Master of Science in Life Sciences - Applied Computational Life Sciences
From Biologist to Bioinformatician. From Food Technologist to Data Analyst. From Biotechnologist to Application Developer. From Environmental Engineer to Data Scientist. From Chemist to Cheminformatician. Make your life science degree digital. Become proficient in AI, Data, and Models!
Why pursue a Master’s degree in Applied Computational Life Sciences?
The digital revolution is profoundly transforming our scientific and business world. The job market is calling for domain specialists with specific skills in AI, data, modelling and simulation. This Master's programme enables you to develop these competences and to integrate them seamlessly into your field of study from the previous Bachelor's programme.
Gain excellent career opportunities in various areas of the life sciences and establish yourself as a sought-after professional in the industry, universities, as well as in public authorities.
"At the University Hospital Zurich, a new data science project is initiated almost every week. For example, attempts are being made to use data analytics to gain new insights for the treatment of patients or to use AI models to calculate forecast probabilities for diagnoses. As a graduate of the Master's programme Applied Computational Life Sciences, I am able to understand the technical aspects of such projects and assess the possibilities and limitations of using artificial intelligence. The solid understanding of data acquired during my studies helps me in my daily work with highly sensitive data, be it in the development of database interfaces or in the programming of various applications for data transformation and integration."
Matthias Joos, Graduate and Data Solution Engineer at the University Hospital Zurich
Your background
You are fascinated by: Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics, Biomedical Simulation, Citizen Science Technologies, Climate Modelling, Complex Systems, Computational Genomics, Data Integration and Semantic Web Technologies, Digital Health, Forecasting & Decision Making, Geoinformatics, Health Technologies, Lab Information and Management Systems LIMS, Personalized Medicine, Process Optimization in Food Technology, Smart Environmental Systems, Smart Farming.
You have a Bachelor's degree in: Agronomy, Bioanalytics and Cell Biology, Biology / Biotechnology, Chemistry, Energy and Environmental Technology, Information Technology, Engineering, Food Science and Management, Food Technology, Medical Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, System Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Environmental Technology, Forest Sciences or similar (admission with other degrees may be granted at the programme directors' discretion).
Career: What a Master’s degree in Life Sciences in Applied Computational Life Sciences will allow you to do.
This specialisation in Applied Computational Life Sciences lays the foundation for a career in a rapidly developing field.
The possibilities for graduates are almost endless. Many find employment during their studies. They work as data analysts, data scientists, application developers or researchers in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, agro-food, environment and medicine.
Suitable students have the opportunity to be accepted onto our Data Science PhD programme run in collaboration with other Swiss universities.
Good reasons for a Master’s study in Wädenswil
- We offer a customisable Master’s programme which you can complete in 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 semesters.
- The programme offers an attractive mix of modules from research, science, practice and business.
- You will have the opportunity to grow both as a professional and as a person, and to evolve into a sought-after specialist with leadership skills.
- We offer exciting research projects for your Master's thesis.
- You will be able to join a research group, where you can practice skills such as teamwork, initiative and critical thinking.
- You will benefit from small class sizes in the advanced modules, which offer interactive learning activities that will allow you to take charge.
Study programme and course content
Your studies include three areas of competence plus a Master's thesis, with a total of 90 credits (ETCS).
Based on your interests, before starting your studies you will work out your own personal learning objectives with your specialisation director and your supervisor. You will define the topic for your Master's thesis and design your own personal study path from the range of available modules.
Based on the topic of your Master's thesis, you will be assigned to a corresponding specialisation module that will fully prepare you for your Master's thesis. While working on your Master's thesis, you will be part of a research group that is working closely with our business partners or doing research at one of our institutes.
- Online study planner Your individual study plan.
- Master's thesis specialised fields Before starting your studies, you choose the field in which you want to write your research paper.
- Annual planning / timetables Important dates in the academic year.
"The Master's programme teaches you the skills you need for a digital future."
Dr. Matthias Nyfeler, specialisation director at the Institute of Computational Life Sciences
"How could a vegan world look like?"
Patricia Krayer has completed her Master's in Applied Computational Life Sciences (ACLS) and dedicated her thesis to the interesting question of what a vegan world might look like. Read about the surprising results she obtained in this interview.
Your new skillset
- Processing and analysing data of various sizes and levels of complexity.
- Conceptual and technical skills to combine your expertise in a life sciences discipline with the potential of computational methods.
- Computational modelling and simulation of processes.
- Statistical modelling with machine learning and neural networks.
- Programming using modern scripting languages such as Python and R and you will understand the basic concepts of software and computer architectures.
- Analysis and solving of complex problems that combine scientific, social and entrepreneurial thinking.
- Planning, implementation, evaluation and presentation of major research and development projects.
Module overview
This module table is valid since 19. June 2024
Semester 1, ECTS: 30
Programming, Algorithms and Data Structures
ECTS: 5
Programming, Algorithms and Data Structures
- ECTS: 5
- Details on this module
Here you will learn systematically from scratch how to code small to medium-size programs using the programming language Python. You will be introduced to data structures and acquire algorithmic thinking.V5_1 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Mathematical Modelling
ECTS: 5
Mathematical Modelling
- ECTS: 5
- Details on this module
In this module you will learn how to mathematically describe and model life science problems with mechanistic approaches such as partial differential equations and stochastic methods such Markov-chain Monte-Carlo algorithms. V5_2 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Specialisation Track Module 1
ECTS: 5
Specialisation Track Module 1
- ECTS: 5
- Details on this module
In this module appropriate lecturers are assigned to optimally prepare you for your master’s thesis. Depending on the field of your master’s thesis topic, you will either take the Specialisation Track Module 1 in the “Active Module”-, the “Genome Oriented”-, the “Process Oriented”- or the “Special”-Track. V5_3 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Modelling of Complex Systems
ECTS: 3
Modelling of Complex Systems
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In this module you will learn system theory and how it is applied to real-world problems using mathematical tools and Monte-Carlo simulations. CO1 is part of the “Cluster-specific Modules” of our cluster Bio-Engineering and Computational Sciences that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences in Olten on Wednesdays.
Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
ECTS: 3
Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
This module provides you with the knowledge of the state of the art machine learning techniques and how to apply them to problems in the life sciences and in biomedical engineering. BECS2 is part of the “Cluster-specific Modules” of our cluster Bio-Engineering and Computational Sciences that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences in Olten on Wednesdays.
Handling and Visualising Data
ECTS: 3
Handling and Visualising Data
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In D1 you will get an introduction to databases, and you will learn how to handle data using the R software. Specifically, you will learn how to clean data, understand and apply the grammar of graphics, design plots, and explore data. D1 is the basis for D2 “Design and Analysis of Experiments” and D3 “Modelling and Exploration of Multivariate Data”.D1 is part of “Core Competences” that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences. Central teaching takes place on Fridays in Olten (autumn semester) or Fribourg (spring semester) and local coaching on Tuesday mornings in Wädenswil.
Design and Analysis of Experiments
ECTS: 3
Design and Analysis of Experiments
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In D2 you will learn the basics of statistical inference, the design of experiments (such as randomization and blocking), perform statistical analysis and report findings scientifically. D2 is part of “Core Competences”, that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences. Central teaching takes place on Fridays in Olten (autumn semester) and local coaching on Tuesday mornings in Wädenswil.
Modelling and Exploration of Multivariate Data
ECTS: 3
Modelling and Exploration of Multivariate Data
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In D3 you will learn how to use multiple regression models, perform model selection and explore, describe, interpret and visualise multivariate data. D3 is part of “Core Competences” that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences. Central teaching takes place on Fridays in Olten (autumn semester) or and local coaching on Tuesday mornings in Wädenswil.
Data and Ethics
ECTS: 3
Data and Ethics
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
Each participant has a general understanding of cybersecurity and awareness of cyberrisks, including basic terms and knowledge about risks.
Semester 2, ECTS: 30
Neural Networks and Deep Learning
ECTS: 3
Neural Networks and Deep Learning
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
This module provides you with the knowledge of the state of the art neural network techniques and how to apply them to problems in the field of life sciences. V5_6 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Databases and Data Architecture Systems
ECTS: 4
Databases and Data Architecture Systems
- ECTS: 4
- Details on this module
Yes, it is true: Data Scientist is the sexiest job of the 21st century (at least according to the Harvard Business Review). While knowledge is usually engineered using statistical methods, the basis is always a well-structured data set. The module covers techniques and structures to efficiently store, process and load data. V5_4 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Specialisation Track Module 2
ECTS: 5
Specialisation Track Module 2
- ECTS: 5
- Details on this module
In this module specialist lecturers are assigned to optimally prepare you for your master’s thesis. Depending on the field of your topic, you will either take the Specialisation Track Module 2 in the “Active Module”-, the “Genome Oriented”-, the “Process Oriented”- or the “Special”-Track. V5_7 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Computational Life Science Seminar
ECTS: 3
Computational Life Science Seminar
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In this elective module we will deal with important and classical papers that are – in a broad sense – relevant for the field of computational life science.V5_8 is part of the “Specialisation Skills” in the ACLS Master’s Specialisation that are taught on our campus in Wädenswil on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Optimisation and Bio-Inspired Algorithms
ECTS: 3
Optimisation and Bio-Inspired Algorithms
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In this module you will learn how to explain and validate different optimization methods and apply them appropriately to problems in your field. BECS4 is part of the “Cluster-specific Modules” of our cluster Bio-Engineering and Computational Sciences that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences in Olten on Wednesdays.
Imaging for the Life Sciences
ECTS: 3
Imaging for the Life Sciences
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
In this course you will learn how to apply image processing methods to basic image analysis problems and to understand the typical image processing chains on clinical applications. You will also get to know some advanced image processing methods.BECS3 is part of the “Cluster-specific Modules” of our cluster Bio-Engineering and Computational Sciences that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences in Olten on Wednesdays.
Elective Life Sciences Modules
ECTS: 3
Elective Life Sciences Modules
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
As ACLS student you belong to the Bio-Engineering and Computational Sciences cluster. However, there is also a long list of interesting modules you can take from other clusters such as Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (BP1-BP6), Chemistry for the Life Sciences (C1-C5), Natural Resources Sciences (E1-E6), Food and Beverage Innovation (F1-F5). These modules are so-called “Cluster-specific Modules” that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences at several locations in Switzerland, depending on the specific module. They are usually taught on Thursdays.
Elective Business Modules
ECTS: 3
Elective Business Modules
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
Increase your business knowledge and intelligence with elective modules covering administration, management, innovation, politics and more. B1-B4 are part of “Core Competences”, that are taught in cooperation with other Universities of Applied Sciences. Central teaching takes place on Fridays in Olten (autumn semester) and local coaching on Tuesday mornings in Wädenswil.
3. Semester, ECTS: 30
Master Thesis
ECTS: 30
Master Thesis
- ECTS: 30
- Details on this module
The Master Thesis can be written in collaboration with a partner from industry or with an academic research group. You will choose the field of your thesis and your supervisor before starting your studies at ZHAW. This enables good support by your thesis supervisor and an optimal preparation on the basis of the Specialisation Track Modules 1 and 2. If you are already curious about possible theses, then you may browse a collection of theses in our marketplace. You can also contact supervisors from the marketplace or the head of the ACLS specialisation for advice or to discuss your own ideas. The master’s thesis is completed in one semester, however if you study part-time, it may be carried out over more than one semester.
Advanced Deep Learning
ECTS: 3
Advanced Deep Learning
- ECTS: 3
- Details on this module
Familiarity with basic programming in Python is required. Familiarity with Keras/Tensorflow is an advantage. Most exercises will be in PyTorch/Keras/Tensorflow.These modules are so-called “Cluster-specific Modules” that are taught in collaboration with other Universities of Applied Sciences at several locations in Switzerland, depending on the specific module. They are usually taught on Thursdays.
Orange: Specialisation Modules / Green: Cluster Modules - you choose at least 9 ECTS / Blue: Core Competences - you choose at least 12 ECTS
Solid colours: mandatory modules / Light colorus: elective modules
The picture above shows the general structure of a full-time Master's programme. Students design their own study paths and choose their own focal points.
Together with your supervisor, you design your own individual study plan from the range of compulsory and elective modules. The selected modules are recorded in your individual study agreement (planning).
In addition, elective modules from the specialisations of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry for the Life Sciences or Food and Beverage Innovation can be taken.
Researching for practice
During your studies, you will expand your personal skills in technical expertise, and self-management. The practice-oriented research focus of your Master's thesis will foster your ability to innovate, change perspectives, and combine entrepreneurial with scientific thinking.
The work in your research group will not only help you develop your creativity, initiative and critical thinking abilities, but also your leadership and teamwork skills. We promote inductive, inquiry-based learning in small classes with interactive learning activities such as group work and presentations.
Theses
Interesting research questions are created with partners from industry and retail. Our graduates have already developed interesting, relevant and viable answers and solutions in their work.
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