B.S. in Bioinformatics

The Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary training program focused on the intersection of biology, computer science and statistics.

Undergraduate students pursuing a bioinformatics degree typically enjoy biology as well as utilizing computers and find the major is a good way to combine both interests. What do our graduates do after their B.S. degree? They go to graduate school, attend medical school and obtain employment.

Our four-year curriculum in bioinformatics prepares you for employment in laboratories in private industry or government agencies, and graduate study in the life sciences. In addition, you'll also be ready for admission to schools of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, and into allied health programs.

As a graduate of VCU's undergraduate program, you will:

• Gain fundamental knowledge of the basic concepts of biology (particularly molecular biology), the physical sciences, mathematics, statistics and computational science and the ability to apply that knowledge within the context of bioinformatics
• Demonstrate an ability to identify and analyze bioinformatics problems and strategies to solve said problems with technical knowledge and ability, biological software, datasets and scripting
• Identify and access relevant scientific literature and draw from it in a meaningful and critical manner
• Communicate about the scientific questions you investigate and the results you generate

Transfer students: If you have or are intending to transfer to VCU and major in bioinformatics, you must satisfy all bioinformatics major core course requirements as well as concentration requirements in genomic, statistical or computational sciences.

Curriculum 

The bioinformatics curriculum integrates biology, mathematics and computer science courses with a core of bioinformatics courses. Students will gain hands-on experience with bioinformatics programming, algorithms, scientific research techniques and problem-solving. Core courses are supplemented with concentration, allowing students to specialize in their areas of interest. 

Concentrations

Students in the B.S. in Bioinformatics program choose a concentration related to their interests, either genomic, statistical or computational sciences. These concentrations often lead to a minor in biology, statistics or computer science, respectively. Many of our students also participate in faculty mentored undergraduate research to apply classroom learning to a real problem. 

• Biological/genomic sciences concentration: Designed for students with a strong interest in biology, this track emphasizes molecular biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics. Many students also pursue a minor in biology or chemistry.
• Computational sciences concentration: Ideal for students passionate about computer programming, this track focuses on advanced computer science topics and algorithms. Students in this concentration often pursue a minor in computer science.
• Quantitative/statistical sciences concentration: Aimed at students who enjoy problem solving with math and statistics, this track emphasizes statistical modeling and quantitative analysis. Students may also pursue a minor in mathematics.