Microbiology, MSc

Course overview

The MSc Microbiology develops comprehensive knowledge and understanding of microbial science in the 21st century, and its contribution to solving global challenges facing humanity. As such it focuses on applying techniques and methods related to molecular biology, microbial culture and classification and in the functional analysis of microbial genomes and microbiomes associated with disease, the biotechnology industry and the environment. These subject areas are developed in great depth depending on your interest or desired career aspirations.

The course provides the theoretical knowledge, understanding and practical skills to ensure a solid grounding in core and applied microbiology, along with the transferable skills which are essential to enhance your employability options. This aims to prepare you for a broad range of careers within industrial, commercial, government and environmental settings and further postgraduate study.

You are introduced to some of the contemporary issues facing the industry and the course provides hands-on practical experience of both laboratory and bioinformatics techniques. Staff can offer expertise in medical, industrial and environmental microbiology, molecular, cell and system biology, recombinant DNA technology, protein biochemistry, structural biology, fermentation, bioengineering and many other areas. During the course, you have the opportunity to investigate diverse areas of microbiology which are of concern to the healthcare, environmental, ecological and biotechnological sectors. You also have the chance to undertake research in relation to medical, environmental or industrial microbiology, which can further enhance your knowledge, skills and career options. This course is taught at our National Horizons Centre at the University’s Darlington campus. This £22m purpose-built biosciences research, education and training facility is a focal point for the growing regional biosciences community. Next to CPI’s National Biologics Manufacturing Centre, the NHC is at the heart of an ecosystem of life science excellence. Our extensive links with NHS and private laboratories, ensure course content is kept up to date and relevant to employers. The centre’s imaginative design includes a blend of teaching, learning and collaboration spaces, hi-tech laboratories and a state-of-the-art computing suite. Open innovation spaces provide students and businesses with the tools for project development using data analytics, modelling and simulation, visualization and process improvement and control. The NHC also offers analytical and digital infrastructure supporting basic and applied research in the biosciences and across disciplinary boundaries, aligned to academic excellence and industry needs. The NHC will expose you to a significant internationally- competitive research and innovation capability that is responsive and engaged with industry needs in the bioscience sector. Facilities within the National Horizons Centre enable students to engage with a range of advance and innovative research themes including:

• provision of a comprehensive genomic, proteomic, metabolomics data acquisition, processing and modelling capability with internationally competitive instrumentation, software and technical support
• studies of disease pathways including biomarker discovery, treatment monitoring, development of diagnostics and screening. Supported by bioinformatics modelling and development of predictive models
• biopharmaceutical research including product characterization, metabolism and drug interaction studies
• protein structure/function studies including aggregation, modification, activation and inhibition
• use of advanced cellular imaging capabilities, including live cell imaging, using light, confocal and Raman microscopy.

• molecular interactions
• conformational changes
• drug interactions with living cells
• tissue characterization.

Career opportunities

The MSc Microbiology programme provides you with the academic, analytical and practical skills to assist you in to many careers.

Many of our graduates choose to continue in research careers and begin PhDs or become research scientists (research assistants or technicians). Our scientists have obtained posts in universities, industry (including oil and gas), biotechnology and hospital diagnostic and pathology laboratories.

More generally, microbiologists can use their training in education, working in schools, colleges of further education and in Universities. Further opportunities are available to apply microbiology training in scientific publishing, in patent offices working on biological patents, in science outreach and contributing to the public understanding of microbiological issues.