Applied Bioinformatics and Genomics (MSc)
Provided by Cardiff University School of Medicine
About the course
Admissions criteria
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.
With your online application you will need to provide:
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A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject area, or an equivalent international degree. We are able to offer a level of flexibility for applicants. Those with a 2:2 honours degree will be considered on an individual basis. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
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A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 6.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
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A personal statement which explains why you wish to follow this programme, what benefits you expect to gain from it, and what skills and experience you possess which make you a suitable applicant. You must use the questions below as headings in your statement:
1. What motivates you to apply for this course?
2. How would you describe your computer literacy and what coding experience do you have?
3. How would you describe your knowledge of statistics?
4. How would you describe your knowledge of molecular biology and genetics?
5. If you have previously applied for this course and were unsuccessful, describe what further experience you have gained which may strengthen your application.
If you do not have a degree or were awarded your degree with a 2.2, your application may be considered on the basis of at least two years relevant professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is 31 July. Places are limited and early application is recommended. Please note the programme requires a minimum number of students in order to run. If student numbers are not met by 31 July, we cannot guarantee that the programme will run.
Selection process
We will review your application and if you meet the entry requirements we will make you an offer.
Find out more about English language requirements .
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
Both full-time and part-time students register initially for the MSc Applied Bioinformatics and Genomics.
A Postgraduate Certificate exit point is available for students successfully completing 60 credits of the taught element (module restrictions apply).
A Postgraduate Diploma exit point is available for students successfully completing 120 credits of the taught element (module restrictions apply).
The full-time MSc is delivered across a single year consisting of two stages – the taught stage (T) and the research dissertation stage (R). The taught stage of the programme lasts until the end of the Spring Semester and consists of six 20-credit modules, totalling 120 credits, at Level 7. The dissertation stage of the programme runs through the Summer Semester and includes a dissertation of 60 credits at Level 7, to achieve a combined total of 180 credits at Level 7 to complete the MSc programme.
At the end of the taught stage (T), students who have obtained a minimum of 120 credits at Level 7 shall be eligible either for the exit award of Postgraduate Diploma OR to progress to the dissertation stage (R) of the programme.
Your dissertation will embody the results of your prior project work. The subject of each dissertation will be approved by the Chair of the Board of Studies concerned or his/her nominee. The dissertation will be assigned 60 credits and be weighted 50% for calculating the final mark.
The full-time course will be delivered across a single year. The course will be assessed using coursework and via student presentations. In the Autumn Semester, you will first take a 5-week 20-credit module designed to develop and reinforce necessary computational and scripting skill for data handling and analysis; this will include elements on command-line, high-performance computing, scripting languages and data visualisation.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
The course will be delivered across a single year. The course will be assessed using coursework and via student presentations. In the Autumn Semester, you will first take a 5-week 20-credit module designed to develop and reinforce necessary computational and scripting skill for data handling and analysis; this will include elements on command-line, high-performance computing, scripting languages and data visualisation. From the middle of the Autumn Semester, Students will receive concurrent delivery of 2x 20-credit modules in statistical methods and introduction to bioinformatics approaches and resources. These 2 courses will be delivered over 10-weeks and extend into the Spring Semester. In the Spring Semester, students will undertake a 20-credit case-study extending over 10-weeks. This will involve working with a client and real data. Midway through the Spring Seminar the students will undertake 2x 20-credit modules focusing on the analysis and interrogation of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and other contemporary omics data. These modules will run in series, and will be complete at the end of the Spring Semester. Finally, in the Summer Semester, students will undertake a 15-week research project leading to the production of their research dissertation.
Module title | Module code | Credits |
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Dissertation: Bioinformatics | MET591 | 60 credits |
Computing for Bioinformatics and Genetic Epidemiology | MET581 | 20 credits |
Statistics for Bioinformatics and Genetic Epidemiology | MET582 | 20 credits |
Introduction to Bioinformatics | MET583 | 20 credits |
Case Studies in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics | MET584 | 20 credits |
Next Generation Sequencing | MET585 | 20 credits |
Protein Biology and Omics | MET586 | 20 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Funding
Master's Scholarships
An award open to UK students intending to study one of our taught master’s degrees.
Postgraduate loans
If you are starting your master’s degree in September 2024 or later, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study at Cardiff University.
Alumni Discount
The alumni discount is available for Cardiff University graduates who are planning to start an eligible master's in 2024/25.
Enquire
Start date | Venue | |
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22 Sep 2025 | Distance learning | Book now |