Microbiology (with foundation year) BSc (Hons)

During the foundation year, you’ll develop core bioscience and study skills using an active and collaborative approach to your learning. This will enable you to build your confidence as you move onto BSc (Hons) Microbiology in Year Two. Learn about the micro-organisms associated with global health issues such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB) and influenza. Focusing on microbes of medical importance, you’ll explore their impacts on food safety, biotechnology and infection diagnostics.

At NTU, it’ll all start with getting to know your way around a lab – picking up all the techniques, tests and applications a future employer could wish for. Then we’ll replicate workplace-like experiences for you, whatever area of microbiology you are interested in whether it is medical research, biotechnology, food safety or infection diagnostics. In each area, you will learn how to analyse and communicate your results.

We’ll also show you how microorganisms influence the world around us, and how microbiology knowledge can help solve big global problems such as climate change, pollution and antibiotic resistance.

If you change your mind at the end of your foundation year you can transfer onto one of our other BSc Bioscience courses at NTU.

Why study Microbiology at NTU?

Get industry experience

Through group work and the Practical Techniques for Biology and Professional Skills in Microbiology modules, you’ll start designing your own experiments and trying things out. Problem solving skills are valuable for any graduate and we make sure you develop these right from the start of your course, with lots of opportunities to test things out and learn by doing. We’ve also embedded employability skills in the course, so you are not only learning theory and skills, but you know where to find your dream job and how to apply for it.

In your second year you’ll take part in the Microbiology Society’s Unearthed Scheme. Through testing your own soil samples you’ll be trying to isolate antibiotic producing bacteria. Your results will be used as part of the data collect from around the world.

Take a work placement

Placements tell future employers you know how to do it as well as why. Our industry connections as well as the support you'll get from our Employability team all add up to a valuable work placement experience.

In Year Three, you’ll be encouraged to take a year-long placement overseas, or in the UK. Our recent students have taken placements across a wide range of companies including the NHS, Scancell and GlaxoSmithKline. They secured varied roles such as Research Assistant, Trainee Biomedical Scientist (Microbiology) and Assistant Project Worker.

You'll be supported throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary during your placement. When you successfully complete your placement, you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.

Develop your portfolio

While you are at NTU you’ll create a skills portfolio. This is where you’ll keep evidence of all the techniques and skills you’ve mastered. These portfolios help you to document and develop your skills while you are with us. And they are a valuable tool when you graduate too, as they can be used to show future employers you are ready to work in a professional environment.

Research informed teaching

Our research is tackling real-world issues – and the people working on this research will be teaching you. This means you can be sure that what you are learning is at the cutting edge of new biological discoveries. For example, Professor Lesley Hoyles has used her expertise to show how the microbes that live in our guts have wide-ranging impacts on human health and Dr Jody Winter is part of a project which aims to tackle antibiotic resistance in Uganda. https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2019/03/university-funded-for-international-project-to-tackle-antibiotic-resistance

During your final year research project you’ll work closely with a member of staff, either on an aspect of their research or in their general area. You may be asked to help develop a new idea that can be incorporated into future research or help with our teaching. You’ll be working on real-world problems and gaining valuable experience at the same time.

Meet our staff

Whether your interest is working in research or in industry we have experienced teaching and technical staff from a wide range of backgrounds including chemical companies, the NHS, clinical diagnostics and medical research. They’ll be teaching you the latest thinking in microbiology and their contacts help us secure guest speakers and support you in finding great placement opportunities.

• Microbiotica
• NHS
• Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
• Diageo alcoholic beverages
• Northern Foods

They have gone into a wide variety of job roles including:

• Food Microbiologist
• Genome Sequencing Assistant
• Development Technician
• Microbiological laboratory technician

Many graduates also choose to undertake further study on one of our Masters-level courses or MPhil and PhD research degrees.