About the program

The aim of the program is to train highly qualified specialists in the field of modern biology. It is based on both intensive fundamental training of students in mathematics, inorganic and organic chemistry, bioinformatics and inclusion of students into real research work (R&D).

Benefits of the program and features of the educational process

The development of the program required the dual approach: the expertise, scientific and pedagogical experience of the specialists actively working in science (concentrated mainly in the Institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences), and the best teachers of biology, chemistry and mathematics from the Higher School of Economics.

This has enabled unique lecture and seminar courses and an original laboratory practice, focused on the education of highly qualified specialists in the most relevant areas of modern biology.

A vision of a future biologist/biotechnologist is impossible without knowledge in physics and mathematics taught by the leading teachers of the Higher School of Economics. The language training of students will allow attending the courses taught by foreign specialists by the end of the second year, and by the end of forth year the students are able to independently prepare scientific texts in a foreign language. A number of optional disciplines are added to the general courses, which gives the student an opportunity to choose their own "individual educational trajectory".

The world experience indicates the need for a close connection between education and science. In our country there is a successful example of the education and science linking, based on intensive fundamental training of students in the first years and further build-up of special courses and scientific research. The undergraduate program in the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology is built on this model.

Learning curve

The undergraduate program in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology is formed by the following curves:

General disciplines:
Life Safety, Physical Education, Data Culture, Python for Data Extraction and Processing, Economics, etc.

Basic (specialized) disciplines (studied mainly in the first and second year). It can be roughly divided into three blocks:

"Mathematics and Physics":

"Chemistry":

"Biology":

The elective disciplines (the 4th year), which is divided into two parts:

"Biotechnology":

"Cellular Technologies":

Additional profile (Minor) offered to the students of the second and third years of study.

Practice and research work await students from the first to the last year of study.

The result is a system of interrelated courses taught by renowned scholars and the best university professors. A number of elective disciplines and elective courses can be added to the general education, which provides a student with an opportunity to form his own "individual trajectory".

Starting from the first year, students will undergo practice at the joint departments of Higher School of Economics and the leading institutes of biological sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Where will the graduates of the program work?

The educational program "Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology" develops students' skills in to solving various problems with research and practical approach. Graduates of the program will gain in-depth knowledge in the field of natural sciences and will be able to continue their studies and work in:

• leading research institutes of the Russian Federation and foreign research centers;
• commercial structures aimed at scientific developments in the field of biotechnology and production;
• R&D of leading corporations and technology startups;
• any field where creative thinking and originality of decisions based on fundamental knowledge are required.

Moreover, they can continue their education in Master's degrees at Higher School of Economics or any other Master's degrees provided by the best Russian and foreign universities.