Ecotoxicology, Master's program
Read more about Ecotoxicology, Master's Programme at gu.se.
Here you will find information about the structure of the program and which courses you can take, who to contact if you have questions about your education, and what you need to consider before the thesis during your final year.
How is the program structured?
The program is divided into three parts:
1) Introduction
Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology (ES2615), 7.5 HEC
Environmental Impact Assessment (ES2419), 7.5 HEC
2) Core courses
Chemical Risk Assessment (ES2413), 15 HEC
Ecological Toxicology: Physiology (BIO435), 15 HEC
Ecological Toxicology: Ecology (BIO430), 15 HEC
3) Individual degree project
One year as a member of a research team or specialized courses in basic or applied environmental science and a shorter degree project.
Read more about the program's structure here
When do I need to apply for courses and how do I know which ones I can choose?
Upon admission to the program, you are automatically enrolled in the compulsory courses of the first and second semester. Remember to accept the courses when you receive your admission notification.
You then have to apply yourself to the courses you want to study through www.antagning.se. The only exception is if you are doing a degree project that spans two semesters, in which case you will automatically remain registered for the course in the following semester.
The study advisor sends out program information before choosing the course for the coming semester. In the program information, you will find information for your particular cohort about which courses apply to you. These can be compulsory courses or proposals for courses.
To obtain a master’s degree in ecotoxicology, you must have completed at least 60 credits in ecotoxicology, of which at least 30 must be in the form of an advanced level thesis. Additionally, a total of at least 90 credits must be at the advanced level. However, there is room to supplement your education with courses in other relevant subjects.
You can find the complete course offerings for the University of Gothenburg under Find courses. You can sort them by subject, level, and semester, among other criteria.
Who decides on the program?
The bachelor’s program in environmental sciences is run by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BioEnv). The program board (“PRÅM”) is responsible for coordinating all environmental sciences programs. It is led by the program board chair, who is also the director of studies at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences.
Who should I contact?
If you have specific questions about our various courses and educational programs, please contact our study counselors or study administrators first. You can find the contact information at Service and support/Study counselling.
If you have more general questions about the education at the department, contact the education director (deputy head of department with responsibility for undergraduate education) or the program board chair. Contact information for staff at BioEnv (especially under Educational matters).
Contact information for those responsible at the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, as well as the Department of Marine Sciences, can be found on their respective external websites.
Time for the thesis - what do I need to consider?
What is meant by a thesis?
The thesis is an independent project carried out within the framework of one of our degree project courses, aimed at providing you with in-depth knowledge in one of the research areas of biology and preparing you for work or further studies. Assessment is based on a written report as well as an oral presentation of your results. In addition, a number of lectures and seminars are included.
General information about theses in biology and environmental sciences and what to consider when looking for suitable projects can be found under Degree project (go to Your studies/Exams).
You need to find a supervisor and project yourself
All projects must have a supervisor. Typically, you will work in one of our research groups, where your project will be an important part of advancing research. This means you cannot expect to have the freedom to come up with your own project.
Your work must be in natural sciences with a specialization in ecotoxicology (physiological, ecological) and have a scientific question. Every semester, we offer a variety of exciting and current projects. You are expected to have contacted potential supervisors within the university well before the course starts.
You may also find projects outside of the departments, for example, at companies or authorities. In that case, the project must first be approved by the course leader/examiner, and you must also have an internal supervisor affiliated with the university.
What is required to start a thesis in ecotoxicology?
To undertake a project course, you must have a bachelor's degree in natural sciences and be approved in the four introductory courses of the program; “Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology” (ES2615), “Environmental Impact Assessment” (ES2419), “Chemical Risk Assessment” (ES2413) and “Ecological Toxicology: Ecology” (BIO430). In addition, you must have applied for and been admitted to a degree course.
Which degree project course should I apply for?
ES2540/ES2530/ES2520 Master Thesis in Ecotoxicology (30/45/60 HEC)