Bioinformatics Specialization in the Biology OC-MS Program

The bioinformatics specialization within our Biology Master's program is intended to introduce students with undergraduate training in biology to concepts and tools in bioinformatics through didactic classes and hands-on learning.

Who is this program intended for? Our bioinformatics specialization is intended for students with prior undergraduate coursework in molecular biology and genetics who want to gain exposure, knowledge, and skills in bioinformatics without committing to a full Bioinformatics MS program. It is particularly well-suited for students who lack formal training in computer science or programming; no prior experience in coding is required. Students must have completed undergraduate coursework in molecular biology and genetics.

What will students gain from this program? Students who complete this specialization will get exposure to bioinformatics approaches and principles applicable to analyzing DNA, RNA, protein, and multi-omics data sets. They will also gain basic-to-intermediate skills in Python, R, Jupyter, GitHub, and Linux, plus core programming and High-Performance Computing (HPC) fundamentals. Through their coursework and a semester-long mentored research experience (see below), they will gain experience solving a real-world bioinformatics problem, going from raw data to biological interpretation and communication of the results and impact. We expect that top-performing graduates will be competitive for research associate and data analyst positions in hospital and academic labs; PhD programs in genetics, molecular biology, or related areas; and some entry-level research scientist positions in industry.

How is the program structured? To receive the bioinformatics specialization within the Tufts Biology MS program, students will take 5 bioinformatics-focused courses plus a Bioinformatics Capstone as part of their ~10-course OC-MS program.

The bioinformatics specialization can be completed within two years of full-time study, but part-time study over a longer time period is also possible. Required courses will only be offered in-person during daytime hours; remote and evening options will not be available.

What research experience will students receive in the bioinformatics specialization? The culmination of the bioinformatics track, the Bioinformatics Capstone course, will be a mentored experience applying bioinformatics tools to public data or data from an active research lab at Tufts to address a novel biological question. In this course, students will get exposure to all phases of bioinformatics research, from project design, scoping, and research question formulation to data management, workflow planning, analysis, and translation of outputs into biological insights.

In addition, qualified students in our OC-MS program may apply for positions in research labs for one or more semesters. Through this experience, they gain technical skills and hands-on experience that help them prepare to apply for Ph.D. programs or become more competitive for full-time jobs. Note that research lab positions are not guaranteed, and there is no thesis component to the OC-MS program.