Molecular and Cell Biology

Admission to Master's degree programmes Molecular and Cell Biology and Geography of Global Environmental Change

Entrance exam will be organized in two rounds during April 2024. Admission is based on the overall results of the entrance exam and the programme's capacity. It is recommended to have a Bachelor's degree in Biology or a related field of study.
1) The first round will consist of a short on-line test on April 11th, 2024. On that day, the applicants will be allowed to open the exam application at any time for specified duration. The test will consist of 20 questions from the topic areas listed below. Questions will be in the form of multiple choice or open-ended questions. Candidates' materials will also be assessed in the first round.

Required documents:

• Motivation letter (up to one page max.)
• Transcript of Records (completed courses and respective grades)
• Document of the achieved level of the English language knowledge (in case English is not the native language)

2) Those applicants who will successfuly pass the first round will be invited for an on-line interview which will be hold between April 17, 2024 and April 19, 2024, expected duration 30 minutes. The applicants will be asked 3 questions: 1 general (applicant’s introduction, experience in the field, motivation, expectations of the study) and 2 specialized from the field of molecular and cell biology. The interview will be recorded for the committee purposes and will not be made available for the public.

Applicants have to prove basic orientation in the field of molecular and cell biology at the Bachelor level in following areas:

• chemical components of cells
• intracellular compartments and transport
• cell membranes and cytoskeleton
• structure of DNA and chromosomes
• DNA replication
• processes of transcription and translation
• structure and function of proteins
• cell communication
• cell cycle and cell death

More information can be found here.

In the first stage, the applicant must obtain at least 30 points out of 40.

• On-line test (max. 20 points)
• Quality of the required documents (max. 20 points)

In the second stage, the applicant must obtain at least 80 points out of 100.

• exam interview (max. 75 points)
• expressing motivation (max. 12,5 points)
• English language skills (max. 12,5 points)

Molecular and Cell Biology represents the specific field of study providing basis for all other disciplines of modern biology. The aim of this program is to offer the Master education to English-speaking students who completed the Bachelor studies in Biology in various profilations. The study allows to understand unifying features and connections among different phenomena in biology. The study programme is composed to explain principles of molecular and cell biology using various model systems - in microorganisms as well as plant/animal/human cells. The graduates should be able to extend the studies for postgraduate (PhD.) level as well as get a job in basic or applied research institutes or clinical laboratories.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• comprehend molecular basis of fundamental phenomena occurring in microbial, plant, animal and human cells
• understand principles and basic techniques of molecular and cell biology
• perform research of specific cell phenomenon under guidance of supervisor and interpret the results obtained
• present results of experimental research work in both written and oral forms
• participate in experimental design of research project
• process various biological samples and use them for basic analyses using techniques of molecular and cell biology

Excellent theoretical background and practical skills you will obtain during the studies should provide you with sufficient flexibility to adapt fast and easy to demands of future employees and become valuable members of their laboratories. You accupation profile will be attractive for potential emplyers, such as research institutions and universities performing basic research in the field of molecular and cell biology as well as institutes oriented to applied research, biotechnology, private and public clinics, hospitals, especially dealing with molecular diagnostics and assisted reproduction.

The key practical training in experimental laboratory work you will obtain by performing research for diploma thesis under guidance of experienced superviser. You will get your own diploma research project and you will have to learn adequate methods and perform experiments to reach its specific aims. You will be also trained to learn how to present scientific data (both in oral and written form) to community of researchers in the field of molecular and cell biology.

Diploma thesis is a key part of the study. It represents a research project with clearly defined specific aims to be accomplished by each student. The project has to be designed as usual for any research projects in this field: to clarify certain biological phenomenon using methods of molecular and cell biology. Optimizing methodology is not considered as research project in this sense. Formally, the thesis has to be written in concordance with internal rules determining its extent and structure, and it has to document capability of the student to introduce the area of his/her research, specify the aims, material and methods a results obtained. In an independent chapter students have to prove capabilty of free-thinking and intepretation of the results in context of data published earlier.

There are several options to continue in studies on doctoral level. Graduates will be ready to enter one of the following PhD degree study programmes accredited at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University: Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics, Animal Physilogy, Plant Physiology and Microbiology.