Course overview
The consumer genetic testing landscape has expanded beyond the curiosities of our ancestry, and now encompasses multiple industries, including healthcare, life insurance, food production, diet and fitness.
Discover how to interpret consumer genetic testing, understand the opportunities it can offer and also its limitations. You will attempt to answer the question, 'How does genetics help us to better understand ourselves?' with a focus on application to your own professional context.
This course will explore key genetic principles and how they play into the common technologies that we see in genetic measurements today. You will gain the confidence to apply what you've learned, reflecting on how genetics factors into your industry, the key issues that may arise, and the rationale behind what tests may be useful to use for your professional context, their limitations and why.
What will I learn?
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- summarise the basics of genetics and the ‘central dogma’ (how genetic information is translated into biology)
- describe the technologies used in sequencing and measurement of DNA and RNA
- identify different types of genetic variation
- predict the impact of different types of genetic variation
- summarise common ethical issues in consumer genetic testing
- critically assess the contemporary consumer genetic testing landscape.
Who is this course for?
This course will be of interest to professionals within the following industries:
- actuary (investment and insurance)
- food production
- diet and fitness
- healthcare (both frontline and administrative)
- policy making.
Course delivery
Our certificated courses reflect the Cambridge experience and values, with low student to tutor ratios and academically rigorous standards. Our learning model is designed to help you advance your skills and specialise in emerging areas that address global challenges. We will help you build your network through an engaging and impactful learning journey that encourages collaboration. Courses are delivered in weekly modules, allowing you to plan your time effectively. The assessment criteria will be presented to you at the start of the course, so you can approach your studies with confidence and motivation, knowing what is expected of you and how to meet those expectations.
Throughout your online learning experience, you will have access to your course tutor, who will help facilitate your learning and provide you with support and guidance during your studies. You can interact with your tutor through a range of media, such as live sessions, discussion forums, email or canvas messaging.
Each course includes a balance of:
- interactive learning and real-world application so you can directly apply what you’re learning to your own context
- diverse teaching methods to enhance learning outcomes which will be delivered via learning activities such as University of Cambridge academic led videos, quizzes and group work
- optional live sessions (1 hour) with University of Cambridge academics and tutors to deepen your understanding of the week's material. These sessions may include an informal Q&A, a short lecture or a breakout activity that builds on the content introduced that week. All sessions are recorded and made available to stream so you can catch up whenever suits you
- guided critical thinking via our reflective workbook so you can collect, structure and summarise information and your thoughts as you progress through the course.
What will I get on completion?
Evidence your learning with a Certificate of Achievement from the University of Cambridge on successful completion.
