A foundation year can develop your skills and make it easier to get started at university. It is an extra year of study at the start of your course that leads in to a full degree programme. It’s a great option if:You don’t have the grades for a full degree courseYou have non-traditional qualifications or experienceYou’re starting university after some time away from educationYou’re looking for more support during the transition into university study.

During a foundation year you’ll learn about your chosen subject, develop your study skills and get used to university life. On successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll be ready to progress to the first year of your degree course.As a foundation year student, you’ll be a full student of the University and part of our community. You’ll have access to all our campus facilities and support.

• Study a curriculum that explores some of society’s biggest challenges, from emerging disease threats to the increase of antibiotic resistance.
• Access our £12.5 million Innovation for Health Learning Laboratory and use equipment that can found in the NHS and research labs across the world.
• Gain industry experience through our Professional Training placements, where you can work in one of our partner laboratories across the world.
• Learn from lecturers who are active researchers in virology, bacteriology, antimicrobial resistance and systems biology, whose work is used by governments, health professionals and industry.

In your first year, you’ll be introduced to the microbial world. You’ll study topics that are fundamental to microbiology, including bacteriology, biochemistry and cell biology, as well as learning important hands-on lab techniques. During your second year, you’ll get the option to study modules including Cellular Microbiology and Virology, Food Microbiology, Introduction to Immunology, and Pathology and Medicine. On these modules, you’ll explore topics such as adaptive immune response and cellular injury, as well as the characteristics of the major groups of bacteria, protozoa and viruses. In your final year, you’ll study biomedical microbial products and the epidemiology of infectious diseases. You can also choose to explore topics such as advanced virology, animal infectious diseases, gene expression, clinical immunology, and pathogenesis and therapeutics of cancer. You will also complete a research project, bringing together all the practical, analytical and presentation skills you’ve developed.