Studies & Degrees in Biophysics
Biophysics applies the theories and methods of physics to understand how biological systems work, in the definition of the Biophysical Society. Biophysicists ask how molecules such as proteins and DNA fold and move, how cells generate force and process signals, and how organs such as the brain or the heart work as physical systems. The Society recalls that the structure of DNA was solved in 1953 using biophysics, and that biophysicists developed diagnostic imaging techniques including MRI, CT and PET scans.
Students take the core of a physics degree (mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, statistical and quantum physics, mathematics and programming) together with chemistry, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology. Specialised courses cover structural biology, microscopy and spectroscopy, molecular modelling and simulation, biomechanics, neurophysics and medical imaging. Laboratory work and computing are central, and most programmes include a research project.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree. Some universities have a biophysics major; more often biophysics is a track inside physics or biochemistry. The University of British Columbia, for example, states that its physics department offers an undergraduate degree with a focus on biophysics, the Combined Honours in Biophysics. In the United States a bachelor's degree normally takes four years. In Spain there are few bachelor's degrees with this name: biophysics is studied as a subject area within physics, biochemistry, biotechnology or biomedical degrees, and official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits.
- Master's degree. In Europe the usual step after the bachelor's degree is a master's in biophysics, molecular biophysics, physics of biological systems or a related field. Official Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
- Doctorate. Biophysics is mainly a research field, and the PhD is the key qualification. Many US programmes are interdisciplinary graduate groups and not departments: the Biophysics PhD programme of the University of California, Berkeley, draws on more than 60 affiliated faculty members from a dozen departments, including Physics, Molecular and Cell Biology, Chemistry and Bioengineering. The Rockefeller University in New York offers graduate education in the biomedical sciences, chemistry and biophysics and states that its students have full financial support.
Where to study it
Our directory lists 33 schools under biophysics. Twenty-two are in the United States, three in India and two in Canada, and there is one each in Spain, Japan, Italy, France, Russia and Germany. Nearly all are research universities.
Examples in the United States are the University of California, Berkeley, The Rockefeller University, and Oregon State University in Corvallis, which has a Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. In Canada the directory includes the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the University of Calgary. In Asia, The University of Tokyo has a Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry in its Faculty of Science, and the Indian universities listed are the University of Madras, the University of Calcutta and the University of Delhi. In Europe the directory includes the Universitat de Barcelona and the Università degli Studi di Genova.
Teaching is in English in the United States, Canada and India. Elsewhere, bachelor's degrees are usually taught in the local language, while many research groups and doctoral programmes work in English; check the language of each programme with the university.
When comparing programmes, look at whether biophysics sits in a physics, biochemistry or medical faculty, because that decides how much mathematics and physics the degree contains. Also check which research groups accept students for projects, what instruments are available (for example electron microscopes or magnetic resonance), and, for doctorates, whether the place is funded. Application calendars matter too: Berkeley's graduate application portal, for instance, opens every year in September.
Careers
Biophysicists work in universities and research institutes, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical technology and imaging firms, and hospitals. The University of British Columbia notes that a background in biophysics opens doors to careers in academia, medicine, biotech and data science. The Biophysical Society points out that biophysicists develop and use computer modelling methods to study the shapes and structures of proteins and viruses, which is information needed to develop new drug targets.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, biochemists and biophysicists held 35,200 jobs in the United States in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 12 percent from 2025 to 2035. The same source states that a PhD is needed to work in independent research and development, that many PhD holders begin in temporary postdoctoral positions, and that holders of bachelor's and master's degrees qualify for some entry-level positions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I study physics or biology first to become a biophysicist?
Both routes exist. Biophysicists are trained in the quantitative sciences of physics, mathematics and chemistry, so a physics or physical chemistry background with biology courses is common, and biochemistry graduates with strong mathematics also enter the field.
Do I need a PhD to work in biophysics?
For independent research, yes: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that biochemists and biophysicists need a PhD for independent research and development. Bachelor's and master's graduates qualify for some entry-level positions.
Is biophysics the same as medical physics?
No. Biophysics studies living systems with the methods of physics, from molecules to organs. Medical physics applies physics to diagnosis and treatment in hospitals, for example in radiotherapy and imaging, and usually has its own training route.
Can I study biophysics in Spain?
Mostly as a subject area inside physics, biochemistry or biomedical degrees and as a specialisation at master's or doctoral level. Our directory lists one school in Spain under this subject, the Universitat de Barcelona; ask the university which programmes currently include biophysics.