Computational Biology

Entry requirements

A 2:1 honours degree in biology, mathematics, physics, computer science or a related subject, or its equivalent.

Months of entry

October

Course content

The MPhil in Computational Biology course is aimed at introducing students in the biological, mathematical and physical sciences to quantitative aspects of modern biology and medicine, including bioinformatics. The course has been developed by the Cambridge Computational Biology Institute and is run by the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.

The course is intended for mathematicians, computer scientists and others wishing to learn about the subject in preparation for a PhD course or a career in industry. It is also suitable for students with a first degree in biosciences as long as they have strong quantitative skills (which should be documented in the application).

Core modules are in bioinformatics, scientific programming with R, genomics, systems biology and network biology. All students joining this course are required to attend an introductory course in molecular biology (usually scheduled at the start of the academic year, just before formal lectures commence). Courses are delivered in association with several University departments from the Schools of Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences, groups within the School of Clinical Medicine, the European Bioinformatics Institute and the Sanger Institute. The course concludes with a three-month internship in a university or industrial laboratory.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the MPhil in Computational Biology, students will be expected to have:

• acquired a sound knowledge of a range of tools and methods in computational biology;
• developed the capacity for independent study and problem-solving at a higher level;
• undertaken an internship project within a laboratory or group environment, and produced a project report; and
• given at least one presentation on their project.