Master of Science (MSci)

MSci Medical Physiology

Gain invaluable research skills and experience through our four-year course and achieve an undergraduate master's award alongside your BSc.
  • Duration: 4 years
  • Year of entry: 2025
  • UCAS course code: 3A48 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Study abroad
  • Accredited course

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Fees and funding

Fees

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £34,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

Additional expenses

 

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Course unit details:
`Omic Technologies & Resources

Course unit fact file
Unit code BIOL21152
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

'Omic Technologies and Resources will introduce a range of molecular biology, genetic engineering and bioinformatic techniques (e.g., gene cloning, engineering alterations in a gene, screening for genes, genome mapping, sequencing and editing projects), and illustrate how these can be, and have been, applied and adapted to answer major questions in the biological sciences and medical genetics.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Molecular Biology BIOL10221 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Genome Maintenance & Regulation BIOL21101 Co-Requisite Recommended
BIOL21152 Pre- & Co-requisites are BIOL10221

BIOL21152 Pre- & Co-requisites are BIOL10221

Aims

This unit will introduce a range of molecular biology, genetic engineering and bioinformatic techniques and illustrate how these can be, and have been, applied and adapted to answer major questions in the biological sciences and medical genetics. Using a topical example-driven approach - including human, animal, plant and micro-organismal - students will be exposed to a number of the important techniques that underpin many of the recent advances in understanding biological systems at the molecular level. Examples will be used to explain the step change that occurs between the analysis of single genes, proteins etc. and the analysis of most, or all, of the genes, proteins and metabolites within an organism. In addition, students will gain an understanding of the cross-talk and interactions that occur between different genes and gene products.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this unit, students will gain an understanding of:

  • Gene cloning, engineering alterations in a gene, screening for genes.
  • Genome mapping and sequencing projects.
  • Manipulating DNA in vitro and genomes in vivo.
  • Transcriptomics approaches.
  • How proteins can be made and manipulated.
  • Using single-celled organisms, plants and animals as experimental models.
  • Dealing with large-scale datasets generated from ’omic scale experiments.

 

Syllabus

  • Analysis of individual genes
  • Analysis of genomes (transcriptomics)
  • Understanding gene function (proteomics)
  • Analysis of small molecules (metabolomics)
  • Understanding the integration of the above (systems biology)

 

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Online exercises require students to analyse data and experimental results.
Oral communication
Students encouraged to answer questions during lectures.
Problem solving
Online exercises require students to read and research around the lecture material.
Research
Online exercises require background reading and the understanding of some primary literature.
Written communication
Students participate in a practice examination-style essay which is marked by staff and detailed comments are returned.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Other 20%
Written exam 80%

The written exam is one problem-based question (50% of exam) and one essay from a choice (50% of exam). Weekly online multiple choice exercises make up 20% of the overall mark.

Feedback methods

Students will receive feedback via the Blackboard module for this unit, which forms part of the continuous assessment of the unit. Students will also be afforded the opportunity to receive written feedback on an examination-style essay and a series of examination-style short-answer questions.

Recommended reading

  • Brown, TA (2017) Genomes (4th edition). Garland Science - recommended

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Assessment written exam 2
Lectures 22
Independent study hours
Independent study 76

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Sam Griffiths-Jones Unit coordinator

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