Genetics with a Year in Industry
Genetics is the science of heredity and variation, exploring how information encoded in DNA is transmitted between generations, expressed in organisms and altered by mutation, selection and other evolutionary forces. It is a discipline at the molecular heart of biology, underpinning our understanding of how development occurs, how diseases arise and progress, how populations evolve and how the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth has come to be. Advances in DNA sequencing, gene editing and bioinformatics have made genetics one of the most dynamic and rapidly advancing fields in science.
At Royal Holloway this four-year, full-time programme takes you from the fundamental principles of inheritance and molecular biology through to advanced topics in genomics, epigenetics, developmental genetics and evolutionary biology. You will gain a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control cellular processes, gene expression and genome organisation, alongside the statistical and computational approaches used to analyse genetic data. The programme includes a year in industry, giving you direct experience in a professional scientific or biotechnology setting before you graduate, and a year abroad provides an additional international dimension.
Practical laboratory skills are developed throughout the degree, equipping you to design and conduct experiments and to interpret data with rigour.
Genetics graduates find careers across academic research, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, clinical and diagnostic genetics, forensic science, agricultural science, bioinformatics and genetic counselling. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study, including research degrees in genetics, molecular biology, genomics or bioinformatics, while others move directly into industry roles in drug development, diagnostic testing or precision medicine. The quantitative and analytical skills the degree develops also open doors in data science, epidemiology and science communication.