• A fondness for working with computers
• An interest in the analysis of biological data outside of the lab
• An affinity for logical and analytical thinking
• An interest in mathematics
• Sufficient English language skills to be able to understand relevant specialist literature and take part in courses held in English

You must provide proof of a bachelor’s degree in Biology or an equivalent degree. You must also possess basic programming skills. If you do not possess these, you may make up for them by passing the lecture course “Introduction to Programming” (Einführung in die Programmierung) from the Computer Science bachelor’s program by the end of the first academic year.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the examination regulations.

In the first two semesters, you will focus on the fundamentals of computer science and mathematics. You will learn how to understand algorithms and develop and run small programs. Additionally, you will take courses in biology and related fields.

In the second and third semester, you will learn about algorithms and methods in bioinformatics. You will then apply this knowledge in practice-oriented classes in computer science and biology. In the computer science elective, you can expand your knowledge of interesting topics like machine learning.

In the third and fourth semesters, you will apply cutting-edge bioinformatic methods to concrete research questions from the field of biology. The master’s thesis will be written on an interdisciplinary topic from the intersection of computer science and biology.

Weighting of the content of the degree program for the final grade:

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

We recommend going abroad during the third academic semester.

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

As a bioinformatician, you will be sought after in every professional field in which biological data is generated and analyzed. Typical employers include companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and chemical industries, providers of applications in the natural sciences, and research institutions.

Thanks to the interdisciplinary education in bioinformatics with a particular focus on the intersection of life sciences and computer science, graduates of this program are in a good position to apply their skills in other interdisciplinary fields as well. These sought-after skills include:

• Programming skills
• Software development
• The ability to understand and efficiently apply bioinformatic algorithms and methods
• Data analysis of data sets from the field of biology
• Analytical thinking
• The ability to work independently

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.