Master of Science in Biotechnology

Master of Science in Biotechnology is one of 5 English-taught Biotechnology programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 3 institutions. 4 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 7,455 to EUR 8,700. 4 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students. The same programme title is offered at 2 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

The MSc in Biotechnology at DTU is a two-year graduate programme worth 120 ECTS. It builds on what you already know about biochemistry, protein and enzyme science, microbiology, molecular biology and fermentation process technology, and pushes that knowledge into real biotechnological problems.

What you study

The programme starts from your existing grounding and moves towards applying it. That covers basic research questions, the development of new cell factories, and studying how those cell factories perform in bioreactors. You also learn to collect and analyse many kinds of data using statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical models.

To point your studies towards a particular kind of biotechnology work, the programme offers specialisations. The page names these: Biosolutions, Microbiome engineering, Cell Factory Engineering, Protein Engineering, Fermentation Based BioManufacturing and Mammalian Cell Technologies.

You do not have to pick one. You can also build a personal profile as an MSc Eng in Biotechnology with no specialisation designation by combining courses from across the specialisations.

How the programme is organised

The workload is 120 ECTS over two years. DTU's MSc structure leaves room to go deep into topics you choose yourself, and there is an opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad.

There is also an international option: the joint international master's programme Life Science Engineering and Informatics, SDC, which leads to a distinct specialisation.

Work and study can be combined through the Industry Master of Science, which DTU offers across all its master's programmes. You can also work closely with Danish and international companies, either inside courses, as an individual project, or while writing your thesis.

Who it suits

This suits someone who wants to work on the shift towards a bio-based economy, where biofuels, biochemicals, pharmaceuticals, clothes and food are produced more sustainably. The work spans gene, organism and natural compound discovery, design of recombinant cell factories, fermentation design and optimisation, and purification and quality control of proteins and biochemicals.

It fits students who like the mix of scientific research and industrial application. The programme expects you to be comfortable with data analysis and modelling, not only lab work.

Admission, language and next steps

Teaching is in English. Admission is based on academic requirements and selection criteria set out on the programme's prerequisites page, so check those before you apply. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from outside Denmark can get guidance from DTU's International Admissions Office. Master's applications go directly to DTU.

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge. Other students pay a fee set by the institution.

If you want to know more before deciding, DTU's Study Guidance can answer questions on course planning, credit transfer and exemptions, and International Student Services helps new students with practical and cultural matters.

Master’s applications go straight to Technical University of Denmark, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.