Toxicology | Master

Toxicology seeks to understand the nature and mechanism of adverse effects of toxicants such as those found e.g. in industry, in the household, in food, in medicine and those that occur naturally in the environment. The English-language master’s degree in toxicology at the University of Potsdam prepares you to participate in this field with a particular emphasis to cellular and molecular mechanisms of toxicity and to risk assessment.

The research-oriented master’s degree program in toxicology conveys comprehensive knowledge about toxicants including their impact on living organisms. You will gain a profound understanding in general toxicology including pharmacology, physiology and pathophysiology, organ toxicology, pathological anatomy as well as histopathology. Furthermore, you will develop a methodological toolkit that enables you to explore and analyze these phenomena. Thereby the knowledge about chemistry, biochemistry and medicine is deepened as well as your practical competences will be extended in analytical chemistry, in vitro toxicology and in vivo toxicology (e.g. experimental animal models in toxicology). Since working as a toxicologist also implicates a juristically dimension you will gain substantial knowledge in national and international legislative and regulatory processes.

As a graduate of the master’s degree in toxicology, you will be able to plan and work independently in the field of toxicological science and risk assessment. You will be able to identify subject-specific problems, find appropriate methods to address them, and present the results of your work in an appropriate form.

Career prospects for our graduates include scientific institutions and universities, chemical/ pharmaceutical/food industry, and governmental authorities. Your analytical training and solid English skills will qualify you for numerous, national and internationally oriented professions.

Prerequisites for Master’s Program of Study

Important prerequisites for the master’s degree program include a solid foundation in chemistry, biochemistry, food chemistry, nutritional science, biology, pharmacy, medicine or veterinary medicine and a deep interest in toxicology. To enter the master’s degree program you must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree (180 CP), or another comparable academic degree, in any undergraduate subject relevant to this graduate program. You must provide documentation of at least 60 credit points in medicine or natural sciences with strong relevance to this master’s degree program.

Because this degree program is taught in English, we expect good English skills that correspond at least to the C1 level of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages.

You can learn more about the subject-specific admission requirements in the respective admission regulations.

The Master’s Program of study for the Master Toxicology is hold within four semesters with an extend of 120 credit points (CP). In the following table information about weighting of the respective modules are shown. For additional information, please consult the subject-specific Degree Regulations or the Departmental Advisory Office.

This description is based in part on information from the Discipline-Specific Regulations for Study and Examinations for the Master’s Program in Toxicology at the University of Potsdam at the University of Potsdam dated January 20, 2016 (AmBek No. 6/16, p. 552).