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  • Bioinformatics with Systems Biology (MSc)
  • 2013/2014 entry
  • Contact us
  • Assessment

    • Written examination, coursework, individual project and oral examination.

  • Attendance
      • Two evenings a week part-time; two afternoons and two evenings a week full-time.
      • October–September.
  • Duration
      • Two years part-time or one year full-time.
  • Entry requirements
      • Students may have first degrees in a wide range of subjects, including biology, computer science, mathematics, chemistry or physics.
      • Some practical knowledge of one programming language would be a distinct advantage.
      • Mathematics to A-level or equivalent desirable, but GCSE/O-level considered.

      Find out about our international entry requirements

  • Fees and funding
    • Fees (2013/14)
      • Part-time (home/EU students): £3975 pa
      • Part-time (overseas students): £7225 pa
      • Full-time (home/EU students): £6950 pa
      • Full-time (overseas students): £13,950 pa
  • Location
      • Central London.
  • Teaching

    • This programme emphasises active learning. Practical exercises, reinforcing and expanding on the preceding lectures, are integral to most modules. Teaching includes contributions from specialists at other universities and research institutions.

Bioinformatics with Systems Biology (MSc) - 2013/2014 entry


  • Overview

    • Bioinformatics is a discipline that has arisen from the need to extract biologically useful information from the vast quantities of raw experimental data presently being generated in the biosciences. This programme is designed for students from a range of scientific backgrounds who are particularly interested in the study of computational and scientific developments in bioinformatics, and the application of this knowledge to the fields of molecular and biological science.

  • Why study this course at Birkbeck?
      • Receive training in bioinformatics and systems biology – growth areas of science at the beginning of the third millennium. 
      • Aims to meet the present needs of the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology industries for research and development.
      • Part of the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, a joint initiative with University College London.
  • Course structure
  • Study resources

    • Access to computer laboratories, a visualisation laboratory and a multimedia seminar room equipped with graphics workstations.

  • Further study opportunities
  • Careers information

    • Graduates go on to careers in research and academia.

  • Further details

    • Learning outcomes

      On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

      • critically understand and apply computer techniques to a variety of biological information
      • use the tools and techniques of computer science, biology, chemistry and mathematical statistics to obtain information from the vast wealth of biological information that can be accessed via the internet
      • understand the language and terminology of bioinformatics
      • be aware of current advances and challenges in bioinformatics.

      Key themes of the programme

      • the development of essential computing skills: programming in Perl (including Bioperl, web application development), designing and querying databases, and object-oriented programming in Java
      • understanding fundamental biological concepts, including genomes, DNA, protein structure and function
      • understanding the statistical foundations of bioinformatics, including sequence analysis
      • providing an introduction to growth areas in bioinformatics research, such as systems biology, microarray analysis and scientific workflows.

      The syllabus changes every year, partly informed by feedback from an Industrial Liaison Committee. A key experience for most students is the extended project, which gives you the opportunity to engage in original research and aid your development as an independent researcher.

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