Genetics

This four-year course includes an integrated foundation year, after which the syllabus follows that of the standard three-year course, BSc Genetics (C400).

Why study Genetics at Aberystwyth University?

• You'll study cancer biology, chromosome genetics, gene expression and development, evolution and population genetics, and biotechnology.
• You'll be taught the application of molecular techniques including DNA manipulation, sequencing and analysis.
• You'll have access to extensive research and teaching labs equipped with the latest state-of-the-art equipment, including microscopy facilities, high-throughput DNA sequencing, proteomics, metabolomics and spectroscopic platforms.
• You'll have a guaranteed lab-based research project in your final year.
• You'll receive tuition in scientific protocol and the correct scientific procedures for recording, interpreting and reporting data.
• We place great emphasis upon practical skills so that our graduates become practitioners from the word go. We ensure that our graduates have the skills to communicate their science effectively so that they can join the often controversial genetics debates.

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

Employability is embedded across all of our teaching. Our Genetics degree will provide you with plenty of hands-on lab work, and thus the skills to take up a professional career in genetics within healthcare, industry or universities. Potential opportunities include clinical genetics, biomedical genetics, biotechnology, forensic research, genetic counselling, conservation genetics and plant breeding. This degree also frequently leads to postgraduate research at Masters and PhD level.

Where are our Genetics graduates now? 

• Genetic Technologist at Liverpool Women’s Hospital
• Clinical Scientist at Birmingham Women’s Hospital
• Research Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
• Post-doctoral research Associate at the University of Manchester
• MSc student in Developmental Biology at the University of Bath
• PhD at the University of Leicester.

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying? 

Find out about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers. Enhance your employability prospects with our Year in Employment Scheme.

Genetics is at the cutting edge of the biological sciences. In the post-genomic era, we are able to truly examine our biological programming at a molecular level. What I really enjoy about the course, C400, is that you have the ability to tailor it to your areas of interest, choosing your own combinations of modules which reflect the areas you want to explore most, all the while gaining valuable knowledge and practical experience to help shape your career path. Richard Cleverley

For me, the appeal of genetics is rooted in its universal and diverse nature; it is captivating to consider the fact that every variety of living organism is constructed from a blueprint, written within molecules of DNA. My delight in genetics is intensified by the positive impact its application can have on people’s lives, and with so much still to be discovered, surely the best is yet to come. Studying at Aberystwyth University has facilitated my enjoyment of genetics and has provided the resources that make it possible for me to continue to take pleasure in genetics. Nathan Luke Greenaway

My course at Aberystwyth University prepared me for my PhD by challenging me to understand the core cellular and molecular principles integral to cellular function. What I’ve learned from interacting with other graduates is that the scope of teaching at IBERS is much broader, giving a much better understanding of the fundamentals of biology than other courses.

Phil – Studying for PhD at the University of York

My degree in Genetics and Biochemistry gave me a good grounding that prepared me very well for my PhD. In fact, one of the courses, Gene Expression and Developmental Genetics inspired me to work in the area of Developmental Biology, which is what I work at today. I will be eternally grateful for the chance I was given and the teaching I received.

Roger – Professor of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen