Why studyÊGenetics at University of Aberdeen?
Genetics has been revolutionised by the application of new genome sequencing technologies. You will benefit from the investment made in this technology from the formation of the Centre for Genome Enabled Biology and Medicine at the University, with the opportunities that it creates in the fields of genome analysis and bioinformatics training.
Throughout the programme there is a strong emphasis on medical and human genetics.
Training is provided in both specialist and employment-related skills.
Genetics allows us to understand normal events such as development, growth and ageing in terms of the underlying molecular machinery of the cell and helps explain why these processes go wrong in disease.
When organisms reproduce the offspring tend to resemble their parents, but they are not identical to either parent, nor are they simply a mixture of the two parents. Genetics is concerned with explaining the behaviour of inherited characteristics, in terms of the underlying genetic machinery which turns a single cell (the fertilised egg) into a fly, a worm, or a human.
Genetics also explains how over longer time scales, living things change, or evolve, to produce the dazzling diversity of life.
5 year MSci degree
You have the opportunity to undertake a year's placement in an industrial, commercial or research environment and graduate after five years with an MSci (an undergraduate Masters degree) instead of a BSc.
Careers
University of Aberdeen Genetics graduates have adopted a variety of research careers in biological and biomedical sciences, in both University and Industry.
Many of our graduates follow their degree with PhD research. Others move into positions in hospital research, diagnostic laboratories and research institutes. Some of our graduates have gone on to train for careers in Genetic Counselling, Biomedical Ethics and Forensic sciences.
Major employers of Genetics graduates include the scientific civil service, pharmaceutical, food, fermentation and related industries.
Students in Genetics and related disciplines at Aberdeen have taken part in the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) Competition, which is held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. iGEM is a competition that gives undergraduates experience of the exciting field of synthetic biology. Past UoA teams have won gold medals.
