Program Overview
Share Facebook Linkedin Email Postgraduate Taught 2026 autism-practice-msc robotics-artificial-intelligence-msc artificial-intelligence-pgcert history-pgdip engineering-energy-economics-the-environment-pgcert applied-cyber-security-pgcert data-analytics-pgcert technology-management-msc sound-music-pgcert sound-music-pgdip masters-law-mlaw international-commercial-business-law-llm cancer-medicine-mscres public-health-mph education-computingit-digital-skills-creative-enterprise-pgce public-health-systems-policy-theory-into-practice-pgcert international-political-economy-msc sound-music-ma public-health-sciences-pgcert public-health-data-systems-research-pgcert substance-use-substance-use-disorders-msc substance-use-substance-use-disorders-pgcert substance-use-substance-use-disorders-pgdip english-creative-writing-ma data-analytics-msc english-creative-writing-pgdip advanced-healthcare-practice-msc law-technology-llm intellectual-property-law-llm palliative-care-pgdip irish-studies-ma 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independent-prescribing-pgcert industrial-pharmaceutics-msc international-business-msc international-human-rights-law-llm international-public-policy-msc international-public-policy-pgdip international-relations-ma international-relations-pgdip interpreting-ma law-llm leadership-sustainable-development-msc leadership-sustainable-rural-development-msc linguistics-ma linguistics-pgcert linguistics-pgdip management-msc marketing-msc master-business-administration-internship-mba master-business-administration-mba mechanical-engineering-management-higher-level-apprenticeship-msc mechanical-engineering-management-industrial-internship-msc mechanical-engineering-management-msc mechanical-engineering-management-pgcert mechanical-engineering-management-pgdip mechanical-engineering-pgcert media-broadcast-production-ma media-broadcast-production-pgdip mental-health-mental-capacity-law-msc mental-health-mental-capacity-law-pgdip mental-health-pgdip midwifery-msc net-zero-engineering-distance-learning-msc net-zero-engineering-msc net-zero-engineering-year-industry-msc pharmaceutical-analysis-higher-level-apprenticeship-msc pharmaceutical-analysis-industrial-placement-msc pharmaceutical-analysis-international-industrial-placement-msc pharmaceutical-analysis-msc philosophy-ma philosophy-pgdip planning-development-higher-level-apprenticeship-msc planning-development-msc planning-development-pgcert politics-ma politics-pgdip prescribing-pharmacists-pgcert professional-nursing-adult-nursing-msc professional-nursing-children-young-people-msc professional-nursing-learning-disabilities-nursing-msc professional-nursing-mental-health-nursing-msc professional-practice-architecture-pgcert psychological-science-msc public-history-ma social-science-research-mres social-science-research-pgdip sociology-global-inequality-msc software-development-msc software-development-part-time-msc specialist-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-msc sustainable-energy-systems-management-msc sustainable-energy-systems-management-pgdip systemic-practice-family-therapy-msc systemic-practice-family-therapy-pgcert systemic-practice-family-therapy-pgdip systemic-psychotherapy-msc teaching-english-speakers-other-languages-applied-linguistics-msc translation-ma violence-terrorism-security-ma violence-terrorism-security-pgdip youth-justice-msc youth-justice-pgdip zero-carbon-engineering-pgcert Share Facebook Linkedin Email Undergraduate 2025 MSc | Postgraduate Taught Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Apply now Register Interest Entry year Academic Year 2026/27 Entry requirements 2.2 Attendance 1 year (Full-time) Places available 40 (Full Time) Overview Course content Modules Entry requirements Careers Fees and funding Apply The past decade has seen enormous advances in molecular and biomedical technology resulting in an ‘omics’ revolution. Bioinformatics (health data science) covers the application of mathematics, statistics and computing (including AI and machine learning) to biological and clinical scenarios. Algorithms and software tools are used to understand and interpret patient-derived ‘Big Data’ WHAT'S INVOLVED? In this conversion course, you will be using data science tools to analyse clinical, omics and other data in order to find complex patterns relating to patient response to treatments and prognosis. You will discover results that have the potential to translate to the real world, through clinical trials or commercialisation. Using the skills and tools developed in the course you will derive unique solutions to clinical and biological problems.
Key Program Features
Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics highlights
Global Opportunities
You will be involved with the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Welcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine and the Centre for Public Health, who work with partners around the world in developing treatments and pioneering advances in patient care. All Centres have an international reputation for successful dissemination and application of cutting edge research , knowledge transfer and the commercialisation of research ideas and innovations.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cancer-research/, http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/wwiem/ http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforPublicHealth/
"I completed the MSc Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics at QUB in 2017. "I had previously finished my BSc in Mathematics, and was working in temporary positions while figuring out my next steps. Along with my typical job search, I also kept an eye on courses at QUB for further learning opportunities. “My favourite modules during my undergraduate degree were mathematical modelling in Biology and Medicine, as well as computational analysis. “So, when I came across the Bioinformatics course, it seemed like the perfect option to build upon the aspects of my undergraduate degree that I enjoyed—coding and biology—while also challenging myself in a new domain of genomics and biomedical data. “Since completing the course, I have been able to progress my career in data science. “The course served as my introduction to the world of data, covering areas like visualisation, analysis, and modelling, and it positioned me well to secure my first job as a data scientist. “Although this role was in a different domain, I was able to leverage the skills, methodology, and tools learned in the course to add value to the Engineering Research and Development team at Randox. “For example, one of my initial projects involved identifying anomalies in testing kits, and I applied clustering analysis to tackle this novel problem. Another example is survival analysis, which helps to estimate the time to an event occurring. “While in the course, we related this to patient outcomes, but it can be applied to various domains, such as insurance, to estimate the time it takes for a customer to file a claim. “Collaboration and communication skills are essential for any data scientist. I found the Bioinformatics course to be well-rounded, as it not only provided the technical knowledge, but also developed important soft skills. “Group projects and presentations were particularly beneficial in preparing me for the transition from university to industry. “Since then, I have continued to learn and develop my skills across sectors such as manufacturing, R&D, mobility and, most recently, insurance. “Currently, I am working as a Principal Data Scientist at Liberty IT. This role is incredibly varied, and I’ve had opportunities to work on a range of business problems. “Some days are focused on data exploration, visualisation, and modelling, while other days involve collaboration with team members and presenting findings to stakeholders. “It has been seven years since I completed my degree at Queen’s University Belfast, and it's evident how the course has greatly influenced and guided my career path.” Naomi (Alumni, MSc in Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics) “I was born in Sri Lanka, and I studied a MSc in Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics at Queen’s University Belfast; I was self-funded. “Prior to Queen’s, I did my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at University College Dublin. “As a computer scientist and software engineer, the Bioinformatics course was helpful in bridging my knowledge gap in computational biology, and the use of bioinformatics within healthcare. “I enjoyed the coding labs as they gave me a chance to work on example use-cases where the theory I had learned during the course could be used programmatically. “I was interested in doing a master’s degree in bioinformatics, and at the time, the course offered by Queen’s seemed like it would meet most of my requirements. “I also liked the fact that Queen’s is a “Russell Group” university. “My impressions of Queen’s itself were positive. I actually started my course a couple of months late, but the teaching staff were very helpful in giving me access to all the material I missed out on. So, the delayed start actually didn't end up having any negative impact on my overall course performance. “I loved Belfast from the start; everyone was really friendly and helpful, and there there’s also lots of greenery there, which, for a nature lover like myself, was a big plus. “It’s also a great place if you are a foodie because there's’ a lot of multicultural food shops and restaurants about. “I also found Belfast to be very economical for a student budget. “As an international student, I spent my first year at Elmwood. It had all the amenities I needed, and it was a friendly environment. “After completing my master’s degree, I went on to read for a PhD in Medicine, where I developed a pan-cancer data analytical framework, which was later used to found Sonrai Analytics Ltd., a QUB spin-out. “At present, I am a Research Associate at Imperial College London. I work within the Computational Cardiac Imaging Group, where I help design software that can streamline cardiac imaging data analysis.” Deva (Alumni, MSc in Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics)
Career Opportunities
Career Prospects
Introduction
The rapid production of 'omics' data within medicine and the life sciences has meant that individuals with health data science experience in this field are highly sought after. Recent graduates have gone on to work in industry in companies such as Almac Diagnostics, Liberty IT and Fios Genomics and some have gone onto further PhD level research. http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers
Employment after the Course
Many of our students go on to pursue further PhD study in health data science at Queen’s and further afield. Others go on to work in a variety of roles in both the private and public sector industry here in Northern Ireland and internationally, including the following: Bioinformatician, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Application Scientist, Dotmatics Network and Security Engineer, Darktrace Senior Data Scientist, Liberty IT Graduate Trainee HPC, University of Bristol Junior Bioinformatic Scientist, Almac Group Bioinformatician, Fios Genomics Ltd Biomedical Scientist and Junior Bioinformatician, Biokinetic Europe Business/Data Analyst, Diaceutics Bioinformatics Data Manager, Institute of Cancer Research Bioinformatician Molecular Scientist, Randox Associate Consultant, Microsoft Health Technology Assessment Analyst, Health Information and Quality Authority Ireland Health Data Science Black Internship, East Suffolk North Essex NHS Foundation Trust http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers
Professional Opportunities
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers
Prizes and Awards
The top ranked candidate in the year will receive a Book Prize and Certificate of Merit.
Program Curriculum
Course Structure
Students enrol on a full time (one year) basis. There is an introductory context-orientation module during the first two weeks. This is followed by three (20 CAT) modules in Semester 1, and four modules (2 x 20 CAT and 2 x 10 CAT) during Semester 2. The MSc is awarded to students who successfully complete all taught modules (120 CATS) and a dissertation (60 CATS). A Diploma exit qualification is available to those students who have successfully completed 120 CATS points of taught modules. A Certificate exit qualification is available to those students who have successfully completed 60 CATS points of taught modules.
Course Details
Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics is an interdisciplinary field at the heart of health data science research, discovery and practice. With its challenging and rewarding content, this Masters degree will provide students, with a background in computational or life sciences, the opportunity to move into an exciting new area of discovery, technology and application using data analysis. We provide a broad learning base and offer training in open-source programming languages commonly used in academia and industry. Following the context-orientation module the compulsory modules are: SCM8051 Analysis of Gene Expression – 20 CATS This module will provide the practical molecular biological knowledge required to develop the most effective and useful computational tools for analysis of gene expression data. SCM8095 Genomics and Human Disease – 20 CATS This module explores rapidly advancing fields that are moving from specialised research areas to mainstream medicine, science and public arenas. The principles of genomic medicine will be discussed alongside bioinformatics approaches for identifying 'causative genes' for human disease. SCM7047 Scientific Programming and Statistical Computing – 20 CATS This module covers the fundamental elements of the statistical framework R and the programming language Python. It gives an introduction to parallel processing applications and implementation and how to leverage modern big-data problems through HPC computing. SCM8148 Health and Biomedical Informatics and the Exposome (half module 10 CATS) The module will cover different aspects of health informatics including the basic structure of electronic health records (EHRs). This module also includes an introduction to the concept of the exposome and the contribution of biomedical informatics in exposome research. SCM8152 Systems Medicine: From Molecules to Populations (half module 10 CATS) Students will develop knowledge of integrative approaches for multi-'omics biomedical data analysis in order to illuminate disease mechanisms, with applications in precision medicine. Systems medicine brings together multiple scientific disciplines; some of the key areas covered in this module are network biology, machine learning and patient stratification. SCM8108 Applied Genomics – 20 CATS This module examines the practical challenges in generating different 'omics' datasets, the important implications of how this is conducted when analysing such datasets and gives practical experience of dealing with resulting datasets using relevant tools. SCM8109 Biostatistical Informatics (blended) – 20 CATS The core of this module will highlight the analysis of clinico-pathological and 'omics' data. The module will also provide an introduction to carrying out key statistical tests in the R statistical programming language. Research Project: Dissertation – 60 CATS Translational bioinformatics and technical development research projects are mainly split between the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research and the Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine and the Centre for Public Health You will be taught by subject experts from the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cancer-research/), the Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine (https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/wwiem/), and the Centre for Public Health (https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforPublicHealth/). This is complemented by guest lectures from industrial and clinical collaborators.
Environment
You will be taught by active researchers including bioinformaticians, biomedical scientists, and clinicians. We also have teaching input from our industrial partners.
People teaching you Dr Guillermo Lopez Campos Programme Co-ordinator SMDB pgoffice.smdb@qub.ac.uk Dr Jaine Blayney Programme Co-ordinator SMDB pgoffice.smdb@qub.ac.uk
Admission Requirements
How to Apply
Apply using our online Queen's Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply .
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions .
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
GBP 15,200/year (international)
Tuition Fees
| Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | £9,200 |
| Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £9,200 |
| England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £10,400 |
| EU Other 3 | £23,000 |
| International | £23,000 |
1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
More information on postgraduate tuition fees .
Additional course costs
Students have the option to hire a locker, at a cost of £5 per student per year. Students will need access to their own computing facilities as part of this programme is delivered online. Terms and Conditions for Postgraduate applications: 1.1 Due to high demand, there is a deadline for applications. 1.2 You will be required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the course. The current mandatory tuition fee deposit payment is: • £400 for Domestic (NI/ROI/GB) students • £1000 International (Non- EU & EU except ROI). 1.3 This condition of offer is in addition to any academic or English language requirements. Read the full terms and conditions at the link below: https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/postgraduate/tuition-fees/deposit-refunds-policy/
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid & Funding Opportunities
A range of funding options may be available to students enrolling at Queen's University Belfast. Explore all options early — many scholarships have deadlines months before programme start.
- University Scholarships: Queen's University Belfast may offer merit-based, need-based, or programme-specific scholarships for postgraduate students. Contact the international or financial aid office for current awards.
- Government Scholarships (): National governments often fund outbound and inbound student mobility. Check your home country's government scholarship schemes (e.g., national student loan bodies, ministry of education awards).
- International Scholarships: Major funders include: Commonwealth Scholarships, Fulbright (USA programmes), Chevening (UK), Erasmus+ (Europe), DAAD (Germany), Campus France, Australia Awards, and many more.
- Employer Sponsorship: Professionals returning to study may negotiate tuition sponsorship with their employer, particularly for MBA or executive programmes.
- Graduate Assistantships / Fellowships: Some universities offer funded research or teaching assistant positions that include a stipend and partial or full tuition waiver.
- External Foundations: Rotary Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Ford Foundation, and many discipline-specific bodies fund postgraduate study globally.
- Payment Plans: Flexible instalment plans may allow you to spread tuition payments across the academic year.
About Queen's University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast
Botswana, Botswana
Visit the university profile page to learn more about this institution.
University Profile- Start Date 2018-09-01
- Language English
- Duration 12 months
- Credits 60 ECTS / 180 credits (1-year programme)