Genetics

Genetics lies at the heart of modern biology, medicine, and biotechnology. It is the study of heredity and variation at the molecular level, examining how information encoded in DNA is transmitted across generations, expressed in living cells, and altered by mutation, recombination, and environmental influence. Understanding genetics is fundamental to addressing some of the most pressing challenges in human health, including the development of new therapies for genetic disease, the improvement of crops for a changing climate, and the application of genomic analysis in medicine and forensic science.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year full-time programme builds a thorough grounding in the principles of genetics and molecular genetics, from classical Mendelian inheritance through to the contemporary techniques of genome sequencing, gene editing, and functional genomics. You will explore how genes are regulated, how genomes are organised and evolve, and how genetic variation underlies both normal biological diversity and disease. Laboratory skills are central to the programme, and you will develop practical competence in the techniques used in modern genetic research.

The course includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study genetics at an international institution and to experience different research environments and scientific traditions. The year abroad enriches your academic development and strengthens your capacity to work across cultural and institutional boundaries, qualities increasingly valued in research and industry.

Genetics graduates enter a discipline with exceptional career breadth. Roles in academic and industrial research, clinical genetics, genetic counselling, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, agricultural science, and forensic analysis are all available to those with a strong genetics background. The skills in data analysis, laboratory technique, and scientific reasoning you develop are also valuable in healthcare, public health, science communication, and science policy.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate research degrees or clinical training programmes, deepening their expertise in areas such as genomics, developmental biology, or molecular medicine.