Master of Science (MSc) in Biogeosciences

The Master of Sciences in Biogeosciences is the result of the integration of two fields of natural sciences: biology and geology. It reflects the emergence of new fields of research in the many areas of contact between these two disciplines.

The objective of this Master’s degree is to train you in the field of integrated natural sciences or Biogeosciences. It aims, through training based on the most modern techniques, to provide the essential knowledge and tools necessary for the discovery, understanding and management of natural environments in perpetual evolution on scales that are variable in time and space.

This Master’s degree will teach you to understand and measure the interactions between the geosphere and the biosphere. It will prepare you to take an interdisciplinary approach, with courses in chemistry, ecology, biology, geology and pedology. The soil and its constituents, where many of these interactions take place, is central to your course as both the link between and product of the geosphere and biosphere.

As an academic course, this Master’s degree will teach you how to set up your own project, select the most appropriate methods, compare your observations with the scientific literature and develop a critical mindset. The presentations and reports you will be asked to produce will train you to communicate clear and understandable information orally, in writing or in the form of diagrams or maps. All of these skills will prepare you for a wide range of professions in a variety of working environments, such as:

• Federal and cantonal administrations
• Non governmental organisations
• Consulting firms
• Conservation and management of nature
• Conservation and management of soils
• Academic careers

Former students occupy a wide variety of roles, such as cantonal pedologist, scientist, scientific communicator, secondary school teacher and ecological consultant.

Going on a university exchange is a unique and highly rewarding experience, provided you prepare well. The first thing to remember is that you need to start taking steps well in advance. Subject to the prior agreement of the mobility Commission, students enrolled on a Master's course may study for one or two semesters in an institution recognised by UNIL or UNINE while continuing to be registered with their respective universities.