Genetics

Genetics is the science of heredity and variation, concerned with how biological information encoded in DNA is passed from one generation to the next and how it shapes the characteristics of living organisms. Understanding how DNA, the chemical database and blueprint for life, is used to diagnose disease, develop new therapies, and improve crops that feed the world lies at the heart of modern genetics. From the molecular mechanisms of gene expression to the population-level patterns of genetic diversity, genetics is central to our understanding of life and to some of the most important practical challenges in medicine and agriculture.

At the University of York, this three-year full-time degree develops your understanding of genetics from its molecular foundations through to its applications in human health and the life sciences more broadly. You will study DNA structure and function, gene regulation, genomics, evolutionary genetics, and the techniques used to manipulate and analyse genetic material in the laboratory. Practical work is integral throughout, developing the experimental skills that are central to the discipline.

The programme includes a sandwich year with a year abroad and work placement, giving you extended research or industry experience in a genetics-related environment. Entry typically requires around 152 UCAS tariff points.

Genetics graduates work in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical genetics services, agriculture, food science, forensic science, research institutes, and government regulatory agencies. The combination of technical laboratory skills with conceptual scientific understanding opens a broad range of career paths. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study or doctoral research in genetics, genomics, molecular biology, or related biomedical sciences.