Profiles

All programmes offer certain 'profiles'. This means that you can replace your minor research project with theoretical courses in other topics, followed by practical work in management, or science communication or education, or drug regulatory science. These will take about 6 months. You can use your elective component (12 credits) to extend your profile from 33 credits to 45 credits. The profile achievements are given on a separate grade list. There are four profiles:

1. 'Research' profile. This profile is eminently suited to prepare you for a career in scientific research, and is the most popular profile, as it provides a strong basis for almost all other careers. It involves 2 research projects, of 33 credits (6 months) and 51 credits (9 months), respectively.
 
2. 'Management' or M-profile. Skills in the life sciences will be combined with 33 credits for courses in management and business economics. These courses can be followed instead of the 6-month research project in any of the life sciences MSc programmes. The 'Fundamentals of Business and Economics' (FBE) course consists of 8 intensive modules and 4 workshops. A more detailed description of the M-profile can be found here. For more information you can contact Prof. Arie Buijs.
   
3. 'Communication and Education' (C&E) profile. This offers a 33-credit programme which provides a theoretical and practical introduction to science communication and education. This profile prepares students for careers, for example, in science journalism, communication, profit and non-profit organisations or teaching. The C&E-profile is offered in Dutch. For more information, see website (in Dutch).
 
4. 'Drug Regulatory Sciences' (DRS) profile. This profile is available for life sciences students of most of the MSc programmes. Many of these students go on to follow a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, often in research. They have often done a PhD. Others find work in regulatory affairs, often without doing a PhD but they follow internal training in the company. In fact, hundreds of people work full time in regulatory affairs, linked to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (MEA, similar to the American FDA) or in the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Others work in Health policy organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO). Here the important issue is whether or not a molecule or substance will add positively (or negatively) to public health. In the DRS profile, which aims to provide basic knowledge in this new and important field, the 6-month research project is replaced regulatory or policy research. The profile is supervised by MEA and WHO staff. More information: contact dr. Aukje Mantel-Teeuwisse.