Genetics

Study the behaviour of the genes that are fundamental to all living organisms

In humans and all other species, genes influence every characteristic, from chemistry to appearance to behaviour to disease. Because genes affect every characteristic of every organism, each new development in genetics has far-reaching consequences. The combination of molecular and more traditional genetics has allowed us to solve problems in applications ranging from molecular genetics to human disease, plant breeding, microbiology and conservation biology.

Genetics is offered as a major in several undergraduate science degrees. The major offers a general introduction to the discipline during your first years of study, before allowing you to diversify into the more specialised areas of genetics, including molecular genetics, human genetics, plant and microbial molecular biology and conservation biology. The study of genetics has taken a more computer/systems approach and the major has a significant focus on the integration of these approaches at the cellular, whole organism and population levels.

Career opportunities in genetics

You could pursue a career as a research scientist, genetic counsellor, forensic scientist, clinical scientist, laboratory technician or bioinformatician.

Our programs

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