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Application Deadline: July 2, 2023
As a commencing student you may have many questions: What does the desired course of studies teach me? How do I apply? What are the requirements for admission to studying at MCI, and what is the application deadline? What are my career options after graduation? Below you will find all the answers and information you may need.
With its focus on industrial and pharmaceutical biotechnology, the program enables graduates to convert bio scientific laboratory findings into full-scale industrial processes.
The degree program Biotechnology at MCI
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Welcome to MCI - The Entrepreneurial School®
The Biotechnology Master’s degree program at MCI is designed for motivated bio-scientists who seek to apply their knowledge in the development of new products. Assuming basic training in a relevant discipline, such as biotechnology or biology, the program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, revise, and optimize biotechnological processes, from the genetic foundations to the final product. Graduates of this Master’s degree program operate at the interface of engineering and science.
Biotechnology applies the principles and structures of nature to create new technological processes and products. With its enormous potential for growth and professional development, biotechnology is considered a key discipline of the 21st century. On the one hand, this is due to the advancement of biomedical research and, on the other hand, this is owed to the chemical industry, which gives rise to an increased need for more sustainable and efficient processes.
If you have any questions about the study program, please contact us.
Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis. The required documents are to be submitted online. Applicants are welcome to apply for multiple programs of study, as long as a plausible rationale is given. The final decision may be taken by the end of the application procedures.
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The requirements for admission to the Master’s degree program in Biotechnology include a relevant Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent post-secondary education.
The Master’s degree program is designed as a follow-up to the Bachelor’s degree program in Biotechnology & Food Engineering or related studies at the Bachelor’s level. Graduates of programs with a curriculum including a minimum number of relevant classes may also be admitted. This applies, in particular, to graduates of biology, pharmacy, and biochemistry courses. The relevance of courses is assessed by the respective head of department and studies, who also decides whether a degree can be recognized.
In just two steps to your desired study program at MCI:
Step 1 – Online application: CV & motivation
A complete online application consists of a CV, a letter of motivation, information on educational background, qualifications, professional career, social achievements and academic as well as professional goals. We would like to know why you are applying to study at MCI.
You may apply for more than one degree program at the same time, provided you can conclusively explain your respective motivations in your letter of motivation.
Step 2 – Online admission interview
In the second step, all applicants will be invited to an online admission interview.
In this interview, we want to get to know you. We are particularly interested in your motivation to study at MCI as well as your professional and personal goals you want to achieve with the help of your studies.
Within three weeks after the admission interview, we will inform you about the admission decision.
MCI study programs stand out due to the quality of their content, relevance to the business world, and their international orientation. The close cooperation with partners from industry and integrative internships enable students to gain practical experience as early as in their Bachelor’s studies. In addition to providing expert knowledge, MCI places great importance on encouraging personal development and the development of social and intercultural competencies.
The program includes methodological modules in molecular biotechnology, bioprocess engineering, biotechnological separation processes, bioanalysis, and bioinformatics. In addition, it offers a range of modules to illustrate various applications of biotechnology such as in pharmaceutical biotechnology, food biotechnology, or industrial biotechnology. The program thus presents a unique combination of molecular biotechnology and industrial as well as pharmaceutical biotechnology. Moreover, it provides students with the opportunity to spend their third or fourth semester at one of MCI’s international partner institutions, or to write their Master’s thesis abroad.
Semester Credit Units| ECTS-Credits
Full-time
The Masterprogram Biotechnology is a full-time degree program. In full-time studies, lectures and seminars are held on weekdays, with blocked units allowing for an intensive immersion into individual topics.
The classes usually take place from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:15 and / or from 13:00 to 16:15. In exceptional cases, the times may vary and the lessons and / or examinations may take place outside the specified times or possibly on Saturdays.
Optional double degree with the Medical University of Innsbruck (Connected Programs, Molecular Medicine)
Optional double degree with the University of Padua
Roche:
Roche, the world's leading pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, is sponsoring students at MCI as part of a study cooperation. Selected students of the Master's program in Biotechnology are given the opportunity to take up employment during their studies. During the semester breaks, they gain practical experience in the company and receive grants throughout the entire duration of their contract. The exact procedure is explained in the first semester at an information event by a Roche representative. Interested parties must go through an admission procedure at Roche.
Novartis/Sandoz:
The international biopharmaceutical company Novartis/Sandoz supports students at the MCI within the framework of a study cooperation. Interested students can apply for cooperation positions as early as the end of the first semester in order to work at Novartis/Sandoz during the lecture-free periods and subsequently write their master's thesis there. During the contract period from the end of the 2nd semester until the end of their studies, students receive a monthly salary.
Graduates of the program are conferred the academic title of Master of Sciences in Engineering, in short MSc or M.Sc. This is attested by a leaving certificate, the Master diploma, the international diploma supplement, and further documents where relevant. MCI Alumni are entitled to combine their academic degree with the brand “MCI” to provide trust and orientation in an increasingly intransparent international education market. Example: BSc (MCI).Source: GZ BMWF-52.330/0195-I/6/2013
One of the most essential components of MCI study programs is their international orientation. This is reflected not only in the curriculum and assigned projects, but also in the backgrounds of our faculty and students. Each program also includes the opportunity for students to spend a semester abroad at one of MCI’s many partner institutions.
“The interdisciplinary orientation and quality of content taught in the Biotechnology program proved to be the ideal preparation for my career entry.”
JULIA MAYER; graduate of Engineering, Environmental & Biotechnology
“By covering a diverse range of topics, this course connects with the industry in a way which specialized courses of study cannot.”
STEFANIE DELUEG; graduate of Engineering, Environmental & Biotechnology
“It has been a pleasure to work with such amiable and competent students in this special environment.”
Dr. KLAUS REICHERT; director of downstream processing at Roche Diagnostics Ltd.
“MCI trains highly motivated and qualified students.”
Dr. Marco Jenzsch; head of cell fermentation and protein chemistry at Roche Diagnostics Ltd.
“Doing now what patients need next“: dazu brauchen wir bei Roche Talente, die gemeinsam mit uns innovative Technologien & Prozesse erarbeiten und implementieren. Studierende des Masterstudiengangs Biotechnologie helfen uns dabei bereits seit 2013, indem sie mit ihrer exzellenten Ausbildung und einer weltoffenen Haltung immer bereit sind, die richtigen Fragen zu stellen.
Dr. Georg Singewald, MBA; Head of Global Quality Control, Roche
"MCI is great! I have taken away so many valuable messages from the lectures. The concept at MCI of recruiting experienced and successful personalities from industry and the business world to teach is incredibly helpful. So much of what I gained from lectures regarding the business world, I can now apply in my everyday professional life. I am really proud of studying at MCI!"
SILVIA OBKIRCHER, Student Biotechnology | Master
At the Entrepreneurial School®, providing a consistent link between science and practice has top priority. Therefore, we provide our students plenty of opportunity to put their newly acquired knowledge to practice, even during their studies. The collaboration with companies and organizations of different sizes and sectors forms one of the cornerstones of the MCI concept. Such cooperative work does not only benefit our students, but also, to a large extent our partners.
Innovations from the fields of food technology, biotechnology, functional & convenience foods and bioengineering will have a decisive impact on future viability. The growing demand in this area offers the opportunity to expand research activities in a targeted manner. The central topic here is the solution of current questions that arise along the value chain, from the production of plant raw materials and algae to technological utilization and product characterization. Novel approaches from engineering and natural sciences are used.
Individual students in the Master’s degree program in Biotechnology may be employed by Roche while still studying, enabling them to gain valuable work experience during semester breaks. In addition to practical support, our students also receive a remuneration for the period of the contract in line with the current Roche pay scale.
Studying at MCI is an investment in a successful future. Through close cooperation with industry and the practical orientation of all courses, MCI graduates are in particularly high demand on the job market and have several job offers even before graduation.
Thanks to the breadth of their interdisciplinary training, graduates have a large variety of career options, with a focus on the following fields:
MCI Alumni & Friends provides a dynamic service platform promoting contacts, image, professional careers, and personal development of MCI and its graduates. We are delighted with all the graduates who choose to stay in touch even long after completion of their studies, and allowing us to be a part of their various careers:
Yes, it is possible and it is even recommended that you apply before obtaining your Bachelor’s Degree certificate in order to secure one of the limited places in your desired course of study. Please include the most recent transcript of records in your application. Should your application be successful, the Bachelor’s certificate is to be submitted by the start of your studies.
Multiple applications are welcome as long as a plausible reason is provided in your cover letter. If you are admitted to two or more study programs, you are required to inform us of your final decision by the conclusion of the application procedures.
For citizens of the following countries, the tuition fee is 363 euros per semester plus a fee for compulsory membership to the Austrian National Union of Students:
For students of non-EU countries not considered eligible according to above regulations, the tuition fee is as follows:
Your application documents regarding nationality will be assessed in detail as part of your admission procedure. Scholarships are available for applicants from non-EU countries and can be applied for as part of your online application.
Students of this study program have the choice within their curriculum, but also as part of their extracurricular activities, to choose between modules, specializations, additional courses, electives, etc. Additionally, the semester abroad at one of our numerous partner universities as well as projects and final papers, enable our students to make their study program a truly unique experience.
Lectures and seminars in full-time courses are held on weekdays. To facilitate a more intense discussion of individual topics, some lessons may also be organized in blocks.
Attendance is mandatory in all classes. If you miss 25% of a course or more, this will have an effect on your final grade.
Exemption from mandatory attendance may be granted if a valid reason is given (e.g. sickness, visit to authorities or other personal reasons). Please submit your written request including relevant proof to the department for approval.
The Connected Programs provide you with an opportunity to obtain a double degree by completing lectures both in the Master’s Degree program in Biotechnology at MCI and the Master’s in Molecular Medicine at the Medical University of Innsbruck.
The program is designed to deepen and complement your theoretical and practical knowledge of molecular life sciences. It equips you with the professional expertise required to apply your skills to the development of respective products and services. The first and fourth semester are held at the Medical University of Innsbruck, while the second and third are taught at MCI. The fifth semester requires you to write two Master’s theses, one at each institution. This semester also includes the Master’s examination.
In order to be admitted to the Connected Programs, you have to apply to both MCI as well as the Medical University of Innsbruck and complete respective admission procedures. Should you successfully complete the procedures at both institutions, you can be admitted to the double degree.
Yes. You will be required to write two Master’s theses in English.
In order to receive a place in the double degree program, applicants are required to successfully complete admission procedures at both institutions.
Selected students of the Master’s Degree course in Biotechnology at MCI may be offered employment at Roche during their studies and thus receive the chance to use semester breaks to gain practical experience in the industry. In addition to practical support, Roche also provides MCI students with financial compensation for the duration of the contract in accordance with current regulations of the company. Students interested in taking part in the cooperation have to go through respective admission procedures at Roche. An information session held by Roche representatives in the first semester provides you with all relevant information.
Yes. The third or fourth semester can be spent at one of our partner institutions. You may also choose to complete either one of these semesters as a research semester to write your Master’s thesis at a foreign institution. For those of you who do not wish to leave Innsbruck, we also provide the option of completing the third semester together with incoming students from our partner institutions at MCI. During this semester, all lectures will be held in English.
