BSc Microbiology with Professional Experience

Program Overview

This BSc Microbiology with Professional Experience program offers hands-on training in microbiology, preparing students for careers in research or the field. Students benefit from practical experience through industrial placements, research projects, and an Arctic microbiology field course. The program emphasizes transferable skills and is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, ensuring graduates are highly employable in both scientific and non-scientific sectors.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Expand your knowledge of some of the planet's most dominant life forms, and take part in research projects with a global impact on this BSc Microbiology with Professional Experience course. As part of the UK's oldest microbiology department you can develop laboratory skills in purpose-built microbiology facilities and be taught by world-leading experts, with particular strengths in virology and bacteriology. 98% of students in the School of Biological Sciences said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2023). Through the course, you will learn about the fundamental properties, genetics and physiology of diverse microbes. Options will then allow you to focus on areas that most interest you, including medical, environmental or food microbiology. You will also have the chance to carry out a year-long industrial placement or a paid vacation studentship in order to gain valuable work and research experience. You'll benefit from membership of the Society for General Microbiology and strong links with industry. BSc Microbiology has a strong practical basis, and you will learn a wide variety of techniques such as microbial genetics, biochemistry and propagation. During your final year you will have the chance to spend three months working on an original research project of your choice. Recent projects have included the molecular engineering of viruses, and the mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity and host colonisation. In your final year you will also have the opportunity to take part in our unique Arctic microbiology field course in Iceland. There you will be able to examine the unusual microbes that inhabit extreme environments and learn field-based sampling techniques. Our £60m Health and Life Sciences building is the home of the School of Biological Sciences. It offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café. The building also houses the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring over 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.

Outline:

Year 1

• Cellular and Molecular Principles of Life
• Fundamentals of Microbiology
• Fundamentals of Biochemistry
• Optional modules:
• Fundamentals of Evolution
• History of Life on Earth
• Human Pathology
• Fundamentals of Ecology
• Anatomy and Physiology

Year 2

• Advanced Studies in Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Research and Professional Skills
• Infectious Diseases
• Haematology and Immunology
• Molecular Microbiology
• Optional modules:
• Applied Biochemistry: From Disease to Diagnostics
• Marine Biology and Conservation
• Medical Genetics
• Invertebrate Zoology
• Advanced Ecology
• Integrated Anatomy and Physiology
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Food Spoilage, Preservation and Hazards

Year 3

• Professional placement year

Year 4

• Research Project
• Pathogens
• Applied Microbiology
• Optional modules:
• Venoms and Poisons: From Pharmacology to Therapeutics
• Evolution in Health and Disease
• Protein Structure and Function
• Cancer and Cell Communication
• Microbiology Field Course
• Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases
• Forensics
• Integrated Biochemistry
• Neuroscience
• Cardiovascular Biology

Careers:

BSc Microbiology graduates have a range of transferable skills that make them highly employable in both scientific and non-scientific job sectors. Additionally, graduates can become members of the Society of Biology and apply for Chartered Biologist status. This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and establish a profile of key skills that bioscience employers can recognise in accredited graduates, including technical and transferable skills. You can move on to a career as a researcher or scientist. You may also decide to move on to further study or a research studentship at a British or international university. Recent graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as such as the Medical Research Council, Royal Berkshire Hospital, South East Water, ThermoFisher and Nexus Support. Overall, 93% of graduates from Biological Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (based on HESA data, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20; includes all Biological Sciences responders).

Other:

• Students will have the opportunity to carry out a year-long industrial placement or a paid vacation studentship.
• Students will have the chance to spend three months working on an original research project of their choice.
• Students will have the opportunity to take part in a unique Arctic microbiology field course in Iceland.

New UK/Republic of Ireland students:

£9,250

• New international students:
£27,650