Objectives and competences
The master¿s degree Biodiversity is intended primarily for holders of bachelor¿s degrees or equivalent undergraduate degrees in branches of life sciences, environmental sciences or related disciplines, and for professionals in education, public administration, NGOs, environmental consulting, etc., who are interested in the latest high-quality training in the study and conservation of biodiversity.
This master's degree offers two possible specializations:
- Evolutionary Biology. This specialization is designed for future researchers in the field of biodiversity, providing the knowledge and tools needed to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and population histories from genus and species to community and to use this information to draw inferences about the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, the processes of evolution, adaptation and diversification, and the relationship between organisms and the environment.
- Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Management. This specialization is designed for future researchers and managers of natural heritage, providing knowledge and tools that address the mechanisms regulating biodiversity, its course and evolution; to assess human impact and to manage and evaluate biodiversity.
The program also offers students a wide range of highly specific optional subjects.
Basic information
| Type | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Faculty or school | Faculty of Biology |
| Branch of knowledge |
|
| Mode of delivery |
|
| Credits | 60 |
| Number of places available | 45 |
| Length of course | 1 academic year |
| Language(s) of instruction | Spanish |
| Approximate price per credit | 19.37 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2025-2026 |
| Coordination | ALBERTO MACEDA VEIGA |
| Course details | Indicators |
| Open pre-enrolment | No |
| Open enrolment | Yes |
| Lead to doctoral studies | Yes |
| Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualification | No |
| Bridging courses | No |
| Specializations |
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Objectives and competences
Objectives
To acquire advanced multidisciplinary training designed to begin research in the area of biodiversity, its conservation and management.
Competences
- Advanced knowledge and the ability to demonstrate an in-depth, well-founded understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of scientific investigation and of the working methodology used in the evolution of biodiversity or in its management and conservation.
- The ability to apply and integrate knowledge, understanding, sound science and skills in order to solve problems in new, imprecisely defined environments, including multidisciplinary contexts involving highly specialized researchers and professionals.
- The ability to assess and select the appropriate scientific theory and precise methodology to formulate judgments in the area of biodiversity based on incomplete or limited information, ensuring that any solution reflects social and ethical responsibility in each case.
- The ability to predict and control the evolution of complex situations by means of new and innovative working methodologies adapted to the scientific or research area of biodiversity.
- The ability to convey results clearly and unambiguously to a general or specialist public, presenting scientific and technological findings or results of the latest innovations, as well as the most relevant underlying principles.
- The ability to develop sufficient autonomy to take part in scientific or technological research projects and collaborations in the field of biodiversity, featuring interdisciplinary contexts and a high level of knowledge transfer.
- The ability to take responsibility for professional development and specialization within the field of biodiversity.
Access and admission
Applicant profile and access requirements
Recommended applicant profile
This master's degree is intended for holders of bachelor's degrees and equivalent undergraduate degrees in branches of life sciences, environmental sciences, experimental sciences and related disciplines, and for professionals in related areas (including education, public administration, NGOs, environmental consulting, etc.). interested in acquiring advanced, up-to-date training in biodiversity.Students interested in applying should have previous academic training in one or more areas of life sciences, experimental sciences or environmental sciences.
Access requirements and conditions
General requirementsStudents wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:
- Official Spanish university degree.
- A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.
- A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.
Specific requirements
Applicants should hold one of the following official undergraduate degrees, or a direct equivalent issued outside Spain:
- Bachelor's degree in Biology
- Bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology
- Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences
- Bachelor's degree in Marine Sciences
- Bachelor's degree in Genetics
- Llicenciatura degree in Biology
- Llicenciatura degree in Pharmacy
- Llicenciatura degree in Veterinary Science
- Llicenciatura degree in Biotechnology
- Llicenciatura degree in Environmental Sciences
- Llicenciatura degree in Marine Sciences
- Llicenciatura degree in Geology
- Llicenciatura degree in Chemistry
- Agricultural Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Geological Engineering
Holders of university diplomas and technical engineering qualifications will be required to complete bridging courses with a total value of up to 30 ECTS credits. These courses will consist of subjects currently offered as part of the EHEA bachelor's degree in Biology and are intended to give students the basic understanding of botany, zoology and ecology needed for the master's degree subjects.
Pre-enrolment
Calendar
3 February'9 June 2025.Notification of resolutions: 17 June.
Notes:
- Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
- Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.
Required documentation
- Pre-enrolment application
- Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
Selection criteria
Notification
Admitted candidates must make a payment of 300 euros to reserve their place. The payment will be made on account of the enrolment fee and must be paid within seven calendar days (non-extendable) from the date on which the payment receipt is generated, which will be notified to the interested party by email. This amount will not be refunded in the event that the student does not enrol in the master's degree course. Once this amount has been paid, a copy of the payment must be sent to the e-mail address mastersoficialsbio@ub.edu within a maximum period of three calendar days from the date of payment. If the payment confirmation email has not been received within this period, the place will be forfeited.ul>Enrolment
As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned
- Documents required for enrolment
- Procedure to formalize enrolment
- Grants and financial aid (in Catalan)
- Economic information (in Catalan)
Enrolment calendar
- July: 14-30
- September: 15–28
Course curriculum
Subjects and course plans
Distribution of credits
| Type | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Compulsory | 15 |
| Optional | 27 |
| Compulsory placements | 0 |
| Compulsory final project | 18 |
| TOTAL | 60 |
List of subjects
Previous years
Teaching staff
Miguel Angel Arnedo Lombarte
Laura Baldo
Enric Batllori Presas
Maria Asuncion Borrell Thio
José Manuel Blanco Moreno
Carlos Carreras Huergo
Marisol Felip Benach
Antonio Gomez Bolea
Alberto Maceda Veiga
Antonio Hernández Matías
Juan Moles Sanchez
Francesc Murria i Farnos
Francesc Oliva Cuyas
Aaron Perez Haase
Joan Lluis Pretus Real
Julio Antonio Rozas Liras
Juan Luis Riera Rey
Marta Riutort Leon
Carolina Sampera Trigueros
Alejandro Sanchez Gracia
Francisco Javier Sans Serra
Joan Ramon Torella Guio
Joan Valles Xirau
Daniel Gaspar Von Schiller Calle
Placements
Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation. The Study Plan of this teaching includes a mandatory subject of curricular practices of 20 credits (250 hours).
Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record. There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out. The coordinator of the internship program for this teaching is professor Enric Batllori Presas.
Institutional information