The Master's Degree in Computational Biology is a master's degree program of 60 ECTS and has a duration of one academic year, except in those cases in which the student requires training supplements (6-30 ECTS), in which the master's degree may have a duration of 3-4 semesters.
The study plan is made up of the following teaching modules / activities:
- Core Master Topics (15 ECTS): They constitute a set of basic training subjects in Computational Biology, and it is recommended that students take at least 9 ECTS and a maximum of 15 ECTS.
- Specific training program in "Computational-Systems Biology and Genomics" (0-15 ECTS): This set of subjects allows the student to have a specialization in Computational Biology applied to Biosciences, covering aspects of Genomics, Biological Systems Modeling, Evolutionary Biology, Synthetic Biology, and Structural Biology for the discovery of drugs / targets of bioeconomic interest. For the intensification of this Program, a minimum of 9 ECTS should be taken and up to a total of 15 ECTS.
- Specific training program in "Computational Biology and Data Science" (0-15 ECTS): This set of subjects allows a specialization in the field of Computational Biology and Data Analysis, paying special attention to the most innovative methods, techniques and algorithms applicable to the analysis of large volumes of data using Artificial Intelligence techniques (Data Science and Big-Data), which will allow obtaining a profile more adjusted to Bioinformatics Engineering. This Program covers aspects of Big Data Engineering, Semantic Technologies, Knowledge Representation and Acquisition, and Bioinformatics Engineering. For the intensification in this Program, a minimum of 9 ECTS should be taken and up to a total of 15 ECTS.
- Scientific seminars (3 ECTS). Computational Biology Seminars given by invited researchers.
- Professional Career Development (6 ECTS): Includes training in aspects of Technology Assessment and Transfer and skills for the development of a professional career (writing articles / projects, public presentations, search for funding, etc.). This training is given by teaching staff from the Departments involved in the Master, staff from the Technological Innovation Support Center (CAIT) of the UPM and professionals from the field. Students should enroll for, at least, one of the two subjects.
- Internships in Research Companies / Entities (Public or Private) (9 ECTS). They will be carried out according to the regulations of External Academic Practices (PAEs) of the UPM. Research Centers / Departments of Universities and OPIs, or companies participate in the offer of PAEs. Among these Centers / Departments are those located on the Montegancedo Campus of the UPM and the Departments involved in teaching the Master.
- Final Master's Thesis (15 ECTS): The thesis project can be executed in Research Centers / Departments of Universities (UPM and others) and OPIs (CSIC, INIA ISCII, etc.), or companies. In general, the companies that host students during their external internships participate in the Master's theses projects.
- Training Complements (12 ECTS): They are taken according to the student's profile. The study plan is summarized in the following scheme:
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Please, find an example for the selection of subjects here: MBC organization
The languages used throughout the Master program are English and Spanish. All subjects are taught in English so that an English-speaking foreign student can take the master's degree in its entirety in English.
All subjects offered are taught in the first semester, except those assigned in the Professional Development block. The second semester is mainly reserved for the scientific seminars and the TFM.
The teaching programme of the course (timetable) can be found at the following link.