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Microbiology

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

Including biology and chemistry, plus GCSE mathematics at B/6.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

"30 points overall with 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level to include biology and chemistry, plus Standard Level mathematics at grade 5. A combination of IB Certificate plus other qualifications, such as A-Levels, Advanced Placement Tests or the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), will also be considered."

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

A relevant BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma with DDM, plus GCSE mathematics at B/6.

Scottish HNC

Pass

A relevant HNC with B in the Graded Unit and appropriate science units, plus National 5 Maths at B or equivalent.

Scottish HND

Pass

A relevant HND with AA in the Graded Units and appropriate science units, plus National 5 Maths at B or equivalent

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B-B,B,C,C

including Higher biology and chemistry at grade B, plus National 5 mathematics at B.

UCAS Tariff

96-120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Microbiology

Microbiology focuses on the biology of micro-organisms that are unicellular, multicellular or acellular (without cells). This includes microbes like bacteria and fungi, and covers concepts like growth and regulation, and how microbes react with each other and their environments.

We also look at how micro-organisms work collectively to maximise their success, and how we can manipulate them and their behaviour with a view to improving health.

The degree starts as a broad-based curriculum where you’ll study a wide range of life sciences topics at Levels 1 and 2. You’ll then focus more on key aspects of microbiology at Levels 3 and 4.

Your first two years of study will explore core concepts like genetics, cell biology, biological organisation, molecular mechanisms and processes. You will develop your practical skills, including laboratory skills, data analysis, and experiment design. This will prepare you for designing and carrying out projects later in your course.

Our course curriculum is shaped by the work of our world-leading researchers to make sure you’re learning the latest advances, as well as gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of the field. Throughout the course, you can pick modules that interest you and also transfer to one of our other courses if you choose the relevant modules.

Lab sessions throughout your degree will help you integrate knowledge and practical skills, as well as develop strong transferable skills, both in and out of the lab.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£26,600
per year
International
£26,600
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£1,820
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Dundee

Department:

School of Life Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Microbiology and cell science

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

74%
UK students
26%
International students
43%
Male students
57%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
4%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Microbiology and cell science

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,074
med
Average annual salary
98%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Science, engineering and production technicians
12%
Natural and social science professionals
12%
Leisure and travel services

If you want a career in microbiology, then this is the degree to take. The recession hit the job market for microbiologists particularly badly, but things have improved very significantly since then, and microbiologists are now amongst the most employable biological sciences graduates. We don't produce many graduates in the subject every year and a lot take further qualifications on graduating. Microbiology graduates who want to leave the lab can find jobs in most industries - not just in health and hospitals, but in the food and drink, water and ecology sectors, too.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Microbiology and cell science

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£29k

£29k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Lower entry requirements
University of Central Lancashire | Preston
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Nearby University
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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