 After finishing school Becker studied at Heidelberg University and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in biology, physics and chemistry in 1974.He obtained a Master of Science degree in biology in 1976 at the Zoological Institute of the same university in 1976.He then obtained a doctorate in Natural Science there, followed by professorship in biology with Venia Legendi in Zoologie at the Faculty of Bioscience in 1993.