The Bachelor Study Bioinformatics at a Glance
Bioinformatics - Understanding the code of life
Bioinformatics has facilitated one of the greatest scientific advances of the 20th century, the decoding of the human genome, a first important step on the journey of solving the "mystery of life". Bioinformatics is now established as an independent discipline in science and education. Bioinformatics is an important link between computer science, mathematics, and statistics and life sciences like biology, genetics, medicine, or pharmaceutics. The goal of bioinformatics is to analyze biological data with the help of methods from computer science, mathematics, and statistics, to interpret, visualize, and simulate data in order to understand molecular biological processes. This knowledge offers new chances and applications in different areas:
- Biology, to understand the processes and regulations within a cell, to obtain new insight into developmental processes, to construct the evolutionary tree of life. Focus is on molecular biology disciplines.
- Medicine, to understand the pathogenesis and processes of diseases.
- Genetics, to find genetic causes for diseases and bringing insights to the evolution of mankind
- Pharmaceutics, to develop new drugs
The Johannes Kepler University offers the first full study of Bioinformatics including a Bachelor's and a Master's level in Austria. The basics as well as the described applications are integrated in a study focused on interdisciplinarity, research, and internationality.
Research-oriented education
The bachelor study Bioinformatics is designed as a cross-border study together with the University of South-Bohemia in České Budějovice (USB Budweis), Czech Republic. The first year of the study is offered in Budweis, the second year in Linz, whereas the third year is offered in both cities. The focus lies on the basics of computer science, statistics, mathematics, biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Graduates receive degrees from both universities (double-degree study).
- Degree: Bachelor of Science (BSc) / Bachelor (Bc)
- ECTS: 180 credits
- Duration: 6 semesters (3 years)
- Start: winter semester 2013 (in Budweis)
Areas and contents of the study
- Curriculum (Version V.4, MTB28, June 27th, 2016)
- Overview of courses and modules (pdf)