Course summary

Genetics is so much more than the study of inheritance. Fundamental to our understanding of health and disease, food security, conservation and ecology and the origins of life, genetics has a massive influence on ethics and society. On the MBiolSci, you will hone your research and laboratory skills and extend your medically specialised BSc programme into a fourth year of masters level study. Genetics covers many aspects of society including human health, forensic science, food production, environmental quality, species conservation, ethics and law. On this course you will learn how genetic engineering, molecular and developmental genetics, human genetics and evolutionary genetics all contribute to a greater understanding of the discipline. You will gain a balanced understanding of modern genetics focusing on the organisation, inheritance, expression and evolution of genes in organisms ranging from bacteria to Homo sapiens. You will work alongside leading geneticists who are investigating some of the most important questions in genetic research in order to gain insight into the mechanisms of life and evolution. Geneticists study these processes in all types of organisms and discover how errors in them can cause disease, and they help discover how genes work across the biological sciences. You will also gain a broad understanding of fundamental biological processes, while developing analytical skills and gaining experience in handling complex information. By studying genetics alongside options in other biological sciences, you will be able to apply your knowledge across the boundaries of traditional disciplines and gain a valuable and powerful asset in scientific environments and in many other walks of life. The first three years of this course are identical to the Biological Sciences (Genetics) BSc, including the option to spend a Year in Industry or a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3. Your fourth year then lets you focus on refining your research and lab skills - while also putting into practice your employability skills - by conducting a research project in one of six specialist areas. The analytical and critical skills you acquire by studying an MBiolSci in Biological Sciences are particularly valued by PhD supervisors, researchers and employers in non-scientific fields. What's the difference? At the University of Leicester, we offer seven Biological Science subjects and four Medical Bioscience subjects, all as both BSc (three years) and MBiolSci (four years), plus a Foundation Year option, giving you an impressive range of 23 different courses to choose from. Biological Science covers major aspects of biology and molecular science across a wide range of organisms from bacteria and fungi to humans and plants. All 14 courses share a common first year so you can change to a different degree before the end of Year 1. Medical Science allows you to select specialist modules that focus more closely on the application of biological principles to medicine. All eight courses share a common first year so you can change to a different degree before the end of Year 1. It is possible to switch between a Biological Science course and a Medical Bioscience course during the first half of your first year, but after that the two fields diverge.