Course description
Our MSc Biotechnology and Enterprise course will show you how to perform state-of-the-art scientific discoveries into commercial products using a combination of research skills and business knowledge.
Jointly delivered by the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and Alliance Manchester Business School, this master's course will also show you how discoveries can translate into a business plan for start-up technologies or innovative processes for commercial applications.
You will cover topics including commercialisation and intellectual property, advanced biotechnology and synthetic biology through taught units, before carrying out a lab-based research project.
The combination of research skills and business knowledge will ensure you are well-equipped for career opportunities in the global biotechnology market.
PhD with integrated master's
If you're planning to undertake a PhD after your master's, our Integrated PhD programme will enable you to combine your postgraduate taught course with a related PhD project in biology, medicine or health.
You can also visit this page for examples of projects related to integrated master's courses.Special features
Wide range of teaching expertise
Learn from experts from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Alliance Manchester Business School to combine your scientific and business knowledge and skills.
Teaching and learning
We use a range of teaching and learning methods, including lectures, seminars and workshops. This involves working individually and in teams.
Find out more by visiting the postgraduate teaching and learning page.
Coursework and assessment
Course unit details
This course starts in September and runs for 12 months. You require 180 credits to complete the course, of which:
- 90 credits are from taught course units
- 90 credits are from the research project
All students will be required to register on an academic literacy programme at the start of the course, which is designed specifically to help you write for a scientific audience.
The course has three main components.
Core Entrepreneurial Skills (taught units)
Workshops, lectures and group sessions focus on intellectual property and knowledge transfer and commercialisation in the life sciences. You will prepare a business plan for a virtual company and take part in a business pitch to describe the value and potential of your product.
- Commercialisation in the Life Sciences including strategic business planning (45 credits, mandatory)
- Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences (15 credits, optional)
Core Scientific Skills (taught units)
You will undertake laboratory work, lectures, seminars and workshops which will support you in your chosen area of research.
- Advanced Biotechnology I: Expression systems for biopharmaceutical and industrial proteins (15 credits)
- Advanced Biotechnology II: Synthetic Biology (15 credits, mandatory)
- Disease modelling and genome engineering (15 credits, optional)
Research project
You will undertake one full-time project, starting with a literature review in October and progressing to lab work in February. The final dissertation report will be presented in a format suitable for publication in a biotechnology journal.
Research Skills - Lab-based research project (90 credits, mandatory).
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercialisation in the Life Sciences | BIOL60760 | 45 | Mandatory |
| Research Skills (Lab-based Research Project) | BIOL60770 | 90 | Mandatory |
| Advanced Biotechnology I: expression systems for biopharmaceutical & industrial proteins | BIOL60771 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Advanced Biotechnology II: Synthetic Biology | BIOL64351 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Intellectual Property in the Life Sciences | BIOL60781 | 15 | Optional |
| Disease Modelling and Genome Engineering | BIOL67672 | 15 | Optional |
Scholarships and bursaries
For the latest scholarship and bursary information please visit the fees and funding page.
What our students say
The course has really shaped the way I look at science. Nowadays, when I see science, I see a business concept.
Temitope (Nikkie) Adeyemi
Read more from our students on highlights of the course in 2019 on the Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog .
Facilities
Disability support
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service .