Human Biology and Infectious Diseases with Foundation Year
Human biology and infectious diseases is a discipline that sits at the intersection of the life sciences and public health, examining how the human body is organised and functions alongside the biology of the pathogens that challenge it. Infectious diseases have shaped human history, and understanding them, from the molecular mechanisms of infection and immunity to the epidemiology of disease spread in populations, is central to medicine, public health, and the development of treatments and vaccines. The recent experience of pandemic disease has made the relevance of this field of study unmistakably clear.
At the University of Salford, this four-year full-time BSc in Human Biology and Infectious Diseases with a foundation year provides a supported entry route for students who have an interest in the field but do not currently have the scientific background needed for the main degree. The foundation year establishes the biological principles that underpin the field, building the knowledge base from which the full undergraduate programme develops. The main degree combines human physiology and anatomy with microbiology, virology, immunology, and the principles of disease transmission and control, preparing you for work in settings ranging from the laboratory to public health.
The programme includes a sandwich year and work placement, giving you direct professional experience in relevant scientific or healthcare environments.
Graduates from human biology and infectious diseases programmes work across a range of sectors. Clinical laboratory science, biomedical research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, public health agencies, epidemiology, infection control nursing, and science communication are among the most common destinations. The experiences of recent years have expanded public and government investment in infectious disease preparedness, which has created additional demand for graduates with expertise in this area.
Postgraduate study in microbiology, virology, immunology, public health, or clinical science is a natural continuation.