Course summary

Microbes are the basis of our planet’s ecosystem. They are essential to the health of life across the planet, and the delivery of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. They can be used in biotechnology to improve crop yield, while others spoil crops and cause devastating diseases such as COVID-19 and cholera. So we need to understand how they work. On our BSc Microbiology course, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to help resolve interconnected global crises such as pollution, climate change, food insecurity, antibiotic resistance and infectious diseases. You will learn from world-leading microbiologists about the different kinds of microbes (bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and viruses) and their interactions with animals – including humans – and the environment, as well as how they can be used for the benefit of all. Only a small fraction of all the microbes that exist have been grown in the laboratory, so you will learn about novel approaches like metagenomics to investigate this “microbial dark matter”. You will gain a range of practical skills in our modern STEM Centre. This hands-on lab training throughout your first and second years will build your skills for the final-year research project.