B.S. in Bioinformatics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Virginia Commonwealth University

Program Overview

Virginia Commonwealth University’s B.S. in Bioinformatics combines biology, computer science and statistics to prepare students to work with biological data and solve problems in modern life-science research. It is a strong fit for students who enjoy both biology and computing, with three concentrations—biological/genomic sciences, computational sciences, and quantitative/statistical sciences—allowing students to shape the degree around their interests.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students begin with the scientific foundations of the degree through courses such as BIOL 151 – Introduction to Biological Sciences I, CHEM 101 – General Chemistry I, and BNFO 251 – Phage Discovery I. Alongside biology and chemistry, students start developing practical bioinformatics experience through phage discovery and focused inquiry coursework.

Year 2: Students build stronger biological and computational foundations through BIOL 152 – Introduction to Biological Sciences II, BIOL 300 – Cellular and Molecular Biology, and BNFO 201 – Computing Skills and Concepts for Bioinformatics. BNFO 252 – Phage Discovery II and BNFO 301 – Introduction to Bioinformatics introduce students to increasingly direct applications of computing and biological data analysis.

Year 3: Students move into more specialized bioinformatics study, combining BIOL 310 – Genetics, BNFO 411 – Ethical Issues in Life Sciences, and BNFO 420 – Applications in Bioinformatics with concentration-specific coursework. Depending on their chosen pathway, students can develop skills in areas such as molecular genetics, programming, statistical computing, biological data science and quantitative analysis.

Year 4: Students apply their accumulated knowledge through advanced concentration courses, independent study, preceptorships and research opportunities. Courses such as BNFO 531 – Quantitative Methods in Bioinformatics, BNFO 497 – Research and Thesis, BNFO 496 – Bioinformatics Preceptorship, and BNFO 451 – Genomic Medicine can provide a direct bridge from undergraduate study to research, industry or further professional education.

Focus areas: Biological and genomic sciences, computational sciences, quantitative and statistical sciences, molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics programming, biological data science, statistical computing, genomic medicine and computational biology.

Learning outcomes: Apply biology, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics and computational science to bioinformatics; analyze bioinformatics problems; use biological software, datasets and scripting; develop simple bioinformatics tools; critically evaluate scientific literature; and communicate scientific questions, methods and findings effectively.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. in Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary science degree. VCU’s official program and catalog do not identify a separate program-specific professional accreditation such as ABET; the curriculum instead emphasizes scientific, computational and research preparation for employment and advanced study.

Reputation (employability rankings): VCU identifies the B.S. in Bioinformatics as preparation for employment in private-industry and government laboratories, graduate study, and professional pathways including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and allied health. The university also highlights project-oriented, hands-on learning and faculty-mentored research as important parts of the program.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

VCU’s B.S. in Bioinformatics is deliberately project-oriented, giving students opportunities to learn by doing rather than relying only on traditional classroom instruction. Students can write code to answer biological questions, investigate viruses through phage discovery projects, participate in hackathons, design bioinformatics research projects and work with faculty on real research questions involving biological datasets. The program also provides access to specialized research facilities and computing resources through the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability.

Students can develop practical experience through these program-specific opportunities:

Phage Discovery I and II: Students investigate bacteriophages through the BNFO 251 and BNFO 252 sequence, giving them an early hands-on introduction to biological discovery.
Bioinformatics programming: BNFO 101 – Introduction to Scientific Computing and BNFO 201 – Computing Skills and Concepts for Bioinformatics develop computational skills specifically for biological applications.
Biological data science with Python: BNFO 305 – Biological Data Science With Python allows students to develop programming and data-analysis skills for biological datasets.
Statistical computing: STAT 321 – Introduction to Statistical Computing for Data Science and STAT 421 – Statistical Computing for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence provide quantitative and computational training.
Bioinformatics capstone/project work: BNFO 420 – Applications in Bioinformatics provides application-focused work, while VCU’s major map identifies multicultural group projects such as the Bioinformatics Capstone and hackathons as experiential opportunities.
Research and thesis: BNFO 497 – Research and Thesis gives eligible students an opportunity to conduct substantial independent research.
Faculty-mentored research: Bioinformatics students can work with faculty on research involving biological data science and computational genomics, including projects analyzing viral genomes, microbial diversity, disease evolution, genetic variation and ecological interactions.
Research computing: VCU’s High Performance Research Computing Core provides high-performance computing resources for research, teaching and outreach.
Genomics resources: University core laboratories provide access to genomics and lipidomics analysis capabilities as well as high-performance computing resources.
STEM Building: VCU’s 169,000-square-foot STEM Building contains eight biology laboratory spaces and a plant-growing room, supporting hands-on life-science learning and research.
Internships: VCU offers internships for bioinformatics students through local organizations and employers, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge and earn academic credit.
Bioinformatics community: Students can participate in the Undergraduate Society of Bioinformatics, as well as bioinformatics-themed student organizations and hackathons.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of VCU’s B.S. in Bioinformatics can move into careers across computational biology, genomics, biotechnology, healthcare, research and data science, or continue into advanced study. The degree also provides preparation for medical, dental and veterinary school, while the combination of biological knowledge and computational skills gives graduates flexibility across both life-science and technology-oriented careers.

Typical career roles include Bioinformatics Technician, Biostatistician, Data Scientist and Molecular and Cellular Biologist.

Students can build their professional pathway through:

Career preparation: VCU’s School of Life Sciences and Sustainability provides career resources and encourages students to work with academic or professional mentors, identify experiential learning to discuss with employers, attend career fairs and develop targeted employment or graduate-school strategies.
Research experience: Students can gain research experience with faculty, develop independent projects and contribute to laboratory, field and data-driven research.
Industry and community experience: VCU offers internships through local organizations and community partners, allowing bioinformatics students to gain real-world experience and academic credit.
Career destinations: VCU identifies employment opportunities in research, healthcare and technology industries, as well as graduate and professional education.
Official career titles: The university identifies bachelor-level opportunities including Bioinformatics Technician, Biostatistician, Computer and Information Research Scientist, Molecular and Cellular Biologist, Data Scientist and Biological Technician.
Professional networking: Students can connect with employers through VCU career fairs and the university’s alumni and industry networks, including the VCULink Industry Network.
Graduation outcomes: VCU conducts an annual First Destination Survey across academic programs to track post-graduation outcomes and use the results to improve career advising and experiential-learning opportunities.
Further professional pathways: The program specifically prepares students for admission to medical, dental, veterinary and allied-health programs in addition to graduate study in life sciences.
Long-term value: Because the curriculum combines biology, computing, statistics, programming, scientific research and data analysis, graduates can adapt their skills to evolving areas such as computational biology, genomics, biotechnology, healthcare data and data science.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master’s or doctoral study in bioinformatics, computational biology, data science, biological sciences and related fields. Students can also pursue professional education in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or allied health, while VCU provides graduate pathways within its broader life-sciences and health-professions environment.