA technologies, and high field magnets.
Why study Molecular Life Sciences in Nijmegen?
Many medical challenges can only be solved by combining expertise from chemistry, biology, medical sciences, information technology, physics, and mathematics. In the Bachelor's program of Molecular Life Sciences you will study concepts from all these fields to work towards molecular solutions. You will receive a solid foundation in molecular and biomedical sciences, enabling you to delve into fundamental biochemistry or contribute your molecular knowledge to medical advancements. You will get acquainted with all these topics during lectures, seminars and computer practicals and perform hands-on experiments in the lab. This makes Molecular Life Sciences a challenging programme, providing you with a wide range of options to choose from.
Average contact hours first year: 30+
The Bachelor's programme of Molecular Life Sciences takes three years and prepares you for a two-year Master’s programme in Molecular Sciences or Medical Biology. The molecular foundation is laid in the first year, after which you can enhance your knowledge of the biomedical side. After a year and a half you are free to choose your own subjects. After passing your exams, you receive your degree and can call yourself a Bachelor of Science (BSc).
Structure of the study week
As a Molecular Life Sciences student, you have a full-time study week of 40 hours, in which you experience different modes of instruction. Most courses involve both lectures and tutorials, which account for about 40% of your study time. Tutorials involve about 20-30 students. You also spend about a quarter of your time on practicals, which includes computer practicals. Practicals are done individually, in pairs or in a group as part of a project, allowing you to work together with your student peers. The practicals are linked to the subject matter in the lectures. You are also expected to spend about a quarter of your study week on independent study.
Curriculum
Curriculum year 1
In the first year of the Bachelor's Molecular Life Sciences you study biological and chemical processes from a molecular perspective, following a combination of molecular courses and (medical) biological courses. You can analyse molecules by learning about infrared, UV and NMR spectroscopy techniques, or you can study how our livers discharge alcohol from our bodies. Of course, you also need to gain a mathematical and physical foundation. That's why especially in the first year, you follow challenging courses in physics and mathematics.
Curriculum year 2
From the second year on, the emphasis shifts more towards biomedical research. Knowledge of all fields of chemistry is extended and the relevant physical and mathematical background is deepened. In the second semester of the second year, you start your specialisation phase and compose your own programme. You can choose to specialise in medical biology or move in a biochemical direction.
Curriculum year 3
The specialisation phase continues in the third year. The first semester of the third year is designated as the Faculty’s minor and exchange semester. You can choose courses ranging from genomics, neurobiology, organic chemistry, pharmacochemistry, nanobiotechnology, biophysical chemistry, sustainable chemistry.
After your studies
Molecular Life Sciences graduates from Radboud University end up in a wide range of jobs. Ten years after starting their careers those who do not have PhDs mainly work as managers in a technological environment. Graduates with PhDs often become specialists with managerial roles. They continue with research in research departments at Radboud University or at other universities at home or abroad.
Possible occupations
- Researcher at a R&D department in industry
- Researcher at a research institute or medical centre
- Project manager/general manager
- Advisor, consultant
- Secondary school teacher
- Inspector or controller
Continue with a Master's
With a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Life Sciences, you can advance to Master's specialisations in Molecular Sciences, Medical Biology or programmes at the Faculty of Medicine (Radboudumc). Or you can get your teaching qualification by doing a Master's in education.
Molecular Sciences
Medical Biology
Faculty of Medicine
Society/management specialisations
You can choose to combine one of the research specialisations above with a societal/management specialisation. The first year of your Master's will consist of your research curriculum, and in your second year you can shift to one of the 1-year specialisations below.
Interdisciplinary Master's programmes
Additional admission requirements may apply for these Master's programmes. Please check the admission requirements on the website of these programmes or contact your student adviser to discuss the possibilities.
Educational Master's
The Two-year Educational Master's in Chemistry combines chemistry subjects, didactics and internships, which trains you to become a qualified teacher in secondary or higher education.
- Two-year Educational Master's Science Education (Dutch only)