Genetics

Genetics is the branch of biology concerned with heredity, the mechanisms by which biological information is encoded, transmitted from one generation to the next, and expressed in the development and function of living organisms. From the molecular machinery of DNA replication, transcription, and translation to the patterns of inheritance across populations and the role of genetic variation in disease and evolution, genetics sits at the centre of modern biology. Advances in genome sequencing and gene editing have made it one of the most rapidly developing and socially significant sciences of the present century.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year full-time programme begins with a foundation year that provides an additional year of scientific preparation, making the degree accessible to students who would benefit from consolidating their background in biology, chemistry, and the mathematical sciences before moving into degree-level genetic study. In the core degree years, you will study molecular biology, cell biology, genomics, developmental genetics, population genetics, and bioinformatics, developing both the experimental and computational skills that modern genetics research requires. Manchester is a research-intensive university with significant strengths in genetics and the life sciences, and the teaching is informed by active research across these areas.

Genetics graduates work in biomedical research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, genetic counselling, clinical genetics services, agricultural science, conservation genetics, and academic research. The growth of genomic medicine and personalised healthcare has created substantial new demand for graduates with specialist genetic knowledge and analytical skills. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study or doctoral research, moving into research scientist roles in academia or industry, while others move into genetic technology development, data science in the life sciences, or science communication and policy.