Microbiology (with Advanced Practice)

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. You can explore 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.

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 (NHC) 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, visualisation 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 characterisation, 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. This will enable the study of, among other topics; - molecular interactions- conformational changes of drug interactions with living cells- tissue characterisation.

Our extensive links with NHS and private laboratories, ensures course content is kept up-to-date and relevant to employers. 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 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. 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.

There are three routes you can select from to gain a master's award:

• MSc Microbiology – one year full time
• MSc Microbiology – two years part time
• MSc Microbiology (with Advanced Practice) – two years full time

The one-year programme is a great option if you want to gain a traditional MSc qualification. The two-year master's degree with advanced practice enhances your qualification by adding a vocational or research based internship to the one-year master's programme. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge. A research internship provides you with the opportunity to develop your analytical, team-working, research and academic skills by working alongside a research team in an academic setting. We guarantee a research internship, but cannot guarantee a vocational internship. We will, however, provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own vocational internship position should you prefer this type of internship.

For the MSc with advanced practice, you complete 120 credits of taught modules, a 60-credit master's research project and 60 credits of advanced practice.

A bachelor degree with a minimum of 65%, 2.5/4.0 or good

There may be short-term placement opportunities, particularly during the project phase of the course.

The course 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.

Personal Details

- Full Name, including title
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- E-mail Address
- Telephone Number
- Home and Correspondence addresses, including postcode
- Alternative email Addresses
- Country of Permanent Residence or Local Authority
- Country of Birth
- Nationality
- Ethnicity - this data will not be accessible to those making the application decision
- Type of applicant - choose from UK/EU or Overseas
- Who is entering the application - choose from Applicant, University Staff/Overseas Office or Other Third Party
- Disability
- Whether your parents/guardians have Higher Education qualifications
- Details of any previous study or application to this University

Payment of Fees

- Who is paying your fees
- Name and address of your Fee Payer
- Details of any previous funding body and previous course

Overseas Applicants Only

- Date of entry to UK/EU
- Passport Number (if you need a visa)
- Previous UK study, including details of any previous visas, overstays in the UK and visa refusals

University Staff and Office/Agent Applications Only

- School/Office Code
- Agent Code
- Agent Name
- Agent Company
- Reference Number

Qualifications

Qualifications Held (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month awarded
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Grade
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Qualifications Pending (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month of exam
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Date grade expected
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Highest qualification

Portfolio Details

Foreign Language Courses Only

- Qualifications and experience in chosen language
- where more than one occurence of a courses runs in paralell, indicate which group you wish to join

Professional Qualifications

- Professional/Statutory Body and Registration PIN
- Other course specific professional details as required

School of Health & Social Care courses only

- NHS PIN
- NHS Trust / Practice details
- National Insurance Number
- Assignment/Employee Number
- Line manager name and email address
- Full or part time
- Pay band
- Profession, Staff Group and Job Role
- Other course specific details as required

Social Work Practice Education courses only

- Social Work Registration Number

Erasmus Applications

Details of the Exchange Co-ordinator at Your Home Institution
- Name
- Position
- Email Address

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

- Unique Learner Number
- National Insurance Number
- *Employer Code
- *Employer Postcode (This is your normal place of work which may be different from the company's main postcode)
- *Number of employees at this postcode
- Highest level qualifications in English language and mathematics

*Your employer should be able to supply this information

Last Two Education Establishments Attended
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Name and address
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Level of study

English Language Ability
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

Whether English is your first language

If not

- IELTS - score, date of exam and Test Report Form Number
- Other test - name, score and date of exam

Work Experience (maximum of 2)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, a reduced set of employment information is requested)

- Employers name
- Job title
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Main responsibilities

Summer & Winter University Courses Only

- Whether you are enrolled or due to enrol on a college or university course
- If so, where and which course
- Whether you are thinking of starting a Higher Education course
- If so, area of interest/study
- Reason for applying to Summer/Winter University

Referee
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- Name
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Note : some course will require two referees, e.g. PHD courses

Personal Statement
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Can be uploaded as a document or entered as text

It is suggested that your statement is prepared electronically in advance of starting the application

Enrolment

Some short courses may ask you to provide enrolment information as part of the application. This will require extra details but also means you will not be asked to complete the full on-line registration process at a later date.

This data will not be accessible to those making the application decision

- Type of Term-time Accomodation
- Next of Kin Name
- Next of Kin Telephone Number
- Next of Kin Relationship
- Religious Beliefs
- Criminal Conviction Declaration

Documents currently available for upload
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this option is not available)

- Reference
- Personal Statement
- CV
- Results
- Proof of English Language Qualifications, e.g. IELTS or TOEFL certificate
- Passport
- Previous Visas
- Previous Visa Refusals

For Research courses, the following additional uploads are mandatory

- Research Proposal
- Research Training Document
- Research Personal Statement
- Research Sponsorship/funding letter