Program Overview

Bachelor's Degree in Bioinformatics

The Bachelor's Degree in Bioinformatics is an interuniversity degree coordinated by the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), in collaboration with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). This degree brings together mathematical skills, computational modeling, and biological knowledge in an interdisciplinary focus that emphasizes biomedical applications.

General Details

• Duration: 4 academic years
• Study load: 240 ECTS credits (including the bachelor's thesis), with one credit equivalent to a study load of 25-30 hours
• Delivery: Face-to-face
• Admission mark for the academic year: 10,900
• Language of instruction: English
• Fees and grants: Approximate fees per academic year are €1,061 (€1,800 for non-EU residents); consult the public fees system based on income for grants and payment options
• Location: Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) and Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering (ETSETB)
• Official degree: Recorded in the Ministry of Education's degree register

Admission

• Places: 50
• Pre-enrolment code: 91917
• Places via a change of degree: 3
• Admission mark for the academic year: 10,900
• Weighting for university entrance examinations (PAU)
• Registration and enrolment: Requirements include passing the university entrance examinations and meeting specific academic prerequisites
• CFGS credit transfer: Consult the university studies search engine of the Universities Channel of the Generalitat de Catalunya
• Legalisation of foreign documents: All documents issued in non-EU countries must be legalised and bear the corresponding apostille

Curriculum

The curriculum is structured over eight semesters, including:

First Semester

• Algebra (6 credits)
• Applied Programming I (6 credits)
• Cell Biology (6 credits)
• Introduction to Bioinformatics (6 credits)
• Physical and Organic Chemistry (6 credits)

Second Semester

• Applied Programming II (6 credits)
• Biochemistry (6 credits)
• Calculus (6 credits)
• Computer Architecture and Operating Systems (6 credits)
• Molecular Biology (6 credits)

Third Semester

• Applied Programming III (6 credits)
• Biostatistics and Data Analysis (6 credits)
• Databases (6 credits)
• Discrete Mathematics and Optimization (6 credits)
• Genetics and Genomics (6 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Algorithms in Biology (6 credits)
• Data Visualization (6 credits)
• Networks and Systems Biology (6 credits)
• Physiology and Neurobiology (6 credits)
• Statistical Models and Stochastic Processes (6 credits)

Fifth Semester

• Algorithms and Data Structures (6 credits)
• Biophysics (6 credits)
• Computational Genomics (6 credits)
• Population Genetics and Molecular Evolution (6 credits)
• Statistical Learning (6 credits)

Sixth Semester

• High Performance Computing (6 credits)
• Machine Learning (6 credits)
• Omics Techniques (6 credits)
• Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics (6 credits)
• Structural Bioinformatics (6 credits)

Seventh Semester

• Advanced Machine Learning (6 credits)
• Advanced Methods of Data Processing and Management (6 credits)
• Advanced Techniques in Molecular Biochemistry and Biology (6 credits)
• Applications to Genomic Science (3 credits)
• Bioethics (3 credits)
• Cancer Genetics (6 credits)
• Data Management (6 credits)
• Design and Evaluation of Bioactive Molecules (6 credits)
• Diagnosing and Image Techniques (6 credits)
• Experimental Design and Data Analysis (6 credits)
• Human Genetics (6 credits)
• Innovation Project (6 credits)
• Introduction to Research (6 credits)
• Legal Aspects and Projects Management (6 credits)
• Machine Learning Paradigms (6 credits)
• Macromolecules Structure (6 credits)
• Medical Genetics (6 credits)
• Quantitative Genetics and Improvement (6 credits)
• Software Engineering (6 credits)

Eighth Semester

• Ethics and Scientific Communication (6 credits)
• Bachelor's Thesis (24 credits)

Professional Opportunities

Graduates in Bioinformatics have a wide range of professional opportunities, including:

• Biomedicine: Integrating omics and clinical data to advance personalized precision medicine
• Biological research: All branches of biology are joining the big data revolution and require professionals interested in biology with the capacity to analyze large quantities of data
• Pharmacology: Managing chemical, pharmacological, toxicological, and clinical data during the process of discovering, developing, and using new medicines
• Programming and development of computational tools and methods
• Data analysis and artificial intelligence
• Quality control
• R&D departments at universities and businesses
• Teaching and research in the field of bioinformatics

Organisation: Academic Calendar and Regulations

• Academic calendar: General academic calendar for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees courses
• Academic regulations: Academic regulations for bachelor's degree courses at the UPC
• Language certification and credit recognition: Queries about language courses and certification

This program is designed to train professionals who can act in an era where research, development, and innovation are of increasing importance, driving forces behind research institutions and innovative companies in strategic sectors such as medical technology, biotechnology, health, and biomedicine in general. Given the multidisciplinary nature of bioinformatics, graduates have employment options in a range of areas, making this degree highly versatile and valuable in the modern scientific and technological landscape.