Biology and Computer Science

Biology and computer science may seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance, but the relationship between the two disciplines has become one of the most productive in modern science. Biology, which studies life at every scale from molecular processes within cells to the behaviour of populations in ecosystems, generates vast quantities of complex data. Computer science provides the tools, algorithms and computational frameworks needed to make sense of it.

Together they underpin fields such as bioinformatics, computational biology, systems biology and the development of new methods in drug discovery, evolutionary modelling and ecological research. At the University of St Andrews, this four-year joint degree develops your expertise in both areas.

You will study biology from the molecular level, including virus replication, cellular mechanisms and the molecular basis of disease, through to the ecology of animals and plants in natural habitats and the evolutionary processes that shape populations. Alongside this, you will develop the computational and programming skills that allow you to build and apply tools for biological analysis, and you will engage with the theoretical foundations of computer science including algorithms, data structures and software design. A year abroad is built into the programme, extending your academic experience and your personal horizons.

Graduates of this programme are exceptionally well positioned for careers at the intersection of biology and technology, a space that is growing rapidly as the life sciences become increasingly data-intensive. Roles in bioinformatics, computational genomics, pharmaceutical research, medical technology and environmental modelling are all natural destinations. The programming and data analysis skills the degree develops are also valued in healthcare informatics, the biotechnology industry and data science roles more broadly.

Postgraduate study in computational biology, bioinformatics or biological sciences is a well-established route for those who wish to develop specialist research expertise.