M.Sc. in Biomedical Technology and Physics

This two-year programme in Biomedical Technology and Physics is a collaboration between researchers from the VU’s Science department and Amsterdam UMC (bringing together two medical centres: VUmc and AMC). You’ll be taught by specialists who are experts in current clinical practice and will explain the (technological) challenges they meet. You will be trained to work on innovative solutions for complex medical problems from a strong exact background, especially physics.

You’ll follow an internship as part of a research group at Amsterdam UMC or the VU. This is an important part of the programme. You will use your knowledge to solve scientific and real-life problems and have a chance to improve your practical skills. Projects you could work on include improving the analysis of MRI images for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and the detection and analysis of body fluids at a crime scene. Another scenario would be investigating DNA replication with optical tweezers.

You can choose different elective courses aimed at deepening your hands-on knowledge of modelling and image processing, electronics, or entrepreneurship. You’ll then be able to choose between a more fundamental biophysical direction or one focused on clinical application. With the right choice of course this programme meets the requirements set by the Dutch Society for Clinical Physics for admission to its training programme in clinical physics.

You can find all course descriptions, the year schedule and the teaching and examination regulation in the Study guide.

The start date of this programme is September 1st.

Choose a specialisation that dictates the courses in the second year of this Master’s programme. By studying either Science in Society or Science Communication you will develop skills to bridge the gap between science and society. If you want a teaching certificate for secondary education, you can choose an education specialisation (Dutch only). You can also choose a research specialisation to broaden your experience in that area, useful if you want to follow a career in academia.

Research

Experience research as a career!

The programme’s research specialisation focuses on research in the field of Biomedical Technology and Physics. This will prepare you for a career in research, whether in a PhD programme, in a medical centre or a research institute. This track is also perfect preparation for a career in R&D in industry or a start-up.

First year

You’ll follow four compulsory, research-oriented courses in your first year:

• Biomedical Optics (6 EC)
• from Physics to Physiology (6 EC)
• Current Clinical Issues (6 EC)
• Literature Review on a specific BMTP topic (6 EC).

Besides that, you'll also follow two general courses focusing on academic skills:

• Ethics in Life Sciences (3 EC)
• Scientific Writing in English for BMTP (3 EC).

Together with your electives, these compulsory courses give you an excellent basis to specialise in your field of interest, and for the second year of the programme.

Second year

You’ll immerse yourself in research in your second year, conducting both a major (39 EC) and a minor (21 EC) research project alongside it.

Science in Society

Bridge the gap between science and society

There is an urgent need for professionals with an academic background in the natural and life sciences, who have knowledge of policy, management and entrepreneurship. The Science in Society specialisation prepares you for working, for instance, as a consultant, policymaker, researcher or entrepreneur at the interface of science, technology and society. It provides you with tools and strategies for understanding and addressing complex societal problems related to scientific, technological or medical developments.

During the specialisation, you will learn to analyse and create policy advisory reports and to improve on aspects of management such as leadership styles and motivation techniques. The specialisation is open to students of both VU Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam (UvA).

First year

In your first year, you follow compulsory and elective courses (60 EC total) of the Master's programme in Biomedical Technology and Physics. You’ll take four compulsory courses – whichever specialisation you choose:

• From Physics to Physiology (6 EC)
• Biomedical Optics (6 EC)
• Scientific Writing in English for BMTP (3 EC)
• Ethics in Life Sciences (3 EC).

With a specialisation in Science in Society you'll conduct a research project (30 EC) in your first year.

Second year

The Science in Society specialisation (60 EC) dictates the courses in the second year of your Master's programme. You’ll be taught how to identify, analyse and manage complex societal problems. You will follow three compulsory courses:

• Research Methods for Analyzing Complex Problems (6 EC)
• Analyzing Governmental Policy (6 EC)
• Communication, Organization and Management (6 EC).

You will also choose two or three elective courses (12 EC total) of the Science in Society specialisation. During the second semester of your second year, you will conduct an internship in which you apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired in the courses to professional practice (30 EC).

Please register for your Science in Society courses individually on VUnet using the course codes in the study programme at least four weeks before the semester starts.

Science Communication

Bridge the gap between science and society

Many of the societal challenges that require research and innovation cannot be addressed by scientists alone. And at a time when ‘the facts’ are being questioned, scientists need to engage with the public more openly. This specialisation provides you with the relevant knowledge, skills and practical experience to help shape meaningful conversations about science in public. You will not only learn how to inform and educate the public about science, but you will also learn how to engage the public in addressing societal issues together with scientists and innovators.

After completing this specialisation, you will have an in-demand skills set. You can work, for instance, as a science journalist at a newspaper, a communications advisor at a biomedical company, a content manager at a science museum, or as a public relations manager at an environmental organisation. The specialisation is open to students of both VU Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam (UvA).

First year

In your first year, you follow compulsory and elective courses (60 EC total) of the Master's programme in Biomedical Technology and Physics. You’ll take four compulsory courses – whichever specialisation you choose:

• From Physics to Physiology (6 EC)
• Biomedical Optics (6 EC)
• Scientific Writing in English for BMTP (3 EC)
• Ethics in Life Sciences (3 EC).

With a specialisation in Science Communication you'll conduct a research project (30 EC) in your first year.

Second year

The Science Communication specialisation dictates the courses of your second year (60 EC). This specialisation immerses you in the world of science communication through five courses and an internship. During the first semester, you will to follow two compulsory courses:

• Research Methods for Analyzing Complex Problems (6 EC)
• Science and Communication (6 EC)

You will also choose (at least) two out of three elective courses in science communication (18 EC total):

• Science Journalism (6 EC)
• Science in Dialogue (6 EC)
• Science Museology (6 EC).

The third course is an elective. This could be an elective course from your Master’s programme. Visit Studiegids for an overview of elective courses of Biomedical Technology and Physics

During the second semester, you will conduct an internship in which you apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired in the courses (30 EC). You can choose between a reflective practice internship (only if you follow this specialisation in the second year of your master’s programme) or a research internship. With a reflective practice internship, you will work at a science communication company and apply the knowledge you have acquired to professional practice (21 EC). You will also write a reflection on professional practice (9 EC). If you choose a research internship, you will conduct research in the field of science communication.

Please register for your Science Communication courses individually on VUnet using the course codes in the study programme at least four weeks before the semester starts.

Leraar Voorbereidend Hoger Onderwijs in de Bètawetenschappen

Motivate & inspire students as a teacher in the STEM disciplines - This specialisation is taught in Dutch.

During the specialisation Secondary Education Teacher Training for STEM Disciplines, you will learn how to transfer your knowledge and motivate and inspire students in your field of study, whether it is Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Biology. For computer science, there is another route: the one-year teacher training programme. The courses for this teacher training specialisation are taught in Dutch and your teaching qualification will be valid in the Netherlands.

As a teacher, you make an important contribution to the future of young people, society and education in the Netherlands. In our knowledge economy, specialists in the area of knowledge transfer are indispensable. With an abundance of jobs in secondary education, obtaining a teaching qualification guarantees job security and—flexibility—because in addition to being a teacher, you are also a scientist in your field.

The teacher training programmes at VU Amsterdam are unique because of their modular structure that is built around 20 themes (core practices). You will apply these teaching practices directly in the classroom, as you will be working in a school for more than 50% of your study programme. At VU Amsterdam, personal attention and individual guidance are top priority. You will have a mentor from VU Amsterdam and a workplace supervisor who is an experienced first-degree subject teacher.

With this specialisation, you will obtain a specialist Master's degree in a STEM discipline and a first-degree teaching qualification (eerstegraads lesbevoegdheid). This means that in two years, you will be qualified to teach both lower and upper secondary vocational education (HAVO/VWO) and pre-university education (VMBO) in the Netherlands. All teachers in the STEM disciplines are also qualified to teach the STEM elective NLT (Nature, Life and Technology).

The teacher training specialisation in the STEM disciplines starts every academic year in September and February, unless you are following a Master's programme in Ecology, Earth Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, or Biomedical Technology and Physics. Within these Master's programmes, you can only start the specialisation in September.

First year

In your first year, you follow compulsory and elective courses (60 EC total) of the Master's programme in Biomedical Technology and Physics. You’ll take four compulsory courses – whichever specialisation you choose:

• From Physics to Physiology (6 EC)
• Biomedical Optics (6 EC)
• Scientific Writing in English for BMTP (3 EC)
• Ethics in Life Sciences (3 EC).

With a specialisation in Science in Society you'll conduct a research project (30 EC) in your first year.

Second year

What makes you unique as a STEM teacher? We explore your strengths as a teacher while focussing on personal attention, customisation and guidance. You will follow an integrated programme, which includes a practical component (internship) in secondary education and didactic theory at VU Amsterdam. You will be taught general didactics related to core practices as well as specific subject-related didactics for your school subject. The theory is always applied and tested in practice at the school where you conduct your internship. You will start immediately with the practical component. Internships are arranged by VU Amsterdam.