Best Genetic Engineering Colleges 2021

Fascinated by how genetics is changing the modern world? Want to build a successful career in Microbiology, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, or other related disciplines? Then studying at the top Genetic Engineering colleges can offer you the right environment with experienced professors to develop a career in research. Genetics and Genomics are typically considered as a research-oriented discipline with cross-field applications not only in allied branches of biology but also in computer science, statistics, etc. In recent years, areas of Computational Biology, Biochemical Engineering are also being explored readily. This blog will shed light on some of the top universities offering Genetic Engineering courses which you must keep on your tab to pursue a career in this field. 

Genetic Engineering Course Highlights

Course	Genetic Engineering
Degrees Available	BTech/ Be/ MTech/ ME
Duration	UG: 3-4 Years  PG: 2 Years
Course Objective	The goal of the Genetic Engineering course is to train professionals who will be able to apply genetic engineering techniques in a variety of fields.
Average Starting Salary	INR 4 Lakhs
Minimum Eligibility	Candidates who have completed their 12th grade with PCM/PCB are eligible for admission.
Career Options	Genetic Engineer Assistant Professor Associate Research Analyst

List of Top Genetic Engineering Colleges in The World

Before we delve deep into the salient features of different colleges and shed light on their courses, let us take a quick look over the best Genetic Engineering colleges in the world:

Genetic Engineering Colleges	Location	US News & World Report Rankings 2021
Harvard University	USA	1st
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	USA	2nd
Stanford University	USA	3rd
University of California—San Francisco	USA	4th
Johns Hopkins University	USA	5th
University of Oxford and University of Washington	UK/USA	6th
University of Pennsylvania	USA	7th
University of California—San Diego	USA	8th
University of Cambridge	UK	9th
University of Toronto	Canada	11th
Columbia University	USA	12th
Baylor College of Medicine	USA	13th
Washington University in St. Louis	USA	14th
University of California–Los Angeles	USA	15th
Cornell University	USA	16th
Karolinska Institute	Sweden	17th
Yale University	USA	18th
University of California–Berkeley	USA	19th
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor	USA	20th
University College London	UK	21st
University of Queensland	Australia	27th
University of Copenhagen	Denmark	28th
Sorbonne université	France	32nd
National University of Singapore	Singapore	33rd
University of Groningen	Netherlands	37th
University of Tokyo	Japan	38th
King Abdulaziz University	Saudi Arabia	39th
Catholic University of Leuven	Germany	40th

Note: This is not an exhaustive list and the rankings in no way reflect the suitability of a program to your needs.

Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University

Established in 1981, the Department of Genetics at Harvard University has cemented its position as one of the top genetics/Genetic Engineering colleges in the world, if not the best. It boasts of 36 highly acclaimed faculty members out of which 1/4th are women. While a dedicated Genetic Engineering course is not offered, it provides students an opportunity to pursue the much-appreciated PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences program. This is a 5-7 year, full-fledged research-oriented degree program of which the first two years are dedicated to coursework and the rest to development of thesis research, experiments, and fieldwork.

Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

To say that the Department of Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is amongst the world’s best Genetic Engineering colleges would be an understatement. It sports 60+strong eminent faculty members who collectively vaunt 3 Nobel Prizes, 4 National Medals of Science and 30 National Academy of Sciences members, amongst several others. The research areas it focuses upon are, along with genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, neurobiology, Stem Cell Therapy, computational biology and much more. It offers programs across degree levels ranging from undergraduate to post-doc level.

Stanford University

What Stanford University offers in terms of diversity on course programs, faculty and research opportunities is unmatched to any of the other Genetic Engineering colleges mentioned in this article. It offers specialized master’s, Master of Arts and PhD degrees as well as a host of summer, youth, dual degree and professional training courses in disciplines of Bioengineering, Community Health and Prevention Research, Public Health, Human Genetics, Genetic Counseling and so forth. Further, its close associations with departments of engineering, law, business and humanities, etc provide a conducive environment for students to flourish.

University of California, San Francisco

Part of the University of California University system, its San Francisco branch is especially recognized for studies in health and medical sciences. It boasts of 4 professional schools, namely, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy which offers 19 PhD, 11 master’s programs and caters to 3,100 students including researchers. It has a dedicated Institute for Human Genetics which was established in the year 1967. This one of the popular Genetic Engineering colleges allows individuals to delve into areas of developmental genetics, evolution, cancer genetics, population genetics, etc. The list of faculty members and alumni at UC-San Francisco includes several international award laureates.

University of Cambridge

The Department of Genetics at University of Cambridge is one of the most revered Genetic Engineering colleges not only in the UK but across continents. It hosts close to 83 researchers from diverse specialization areas like Functional Genomics, Cell Biology, Microbial Genetics,  Evolution, and Population Genetics. When it comes to degree programs, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate level courses. In particular, its 4-year KAUST PhD Scholarship provides students with complete fee cover as well as an annual stipend.

Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford

As a research institute within the Nuffield Department of Medicine, the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics at University of Oxford is known to be one of the top providers of advanced level genetic engineering courses and parallel areas. It is home to nearly 400 qualified researchers who are engaged in conducting large scale investigations ranging from disease and structural biology-related studies to human, population, and translational genetics. It offers five fully-funded doctoral studentships in Genomic Medicine and Statistics to give individuals a practical dimension. In addition to that, it offers the prestigious NDM Prize Studentships geared towards equipping students financially for a career in research. The university, apart from being one of the best Genetic Engineering colleges globally, also offers acclaimed degree programs in allied areas of Neurosciences, Structural Biology and infection, among others. 

Johns Hopkins University

One of the most trusted names when it comes to medical sciences in general as well as Genetic Engineering colleges, Johns Hopkins University offers exciting degree programs on the intersections of science, engineering and medicine. Founded as far back in 1962, it now sports the Largest pre-clinical department. Its flagship Master’s of Science and Engineering program prepares individuals in the prevalent tools and techniques of numerous research areas, namely, Biomedical Data Science, Translational Cell & Tissue Engineering, Genomics and Systems Biology, among others. Moreover, it also offers a BS, MSE Innovation & Design, Tsinghua-JHU Dual MS, MD-PhD, a standalone PhD along with several postdoctoral fellowships. 

Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington

Created recently in 2001 after an amalgamation between erstwhile departments of Genetics and Molecular Biology, the Department of Genome Sciences at University of Washington is steadily gaining recognition as one of the top Genetic Engineering colleges across North America and world. Oriented towards research, it offers an acclaimed PhD program that is an enriching combination of several disciplines as well as practical components. It is ranked 5th in the US when it comes to Genetics/Genomics/Bioinformatics programs in the US News & World Report. Further, the departments also offer Postdoctoral and summer research programs along with providing full funding support, training grants and much more. 

Top Genetic Engineering Colleges in India

Here is yet another list of top genetic engineering colleges that can be found in India. 

1. SRM University Chennai, Tamil Nadu
2. Bharath University Chennai, Tamil Nadu
3. Aryabhatta Knowledge University, Patna, Bihar
4. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, Karnataka
5. Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
6. Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
7. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka
8. Kuvempu University, Karnataka
9. Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu 
10. School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida

What is the Eligibility Criteria for Pursuing Genetic Engineering?

When you decide to attain overseas education then you must note that there are certain specific parameters set by the academic institutions. Furthermore, keeping in mind the country and university, the eligibility can vary. So, if you are wondering whether can we do genetic engineering after 12th then yes, you can. Enlisted are the prerequisites for pursuing this course from Genetic Engineering colleges abroad:

• For bachelor level courses, a candidate must have completed his 10+2 with a minimum aggregate as specified by the concerned university.
• For master level courses, one must hold a degree preferably like BTech/BSc Genetics with an aggregate percentage as set by the institute you are applying to.
• English proficiency test scores like that of IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, etc are also required.
• SOP, LORs, resume, transcripts/mark sheets, etc are the other documents that form a part of the application process.

Career and Job Prospects

There are numerous industries that employ genetic engineers and professionals, so a career in genetic engineering is promising.

• Agricultural sector
• Medical industry
• Government, semi-government, and private-sector research and development departments
• Biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries

These industries provide the best career opportunities for genetic engineers and professionals, as well as handsome pay and other perks and benefits.

FAQs

The suitability of any of the above mentioned Genetic Engineering colleges to your skillset and research interests is integral to begin education. This includes matching faculty research areas, student groups, laboratory facilities, etc. Needless to say, a bit of guidance while picking the course and university goes a long way. Take the assistance from not only quality mentors at Leverage Edu who can guide you in making this demanding decision effectively but also qualified experts who can lend more than a helping hand in the admissions process. Book a free 30 minutes career counselling session now!