Biological Sciences (Microbiology) University of Leicester

Overview

Microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa) play a crucial role in many of the Earth's physical and biological processes; they help to purify our waste water and clean up pollution. 

Mankind has used them for thousands of years in the production of foods and drinks but some types can cause new and devastating diseases. Microorganisms are the oldest inhabitants of the Earth, yet we have only discovered a small fraction of all the microbes that exist.

Now microbiology is at the forefront of a technical revolution: incredibly sensitive molecular tools, coupled with sophisticated computer informatics, provide powerful new approaches to unlocking the secrets of life. 

On this Biological Sciences (Microbiology) course at the University of Leicester  you will gain a broad appreciation of the biology of organisms of microscopic size, the role of microbes in health and disease, and of the mammalian immune response to infection.

Careers and employability

• The degrees prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities.

• You will get excellent training in analytical thinking, data-analysis, problem-solving, the communication of complex concepts, and in how to apply scientific methodology to projects.

• This unique transferable skills set means that University of Leicester Biological Sciences graduates are highly desirable to employers.

Graduate destinations

• Many of graduates follow further training for research careers in biology, often through our MSc or PhD programmes at Leicester.

• Others gain positions in the NHS, in medical or pharmaceutical laboratories, in environmental management, in teaching, or in skilled professions outside of biology.

A few examples of pathways that our graduates have successfully taken include:

• Graduate medicine

• Postgraduate research (MSc or PhD)

• Laboratory Research Scientist

• The NHS Scientist Training Programme

• NHS Clinical Scientist (physiologist, genetic counsellor, mental health support)

• Clinical trials coordination

• Teaching

• Science communication

• Wildlife protection

• Financial Auditor