BSc Microbiology with Professional Experience
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UCAS code
C502 -
Typical offer
BBB -
Year of entry
2023/24 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
-
Year of entry
2023/24 -
Course duration
Full Time: 4 Years
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. Furthermore, you will benefit from membership of the Society for General Microbiology and strong links with industry.
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.
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.
For more information, please visit the School of Biological Sciences website.
Placement
You will carry out a year-long industrial placement between your second and final year. Student in previous years have worked at Public Health England’s Porton Down and Colindale laboratories, GSK, AstraZeneca and Covance. You can also choose to spend a year abroad, typically carrying out research in an academic laboratory.
You will be able to undertake paid vacation studentships funded by organisations such as the Wellcome Trust and the Society for General Microbiology. These can take place over six weeks during the summer break, or be carried out part-time over a longer period. During studentships you will typically work on a set project and benefit from valuable training in techniques, experimental design and the interpretation of data.
Additionally, you can take a work placement module.
Our department has a dedicated academic in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.
For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.
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. Furthermore, you will benefit from membership of the Society for General Microbiology and strong links with industry.
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.
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.
For more information, please visit the School of Biological Sciences website.
Placement
You will carry out a year-long industrial placement between your second and final year. Student in previous years have worked at Public Health England’s Porton Down and Colindale laboratories, GSK, AstraZeneca and Covance. You can also choose to spend a year abroad, typically carrying out research in an academic laboratory.
You will be able to undertake paid vacation studentships funded by organisations such as the Wellcome Trust and the Society for General Microbiology. These can take place over six weeks during the summer break, or be carried out part-time over a longer period. During studentships you will typically work on a set project and benefit from valuable training in techniques, experimental design and the interpretation of data.
Additionally, you can take a work placement module.
Our department has a dedicated academic in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.
For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.
Entry requirements A Level BBB
Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.
Typical offer
BBB, including Grade B in A level Biology and a second science.
Acceptable science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.
International Baccalaureate
30 points overall, including 5 in Biology and in a second science subject, both at higher level.
Extended Project Qualification
In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.
BTEC Extended Diploma
DDD (modules taken must be comparable to subject specific requirement)
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5
For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.
Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students
For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.
International Foundation Programme
If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.
Pre-sessional English language programme
If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.
Structure
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI1BAC2 | Bacteriology and Virology | DR Geraldine Mulley |
BI1BEC1 | Building Blocks of Life | PROF Phillip Dash |
BI1BM12 | Key Skills in Biomedicine | DR Chris Jones |
BI1S1 | Introductory Microbiology | DR Geraldine Mulley |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI1AP12 | Anatomy & Physiology | DR Natasha Barrett |
BI1BAB2 | Metabolic and Practical Biochemistry | DR Alice Pollitt |
BI1BF1 | Laboratory and Study Skills for Biomedicine | DR Francoise Mazet |
BI1BP2 | Pathology | DR Sam Boateng |
BI1EAD1 | Introduction to Evolutionary Processes | DR Louise Johnson |
BI1EC2 | Ecology | DR Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez |
BI1EPM | Fundamentals of Physics for Medicine | DR Lindsey Thompson |
BI1MB2 | Metabolic Biochemistry | DR Craig Hughes |
AP1A18 | Digestion and Nutrition | DR Sokratis Stergiadis |
CH1FC1 | Fundamental Concepts in Chemistry 1 | DR Silvia Baldanza |
CH1FC3 | Molecular Studies for the Life Sciences | DR Silvia Baldanza |
CH1OR2 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | DR Jessica Gusthart |
CH1PH2 | Physical Processes for Biologists | DR Joanne Elliott |
CL1G1 | Ancient Greek 1 | PROF Amy Smith |
CL1L1 | Latin 1 (C) | MRS Jackie Baines |
FB1MB1 | Introduction to Food Microbiology | PROF Dimitris Charalampopoulos |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI2BC45 | Cells and Immunity | DR Mike Fry |
BI2BI45 | Infectious Diseases | DR Geraldine Mulley |
BI2BM45 | Key Skills in Biomedicine 2 | DR Renee Lee |
BI2BMG4 | Molecular Genetics | DR Eva Kevei |
BI2BR5 | The Bacterial Cell | PROF Simon Andrews |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI2BCB5 | Clinical Biomedicine | PROF David Leake |
BI2BE4 | Pharmacology and Toxicology | PROF David Leake |
BI2BL5 | Protein Structure and Function | PROF Kimberly Watson |
BI2BPB5 | Physiological Biochemistry | DR Francoise Mazet |
BI2BT5 | Introduction to Bioinformatics & Computational Biology | PROF Liam McGuffin |
BI2EEE4 | Biodiversity: Exploiters and Exploited | PROF Julie Hawkins |
BI2EVP5 | Venoms and Poisons | PROF Phillip Dash |
BI2MARBC | Marine Biology and Conservation | DR Glyn Barrett |
BI2PLA | Summer Placement | DR Renee Lee |
ED2TS1 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 1 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
ED2TS2 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 2 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
FB2MF1 | Microbiology of food spoilage and preservation | DR Kimon-Andreas Karatzas |
FB2MF2 | Microbiological Hazards in Foods | DR Marie Lewis |
GV2F4 | Soil Ecology and Functions | PROF Elizabeth Shaw |
MM2101 | Founder Dilemmas | DR Norbert Morawetz |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI2PEX | Professional Experience | DR Renee Lee |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI3BG8 | Mechanisms for Microbial Function | DR Glyn Barrett |
BI3BQ78 | Bacterial Pathogens & Experimental Approaches | DR Simon Clarke |
BI3PRO | Research Project | DR Renee Lee |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
BI2PLA | Summer Placement | DR Renee Lee |
BI3BA7 | Medical Genetics | DR Dyan Sellayah |
BI3BAI8 | Applied and Integrated Biochemistry | DR Chris Jones |
BI3BB7 | Selected Topics in Endocrinology and Endocrine Disease | DR Andrew Bicknell |
BI3BDI2 | Radiation in Medicine | DR Lindsey Thompson |
BI3BE8 | Cardiovascular Disease | PROF David Leake |
BI3BI8 | Neurobiology | DR Nandini Vasudevan |
BI3BJ8 | Viral Pathogens | PROF Ian Jones |
BI3BR7 | Structural Proteomics | PROF Kimberly Watson |
BI3BT78 | Cancer and Cell Communication | DR Mike Fry |
BI3EHD | Evolution in Health and Disease: Lessons from the Natural World | DR Dyan Sellayah |
BI3S78 | Seminars in Biology | DR Louise Johnson |
BI3ZE8 | Zoonotic Epidemiology | DR Francoise Mazet |
ED3TS3 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 3 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
ED3TS4 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 4 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
FB3NGLA | Genes, Lifestyle and Nutrition | DR Vimal Karani |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Fees
New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250*
New international students: £24,500
*UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes
UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
EU student fees
With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.
Additional costs
Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Placement year fees
If you spend a full year on placement, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact placements@reading.ac.uk.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
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.
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).