Department of Natural Sciences | Master of Data Science in Bioinformatics and Biological Modelling

Master of Data Science in Bioinformatics & Biological Modelling (MDS) at Durham University

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Develop quantitative skills in bioinformatics and modelling in molecular biology. This advanced understanding of complex data will give you a head start in a dynamic and rapidly growing field.

From security cameras and satellite transmission to our mobile devices, homes, cars, and in the workplace, we are surrounded by data. At the same time, developments in technology have made the field of data science more accessible than ever, creating new opportunities to gain insight about the interactions between people and their environment. This has led to a significant increase in demand for skilled data scientists, and this demand is predicted to further grow.

Drawing on this, we have created the Master of Data Science in Bioinformatics & Biological Modelling, a conversion course that equips you with the skills to access, clean, analyse, and visualise data, opening a future in data science even if your first degree doesn’t include a strong data component. It is likely to appeal to those with a background in Biological or Physical Sciences and Humanities.

The MDS provides training in contemporary data science, learning from practicing researchers who are making a difference across a range of industries. Shared core modules across the suite of MDS courses build wider skills in statistical and machine learning, while subject-specific modules will develop your quantitative skills in Bioinformatics & Biological Modelling. It is equally suitable whether you are planning to use quantitative analysis in a research capacity in Molecular Biology, or if you are a Physical or Biological Science graduate who wants to learn transferrable data and modelling analysis skills.

The course begins with a range of introductory modules before progressing to more advanced contemporary techniques such as Neural Networks, Bioinformatics and Deep Learning, to expand your knowledge and understanding. Optional modules allow you to focus on an area of interest.

The MDS culminates in the research project, an in-depth investigation into an area of specific interest in which you apply the skills you’ve learned during the course to a research problem in Biosciences.

The skills and knowledge that constitute a Masters qualification in Data Science are widely sought by employers around the globe. In today’s data-driven society, the ability to capture, analyse and communicate information and trends from the data generated by business, governments and their agencies, communities and organisations is highly prized.

It follows that Data Science is a rapidly expanding career sector with opportunities for stimulating and rewarding work in many sectors including the areas of science, humanities, health, environmental and social where understanding and expertise in data is leading to transformations in the way people live and work.

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