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Studies & Degrees in Biomedical Genetics

Biomedical genetics studies how genes and variation in DNA affect human health and disease, and how that knowledge is used in diagnosis and treatment. It sits where genetics, molecular biology and medicine meet. The US National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) defines genetics as the branch of biology concerned with the study of inheritance, including the interplay of genes, DNA variation and their interactions with environmental factors. The related field of genomics studies all the DNA of an organism, its genome, rather than single genes.

Students learn how genes are regulated, how changes in them lead to disease, and how to read and analyse genetic data. Typical subjects are molecular and cell biology, gene expression and epigenetics, developmental genetics, cancer genomics, bioinformatics and laboratory methods such as DNA sequencing. Two applications give a sense of the field. Genetic testing, according to MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine), is a type of medical test that identifies changes in genes, chromosomes or proteins; more than 77,000 genetic tests are currently in use. Gene therapy, in the NHGRI definition, uses a gene or genes to treat, prevent or cure a disease or medical disorder.

Qualifications and levels

Biomedical genetics is rarely a bachelor's degree of its own. Most students reach it in steps.

  • Bachelor's degree. A first degree in biology, biomedical sciences, biochemistry or a similar life science gives the basis in genetics, cell biology and chemistry.
  • Master's degree. The specialisation usually happens here, in a research-oriented programme with long laboratory projects. In the Netherlands such a research master's takes two years and 120 ECTS credits.
  • PhD. Research careers normally continue with a doctorate in a university or research institute group.
  • Genetic counselling. This is a separate, patient-facing profession with its own training. In the United States, genetic counselors typically need a master's degree in genetic counseling, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Degree names vary: the same content may be called human genetics, medical genetics, molecular medicine or genomics. Compare the course lists and the research groups instead of the title.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists one active school for biomedical genetics: Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Its Graduate School of Life Sciences offers 15 master's programmes. The one closest to this subject is the master's in Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, which combines research in oncology, molecular developmental biology and genetics. The university describes its graduates as trained in both fundamental and disease-oriented aspects of biomedical genetics.

The key facts published by the university for this programme are:

  • Degree awarded: MSc in Biomedical Sciences, accredited by the NVAO, the Dutch-Flemish accreditation organisation
  • Two years full-time, 120 ECTS credits, taught in English, starting in September
  • A Major Research Project of 51 credits, plus courses such as Cancer Genomics, Developmental Genetics and Gene Expression, Epigenetics and Disease
  • Tuition fees for 2026-27: €2,694 for Dutch and other EU/EEA students (statutory fee) and €25,306 for non-EU/EEA students (institutional fee)

Admission is selective, and the programme admits a maximum of 40 students each year. Applicants need a relevant university bachelor's degree; the university names biology, biomedical sciences, life sciences, biochemistry and pharmaceutical sciences as the most likely matches. Foreign degrees are checked against the level of a Dutch research university bachelor's degree. The required English level is what Utrecht University calls EMI-experienced; its website lists the accepted tests and scores. For holders of a non-Dutch degree, applications open on 1 October and close on 1 April, or on 1 February for scholarship candidates. Check the current dates and fees on the university's website before applying.

Careers

Many graduates go on to research. Utrecht University states that by the end of the master's the majority of its students have already secured a PhD position. Outside academic research, the university lists these destinations:

  • Research institutes
  • Biotechnology companies
  • The pharmaceutical industry
  • Policy-making organisations in science and health care
  • Education

Clinical work with patients needs further training. Diagnosing patients is done by doctors who specialise in clinical genetics, and laboratory specialists and genetic counsellors are trained and registered under national rules. As one official indicator from the United States, the BLS counted about 4,200 genetic counselor jobs in 2025 and projects employment to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035. Figures for other countries differ, so check the rules of the country where you want to work.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study biomedical genetics as a bachelor's degree?

Usually not under that name. Most students take a bachelor's degree in biology, biomedical sciences or biochemistry and specialise in genetics at master's level.

How long does a master's in this field take?

The research master's at Utrecht University takes two years full-time and 120 ECTS credits, of which 51 credits are a Major Research Project.

Is the Utrecht programme taught in English?

Yes. The language of instruction is English, and applicants must show the English level the university calls EMI-experienced.

Does a master's in biomedical genetics qualify me to advise patients?

No. It is a research degree. Genetic counselling and clinical genetics have their own training and registration rules in each country.