MSc Bioinformatics with Advanced Practice

The MSc Bioinformatics (with Advanced Practice) at Teesside University is a 2-year full-time master’s degree. It builds on the standard MSc Bioinformatics by adding an advanced practice (internship or applied project), giving students extra real-world experience. This course teaches how to manage, analyse and interpret large biological datasets using computational tools. It mixes biology (molecular biology, genomics) with programming (Python, R), statistics, data analysis pipelines, and bioinformatics methods. Students also do a full research project. The degree is structured so that students complete 120 credits of taught modules, a 60-credit research project, and 60 credits of advanced practice.

The advanced practice element lasts about one semester (12 weeks). Students can choose between a research internship (guaranteed) or try to find a vocational internship with an external organisation. There is support from the university’s Student Futures team to prepare for this. The research project lets students work within research teams using modern lab, computational or digital infrastructure, often based at the National Horizons Centre.

Students learn through lectures, labs, seminars, workshops, and applied sessions. Assessment methods include exams, coursework (reports, data analysis, and programming tasks), lab reports, presentations, and the research project. The advanced practice module is assessed through reflective reports, project work or workplace logs and presentations.