Studies at the Department of Botany
- In the Bachelor's Programme Biology , you will cover the fundamentals of plant science.
- The Master's Programme Botany offers a plethora of research and training opportunities to delve deeper into plant sciences, from the molecular level to plant communities and ecosystems.
- The Doctor of Philosophy Programme Biology allows you to specialize further alongside training you to become an independent researcher.
- Plant biology courses are also part of the Bachelor's and Master's Programmes for Secondary School Teacher Training in "Biology and Environmental Protection".
Service
Curricula and detail information
- Bachelor's Programme Biology: Details, Curriculum (PDF)
- Master's Programme Botany: Details, Curriculum (PDF)
- Doctor of Philosophy Programme Biology: Details, Curriculum (PDF)
- Bachelor's Programme Secondary School Teacher Training: Biology and Environmental Protection: Details, Curriculum (PDF)
- Master's Programme Secondary School Teacher Training: Biology and Environmental Protection: Details, Curriculum (PDF)
Links
- Biopage.info - web portal for Biology students at the University of Innsbruck
- ChlorophyllUnited - mailing list for Master- and PhD students as well as PostDocs at the Departments of Botany and Ecology, for efficient exchange of information and socializing among early career researchers.
- Student protocols from excursions and practical courses (German)
Meet a Student
Job Prospects for Alumni
Alumni with Master-, Diploma- and PhD theses from the Department of Botany enjoy a wide range of career opportunities. Their training prepares them for a scientific career as well as other jobs that require scientific education. In addition to R&D, specialists in areas such as nature conservation and landscape management, in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry sector, or in museums and further education, are in high demand. Future teachers also benefit from sound training in the plant sciences. A survey of alumni who completed their Master degree at the Department of Botany between 2013 and 2018, illustrates the spectrum of job prospects.
Career opportunities: Answers to the question "What field are you currently working in?"
Word Cloud: Answers to the question "Looking back on your studies, what aspects were most positive and helpful for your career?"
Further results from the survey:




Why study Botany?
Plants surround us. Plants do not only provide food. We use countless plant products every day. Just think of wood, paper, cotton clothing, or biofuel. Plants also produce stimulants such as tea, coffee and tobacco, and highly effective substances like opiates, cannabinoids, and digitalis glycosides. Some plants are famous for their deadly poisons, such as the deadly nightshade’s atropine or the poison nut’s strychnine. Others provide valuable cancer treatments, such as the yew tree’s taxol. Even the energy-rich carbohydrates in our fossil fuels originate from plants.
Plants are fascinating! Did you know that pioneering scientific discoveries were made with plants? In the 17th century, Robert Hooke found that cork consists of tiny cells, and coined the name "cell" still used today (cellula is latin for small chamber). In the 19th century, Gregor Mendel conducted his famous experiments on pea plants and decoded the basic laws of heredity, making him the father of modern genetics. Later, Joachim Hämmerling used the green alga Acetabularia to prove that genetic information is contained in the cell nucleus. Viruses were also first discovered in plants: In 1882, Adolf Mayer showed that the tobacco mosaic virus can be transmitted from infected plants to healthy ones.




Which skills can I gain during my studies? Our students acquire extensive knowledge of the biology of plants, their structure and function, their distribution, and their evolution – from molecules to the ecosystem level. They can specialize in topics such as plant physiology and evolutionary systematics, biochemistry and cell biology, stress- and ecophysiology, biodiversity, vegetation- and population ecology, pollen analysis and archaeobotany, crop plants and forestry, or climate change and nature conservation. As a student, you can especially benefit from our department’s involvement in the university‘s research centres „Mountain Regions“ and „Molecular Biosciences“.



Which methods can I learn? In our diverse research groups, you can learn to use a wide range of state-of-the-art scientific instruments and methods:
Which soft skills can I learn? Apart from scientific expertise, our students also receive training in various soft skills. Participation in active research projects helps develop, among others, teamwork and communication skills, analytical thinking, presentation techniques, personal responsibility, giving and receiving feedback, problem solving abilities, as well as self-confidence and self-reflection, curiosity and resilience.
For future teachers: In collaboration with other departments of the Faculty of Biology and the Faculty of Teacher Education, we contribute to teachers' training regarding fundamental knowledge of plant sciences and general biological research.




Why study Botany in Innsbruck?
- Research training: Academic theses are usually embedded into one of our many research projects, with access to with a broad spectrum of modern lab- and field research methods.
- Excellent infrastructure: Students benefit from the availability of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment at the Department of Botany, access to experimental gardens and glasshouses in the Botanical Garden and the Alpine Garden Patscherkofel, as well as numerous field stations.
- Committed mentoring: Students are always in contact with their supervisors and are often co-supervised and supported by colleagues from more than one research group.
- Research centres: The Department of Botany is an integral part of the University’s research centres „Mountain Regions“ and „Molecular Biosciences“. Through these research centres, we collaborate with other departments and faculties, allowing for interdisciplinarity and multi-facetted training.
- Seeing the bigger picture: We have large networks of national and international collaborators in science and industry. Through this network, our students have access to inter- and multidisciplinary research approaches, and learn to work together and think openly.
- Excellent scientific output: Our researchers regularly publish in the most accredited scientific journals like Nature, Science and PNAS.
- Applied science: We have numerous collaborations with nature conservation organizations and partners in the industry and private sectors.


