The Bachelor's degree course not only provides the theoretical foundations in important core areas of mathematics, but also emphasizes the application aspect. Interdisciplinary ways of thinking for solving bioscientific problems are taught as early as the Bachelor's degree course in order to prepare students for interdisciplinary collaboration with biologists, physicians, pharmacists or biochemists at an early stage.
Good Bachelor's graduates, whether from Lübeck or from another university, should go on to study for a Master's degree. The Bachelor's degree allows you to gain a foothold in a company and to make progress there, but only the Master's degree offers the space to develop the skills that are important in the course of a professional life in the long term. Master's students acquire specialized and in-depth knowledge beyond Wikipedia and standard textbooks.
The course focuses on the mathematical modeling of issues, particularly in medicine and the biosciences, which enables simulations, predictions and qualitative investigations.
This introduces students to challenging research problems at an early stage and teaches them interdisciplinary collaboration, e.g. with physicians, biologists and physicists. It is not uncommon for the results of Master's theses to be published at international conferences or in international journals.
Type of Study
FulltimeStandard period of study
6 SemesterCredits
180 ECTSCourse language
GermanAdmission period
01.05. - 15.09.
Admission Requirement
Permit-freeStart
Winter semesterDegree
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)Hints for application
Apply online via the university's application portal.
The standard period of study for the Bachelor's degree course is three years. The first five semesters largely consist of compulsory basic lectures. In the field of mathematics, for example, the following key areas are covered:
Analysis
The basics of differential and integral calculus are taught here. A particular aim is to convert mathematical methods to more algorithmically formulated procedures or to make such procedures more efficient and faster, i.e. usable for the requirements of modern computers. Approximation theory, for example, which deals with the approximation of complicated functions by particularly simple ones, comes into play here.
Linear algebra and discrete structures
In addition to basic structures such as sets, mappings and vector spaces, the calculus of matrices for solving linear systems of equations is covered. Students should be able to develop an understanding of mathematical ways of thinking and abstract structures on the one hand, and on the other to translate mathematical problems from the natural sciences, computer science and medicine into equations and solve them algebraically.
Numerics
In addition to classical content such as error calculation or the approximate solution of complex equations and systems of equations as well as integrals, the focus is on questions of image analysis and processing, which occur, for example, in modern medical diagnostics and therapeutics in nuclear medicine and surgery. Particular attention is paid to the computational implementation of methods and algorithms.
Stochastics
The focus is on basic stochastic concepts such as probability spaces, random variables and vectors, distributions and conditional probabilities. It is made clear that stochastic models as models of random phenomena are essential for the description, simulation and prediction of processes in nature and technology and are used in the life sciences from genetics to the study of epilepsy and sleep data.
Biostatistics
In addition to methods of descriptive statistics, basic principles of statistical estimation and testing are dealt with, with a particular focus on the interpretation of results and statistical errors, and basic statistical models are considered. It also deals with the application of selected test and estimation procedures and the planning of case numbers. Methods of biostatistics are important tools for obtaining reliable statements in medical and pharmaceutical research.
Other mathematical subjects include biomathematics, modelling of biological systems and optimization.
The courses General Biology and Course, General and Inorganic Chemistry, Fundamentals of Physics and Physics Course lay the scientific foundations for the course.
In addition, programming, algorithms and data structures and basics of bioinformatics are subjects in which the theoretical and practical tools of computer science are provided.
Finally, the subjects Clinical Studies, Genetic Epidemiology and Practical Statistics form a special bridge to medical and scientific applications.
In the sixth semester in particular, students can choose from special in-depth lectures depending on their interests. The Bachelor's thesis is also written in this semester. It can be written either in an institute of the university or in an external company. The processing time is usually three months.
It is always possible to start the course in the winter semester of the year.
Application/enrolment for the Bachelor's degree program
You can find all the important information about starting your first semester here.
Students have a total of three examination attempts per module. The examination should be attempted after the examination requirements have been met, but you are free to choose between the first and second attempt. If you have attempted an examination once and failed, you are obliged to take it again on the next possible examination date. Failure to appear is considered another failed attempt.
An examination that has been passed once with at least 4.0 cannot be repeated.
The Bachelor's degree mainly teaches the basics of mathematics, computer science and life sciences. Specialization is possible by taking elective subjects in the 6th semester.
The study plan is not a fixed specification, but should only be seen as a recommendation. Courses can be taken in a different order if they build on each other in terms of content.
In a proseminar, each participant prepares and completes presentations on a given topic. These presentations should be approx. 45 minutes long, followed by a discussion. In addition, attendance is compulsory during all presentations. Finally, a written paper on the topic will be submitted.
The interdisciplinary seminar plays a central role in the Bachelor's degree course. This is where students give lectures on current research topics that involve mathematical methods. The starting point is an event in which scientists from various areas of the university, e.g. medicine, biochemistry, physics or bioinformatics, provide lecture topics, which in many cases lead to a Bachelor's thesis.
The Bachelor's thesis may not exceed 6 months after official registration at the examination office. The thesis can be written at institutes and clinics of the University of Lübeck. Topics can be found either through notices or direct inquiries to the relevant lecturers. An external Bachelor's thesis is also possible, but this requires the student's own initiative.
The examination board is made up of professors, academic staff and students. It decides on the interpretation of the examination regulations and deals with cases that may not be provided for or covered in the regulations.
Contact the examination board if something unforeseen happens during your studies, such as a prolonged illness or problems with examinations. The committee can (of course only in truly exceptional situations) grant special permission and make special arrangements for you.
Typically, you should contact the chairperson of the committee directly; he or she can decide many things directly and the committee does not always have to hold lengthy meetings.
Statutes of the degree program.
Examination dates and other formalities for examinations are uniformly regulated for all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs.
Forms and information sheets, e.g. for issuing the Bachelor's thesis, cover sheet for the Bachelor's thesis or registration for the colloquium for the Bachelor's thesis, can be found on the general forms page of the Examinations Office and the special page for mathematics-related forms.