Biological Sciences
Molecular genetics is at the heart of modern biology, concerned with the molecular mechanisms by which genes are expressed, regulated, and inherited, and with how those mechanisms control the properties of cells and organisms. It is the discipline that underpins our understanding of development, evolution, disease, and the extraordinary diversity of life, and it is the scientific foundation for much of modern biotechnology and medicine. Understanding how DNA is copied, how genes are switched on and off, how mutations arise and spread, and how the genetic programmes of development unfold requires both conceptual depth and mastery of a rapidly evolving set of experimental and computational methods.
At Edinburgh you will study this four-year full-time degree, with a year abroad that allows you to experience molecular genetics research in a different institutional and scientific environment. Edinburgh is one of the UK's leading universities for the biological and medical sciences, and the programme connects you to world-class research across genetics, genomics, cell biology, and developmental biology. Across the four years you will develop expertise in DNA replication, transcription, translation, gene regulation, molecular cell biology, genome biology, and the experimental and bioinformatic techniques that are central to modern molecular genetics research.
Molecular genetics graduates work in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in academic and government research laboratories, in clinical genetics and genomic medicine, and in regulatory bodies. Research and development is the primary destination for those who pursue the science at the highest level, and many graduates continue to doctoral study in molecular biology, genetics, or biomedical science. Others move into roles in quality assurance, bioprocessing, medical writing, science communication, and science policy.
The degree also provides a strong foundation for graduate-entry medicine or other clinical professions for those who wish to combine deep scientific training with clinical practice.