Programme Structure

The MSc programme is a two-year programme equivalent to 120 ECTS. It consists of compulsory courses depending on your specialisation, elective courses, and a thesis. All lectures are in English, as well as your reports and exams.

Regardless of which specialisation you choose, you will follow three types of courses during the programme:

  • Compulsory courses which cover the basic elements of bioinformatics. The courses are mainly placed in the first year of the programme.
  • Restricted elective courses – these are courses you choose from a list.
  • Elective courses – here you are free to choose MSc or BSc courses at University of Copenhagen. You can also do a project in practice or a project outside the course scope.

Do a Project in Practice or Study Abroad

You may choose to use some of your elective courses to do a project in practice or to study abroad for one or two semesters or for a shorter period of time.

Specialisations

The programme allows you to choose between two specialisations:

 

If you choose the specialisation in Computational Biology, your academic focus will be on biological sequence analysis, molecular phylogeny, structural bioinformatics, systems biology, and the bioinformatics aspects of gene expression and proteomics data.

You will work with the computer software used within the field of bioinformatics and you gain deep insight into subject areas such as genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, and machine learning. Furthermore, you gain an understanding of the way these subject areas are part of modern scientific practice and of their industrial and medical applications.

Programme Overview

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3  Block 4
Year 1

 Biological Sequence Analysis Statistics for Bioinformatics and eScience Population Genetics Restricted elective course
Restricted elective course Structural Bioinformatics Introduction to Data Science Bioinformatics of High Throughput Analyses
Year 2 Restricted elective course Restricted elective course Thesis
Elective course Elective course

One block equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the list below. Click on each course for a detailed description.

 

 

This specialisation allows you to focus on computer programming e.g., the development and use of algorithms, machine learning, and probabilistic models in bioinformatics.

You gain insight into subject areas such as biological sequence analysis, molecular phylogeny, structural bioinformatics, systems biology, and the bioinformatics aspects of gene expression and proteomics data. Furthermore, you gain an understanding of the way these subject areas are part of modern scientific practice and of their industrial and medical applications.

Programme Overview

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3  Block 4
Year 1

 Machine Learning A Molecular Biology for Non-Life Scientists Restricted elective course Restricted elective course
Biological Sequence Analysis Structural Bioinformatics Restricted elective course Restricted elective course
Year 2 Restricted elective course Advanced Algorithms and Data Structures Thesis
Elective course Elective course

One block equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the list below. Click on each course for a detailed description.

NB: The list is based on the academic year 2020/2021 and is therefore only indicative. The final list of restricted elective courses in the academic year 2021/2022 is ready in spring 2021.

Are you already a student at Bioinformatics?

Find the programme structure that fits your year of admission on your Study Information.