Microbiology

Microbiologists play an important role in helping to prevent disease, develop new treatments, clean up the environment, and keep food safe. Using our £5 million Super Lab you'll find out how to use microbes in the development of vaccines and medicines.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, our degree has been independently assessed. As an accredited degree, you'll learn how to work with level 2 pathogens safely. These are biological agents that can cause disease such as Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria and Salmonella.

You'll develop your laboratory skills and learn:

• sterile technique

• how to identify bacteria (including pathogenic bacteria)

• how to grow and characterise bacteria in the laboratory

• the mechanisms of anti-microbial resistance

• how to detect and count viruses

• gene analysis and cloning

All microbiology teaching staff are actively involved in research. This ensures that you are learning up-to-date topics and ideas. We aim to produce graduates who are ready to go out and help tackle some of the biggest problems facing our world today.

Core modules in your first year build your foundation science. You will learn how microbial products contribute to healthcare and food production. You'll be introduced to biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. Practical sessions will develop your laboratory skills and techniques.

In the second year, core modules include medicinal microbiology, gene expression and sequencing. You'll study virology, the structure of viruses and their significance. In laboratory practicals, you'll learn core practical methods for the safe handling of level 2 pathogens.

In your second and third years you can choose a selection of optional modules depending on your interests.

Your final year research project enables you to use your skills to work on a piece of original research. You will design the study, use techniques, collect data and prepare a report.