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 course 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.

This course is identical to the first three years of the MBiolSci in Biological Sciences (Microbiology).

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting (in part) the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol). Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.