Medical Genetics BSc (Hons)

The University of Sheffield

Our three-year BSc Medical Genetics course will give you a broad understanding of genetics with an emphasis on topics of medical relevance, allowing you to understand how genetic information can be used and its role in future medicine. The course spans human, plant and microbial genetics, genomics, and molecular biology, allowing you to explore the genetic basis of cell function and disease. You'll study the structure and expression of genes, inheritance and mutations, and learn about the latest molecular techniques for modifying genes, including CRISPR. We'll introduce you to how modern genetics is enabling us to understand and treat a range of diseases, as well as helping us to tackle global challenges like food sustainability and security.

From your first year you’ll study modules that span the molecular biosciences covering genetics, biochemistry and molecular and cell biology. Alongside these modules you’ll have the freedom to explore complementary topics across the breadth of bioscience, such as microbiology, biomedicine, ecology, plant science and zoology. This flexibility allows you to study medical genetics in greater depth, keep your interests broad or even switch to another degree programme within the biosciences. No matter what modules you choose to study, you’ll develop the practical laboratory and transferable skills that make our graduates attractive to employers including project management, problem solving, communication skills and data analysis.

We’ll give you plenty of opportunities to apply your new skills and knowledge too. You’ll be in the lab completing in-depth practicals across molecular genetics, DNA manipulation and protein structure analysis, and you’ll get the chance to use cutting-edge equipment to run your own in-depth research projects in an area such as clinical diagnostics or brewing biotechnology.

Whether you choose to focus solely on medical genetics, or study a range of topics across the molecular biosciences and beyond, your personal tutor will support you to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals.

Whether you want to pursue a career in science, apply your skills in industry, or continue your studies, Sheffield biosciences graduates are highly sought after due to their specialist laboratory and field skills, ability to solve problems, handle and analyse data, and effectively communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences.

Our students secure roles with leading scientific organisations like GSK, AstraZeneca, Cancer Research, the Environment Agency, Wildlife Trusts, and the Natural History Museum. Transferable skills are embedded and developed throughout our degrees, which means year on year many of our graduates join top 100 employers like the BBC, Deloitte, the Civil Service, and the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. You can also apply your degree to other varied careers including bioinformatics, marketing and science communication, teaching and science policy. Some students go on to further study.

If you want to gain work experience as a recognised part of your degree we have a dedicated BSc Medical Genetics with a Year in Industry programme. You can test out a career path that you're considering between your second and third year - whether that's in the lab or applying your scientific knowledge and transferable skills in industry, and earn a salary while you're doing it.

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology which shows employers that you've developed the practical skills and scientific knowledge that they're looking for.