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Microbiology and Infection

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

Biology and another science subject, preferably Chemistry. Acceptable science subjects also include Mathematics, Physics, Applied Science, Geography, Geology, and Psychology. General Studies A Level is not accepted. For science A levels that include the separately graded practical endorsement, a Pass is required.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

45 Level 3 credits in graded units in a relevant Diploma, including 30 at Distinction and a further 15 with at least Merit. 15 Distinctions are required in each of Biology and Chemistry. GCSE Mathematics and English grade C/4 also required.

Extended Project

A

Applicants who offer the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and meet our offer criteria will be made the standard offer, plus an alternative offer. This will be at one A Level grade lower plus a grade A in the EPQ, for example the offer would be ABB or BBB plus A in the EPQ, including Biology and another science, preferably Chemistry.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Mathematics and English at grade 4/C required. Applicants with equivalent qualifications or who do not meet these GCSE requirements will be considered on an individual basis according to their circumstances.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

33

33 points overall with 6 in Higher Level Biology and 5 in another Higher Level science subject, plus 5 in Standard Level Mathematics or Maths Studies.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H2,H2,H2,H3,H3

H1, H2, H2, H2, H3, H3 including Biology and another science subject, preferably Chemistry, at H2 or above.

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

D*DD

D*DD in Applied Science with a selection of preferred units in Biology and Chemistry, to include Distinctions in Units 1 and 5 (Principles and Applications of Science I and II). For previous BTEC (QCF) qualification: D*DD in Applied Science with a selection of preferred units in Biology and Chemistry, with at least 120 Level 3 credits at Distinction. For Applied Science unit requirements please see: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/courses/2023/microbiology-bsc-hons#entry-requirements Please note alternative BTEC subjects are not acceptable for this programme.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

To include Biology and another science subject, preferably Chemistry.

Accepted T Level: Health and Science (Science pathway) Entry requirements: Distinction overall, with grade B in the Core. Applicants should contact the Admissions Team / admissions tutor to discuss specific requirements in the Core components and the Occupational Specialism.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

B

Accepted at grade B as equivalent to a third non-science A level at grade B

UCAS Tariff

128-152

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

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Microbiology

In spite of their size, the impact of microbes on the planet is so extensive that life as we know it could not exist without them. In addition, microbes cause many of the known diseases of humans, animals and plants. Knowledge of microbiology will enable you to improve the quality of our lives in relation to the environment, to fight disease, and to combat pollution. Microbiology plays a key role in genetic engineering and other modern biotechnologies, such as antibiotic production and the exploitation of new sources of food and energy.

This programme is available with either a Year in China or a Year Abroad. The Year in China offers undergraduate students the opportunity to spend one year at our joint venture, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), following XJTLU's BA China Studies degree classes. XJTLU is a fully English-speaking university, located in Suzhou. The Year Abroad offers students the opportunity to spend a full academic year studying at one of our partner universities around the world, following a mixture of culture and/or discipline-related modules. If you wish to study this programme with a Year in China or a Year Abroad you will have the opportunity to apply after you arrive at Liverpool.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Liverpool

Department:

School of Life Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

87%
Microbiology

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

Teaching and learning

87%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
67%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

80%
Library resources
86%
IT resources
93%
Course specific equipment and facilities
33%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

71%
UK students
29%
International students
59%
Male students
41%
Female students
87%
2:1 or above
11%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
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.

£17,500
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

14%
Science, engineering and production technicians
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
9%
Natural and social science professionals

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.

£21k

£21k

£25k

£25k

£30k

£30k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
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Lower entry requirements
University of Reading | Reading
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UCAS Points: 120-147
Nearby University
University of Central Lancashire | Preston
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Same University
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UCAS Points: 128-152

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here