MSci Microbiology / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

Our MSci Microbiology course involves the study of microorganisms with particular emphasis on the biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoan parasites.

Microbiologists are needed to do the research required for the future battle against infectious diseases worldwide, understanding the environmental importance of microbes and to exploit them for food production, biotechnological and industrial applications.

The main focus of our course is the pathogenic potential of the organisms that cause disease in man. You will also cover aspects of the biochemistry, physiology and genetics of microorganisms.

You will spend your first year learning fundamental concepts before specialising in microbiology topics in your second and final year.

In Year 4, you will undertake a major research project in one of the University's more than 200 research labs to achieve your undergraduate master's award.

Our course has Advanced Accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology , which recognises academic excellence in the biosciences and highlights degrees that educate the research and development leaders and innovators of the future.

Discover more about biosciences integrated masters.

Special features

A range of study options

You can extend your degree by a year to undertake an integrated master's, gain industrial/professional experience, study with entrepreneurship or learn a modern language.

It is possible to broaden your degree by taking units from the University College, Business and Management for all Programmes or the University Centre for Academic English in exchange for a few units from your degree.

Foundation Year available

You can prepare for the full degree course if you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry by undertaking our foundation course first.

Flexibility to transfer between courses

You can transfer between most of our bioscience courses at the end of your first year or, in some cases, later.

Teaching and learning

You will benefit from a wide range of teaching and learning methods that suit the content and aims of each course unit.

These range from lectures and tutorials to practicals and research projects.

Find out more about how you will learn and see a typical Year 1 timetable on our teaching and learning page.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment methods vary widely to suit the nature of the course unit and each level of study.

  • Lecture units are usually assessed by written exam (multiple choice or essay-based), which are held at the end of an academic semester in either January or May/June.
  • Field courses are usually assessed via oral and written presentations, group work and/or projects.
  • Practical units are usually assessed by experimental report and/or short written assignment and/or written exam.

The proportion of independent study assignments increases during each year of study.

Year 1

Lecture units are usually assessed by e-learning activities during the unit and multiple choice exams at the end of the semester. Year 1 contributes 6% to your overall degree mark.

Year 2

Lecture units are usually assessed by essay-based exam, and some units also include a coursework element.

Year 2 contributes 19% to your overall degree mark.

Year 3

Lecture units are usually assessed by essay-based exam. Students also take two honours papers: degree programme-specific examinations comprising essays and data-handling problems. On the MSci programme, students take several MSci specific courses, including a group-based practical unit, a literature review and a written research proposal. Year 3 contributes 37.5% to your overall degree mark.

Year 4

The final year is based on a 7-month research project (120 credits), carried out in a research laboratory or fieldstation run by University staff. The project is assessed by a written assignment, a scientific talk, a written report, a poster and presentation and your performance during the project. Year 4 contributes 37.5% to your overall degree mark. In order to progress on the MSci degree, you must fulfil certain progression criteria. Students that do not meet these criteria are transferred to the 3-year BSc.

Course unit details

This course is modular. You will study compulsory course units and choose some optional units.

Most units are assigned 10 credits and you will take 120 credits each year.

Course content for year 1

You will gain a broad introduction to biological sciences, covering key concepts such as:

  • microbiology
  • biochemistry
  • genetics
  • biodiversity
  • molecular biology

Year 1 also provides an introduction to the essential data handling and laboratory skills required for all biological scientists.

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Academic Tutorials Year 1 BIOL10000 10 Mandatory
Biochemistry BIOL10212 10 Mandatory
Molecular Biology BIOL10221 10 Mandatory
From Molecules to Cells BIOL10232 10 Mandatory
Introduction to Laboratory Science BIOL10401 10 Mandatory
Introduction to Experimental Biology - Molecular & Cellular Biology BIOL10412 10 Mandatory
Biodiversity BIOL10511 10 Mandatory
Genes, Evolution and Development BIOL10521 10 Mandatory
Microbes, Humankind and the Environment BIOL10532 10 Mandatory
Writing and Referencing Skills (online unit) BIOL10741 0 Mandatory
Health & Safety online course BIOL12000 0 Mandatory
History of Biology BIOL10381 10 Optional
Body Systems BIOL10811 10 Optional
Drugs: From Molecules to Man BIOL10822 10 Optional
Excitable Cells: the Foundations of Neuroscience BIOL10832 10 Optional
Chemistry for Bioscientists 1 CHEM10021 10 Optional
Chemistry for Bioscientists 2 CHEM10022 10 Optional
Fundamentals of Chemistry CHEM10111 10 Optional
Science & the Modern World HSTM10221 10 Optional
Bodies in History: An introduction to the History of Medicine HSTM10272 10 Optional
Displaying 10 of 20 course units for year 1

Course content for year 2

You will continue your studies in greater depth and begin to specialise. You will also undertake a Science Communication unit.

In the Research Skills unit, you have the opportunity to carry out techniques that are widely used in current biological science research.

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Academic Tutorials Year 2 BIOL20000 10 Mandatory
Microbiology RSM BIOL20342 10 Mandatory
Organismal Biology EDM BIOL21051 10 Mandatory
Fundamentals of Bacteriology BIOL21181 10 Mandatory
Principles of Infectious Disease BIOL21192 10 Mandatory
Immunology BIOL21242 10 Mandatory
Parasitology BIOL21252 10 Mandatory
Introduction to Virology BIOL21381 10 Mandatory
Science Communication BIOL21392 10 Mandatory
Genome Maintenance & Regulation BIOL21101 10 Optional
Proteins BIOL21111 10 Optional
The Dynamic Cell BIOL21121 10 Optional
Cell Membrane Structure & Function BIOL21141 10 Optional
`Omic Technologies & Resources BIOL21152 10 Optional
Plants for the Future BIOL21202 10 Optional
Molecules and Cells in Human Disease BIOL21351 10 Optional
Disease in Nature BIOL21442 10 Optional
Chemistry of Biomolecules CHEM21162 10 Optional
Environmental Microbiology EART21102 10 Optional
Ecology and Conservation EART25001 10 Optional
From Cholera to COVID-19: A Global History of Epidemics HSTM20031 10 Optional
The Crisis of Nature: Issues in Environmental History HSTM20092 10 Optional
Exploring Enterprise MCEL10001 10 Optional
Entrepreneurial Skills MCEL10002 10 Optional
Tools and Techniques for Enterprise MCEL30001 10 Optional
Enterprise Strategy and Marketing MCEL30051 10 Optional
Enterprise Feasibility MCEL30052 10 Optional
Enterprise in Healthcare MCEL30122 10 Optional
Displaying 10 of 28 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

You will take two papers and six lecture units specific to microbiology. 

You will prepare for the papers through tutorials with current BSc students.

The remaining 40 credits will come from the following MSci units:

  • Research Project Proposals (10 credits)
  • Bioinformatics Tools and Resources (10 credits)
  • Experimental Skills (20 credits)

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Academic Tutorials Year 3 BIOL30000 0 Mandatory
Current Topics in Microbiology (E) BIOL31351 10 Mandatory
MSci Project Literature Review and Research Proposal BIOL33000 10 Mandatory
MSci Experimental Skills Module BIOL33012 20 Mandatory
Post-Genome Biology (L) BIOL31301 10 Optional
Glycobiology: Glycan Function in Health & Disease (E) BIOL31321 10 Optional
Macromolecular Recognition in Biological Systems (L) BIOL31341 10 Optional
Advanced Immunology (E) BIOL31371 10 Optional
Gene Regulation & Disease (E) BIOL31381 10 Optional
Evolution of Genes, Genomes & Systems (E) BIOL31391 10 Optional
Biotic Interactions (L) BIOL31511 10 Optional
Bioethics: Contemporary Issues in Science & Biomedicine (E) BIOL31522 10 Optional
Living with Climate Change (L) BIOL31541 10 Optional
Advanced Parasitology (E) BIOL31792 10 Optional
Immune Response & Disease (E) BIOL31802 10 Optional
Role of Diagnostics in Medicine BIOL31832 10 Optional
MSci Bioinformatics Tools and Resources BIOL33011 10 Optional
Computational Approaches to Biology BIOL33021 10 Optional
MSci Reproducible Data Science BIOL33031 10 Optional
From Sherlock Holmes to CSI: a history of forensic medicine HSTM32011 10 Optional
Climate Change & Society HSTM33201 10 Optional
Tools and Techniques for Enterprise MCEL30001 10 Optional
Advanced Technology Enterprise MCEL30011 10 Optional
Advanced Technology Enterprise MCEL30012 10 Optional
Enterprise Strategy and Marketing MCEL30051 10 Optional
Enterprise Feasibility MCEL30052 10 Optional
Enterprise in Healthcare MCEL30122 10 Optional
Displaying 10 of 27 course units for year 3

Course content for year 4

You will undertake a 120-credit research project over a period of six to seven months in research laboratories or a field station run by University staff to complete the work needed for your MSci award.

Course units for year 4

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
MSci Research Project BIOL40010 120 Mandatory

What our students say

Find out more about what it's like to study at Manchester on the  Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog .

Facilities

Learning facilities

Our modern teaching labs are equipped for a range of biological and biomedical techniques. The following are just a few of the techniques you could undertake during your degree:

  • polymerase chain reaction (PCR);
  • DNA sequencing;
  • gel electrophoresis;
  • spectrophotometry;
  • dissection and histology;
  • electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG);
  • immunofluorescence microscopy.

Our computing facilities include access to over 200 PCs in dedicated clusters and e-learning tools including online lecture notes, discussion boards, lecture podcasts and quizzes.

You will also have access to the University's other facilities for undergraduate students.

Research facilities

As a final year student, you have the opportunity to undertake a project in the labs of our world-class bioscience researchers.To support our research, we have extensive research facilities equipped with high-quality technology.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk