Microbiology and Immunology with a Placement Year

Microbiology and immunology together address the invisible world of microorganisms and the biological defences that living things mount against them. Microbiology studies the remarkable diversity of microscopic life, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses, investigating how these organisms are structured, how they function, how they interact with their environments, and how they cause or prevent disease. Immunology examines the body's complex defensive responses to infection and foreign substances, asking how the immune system recognises pathogens, neutralises them, and retains memory of encounters that enable faster future responses.

At Swansea this four-year full-time degree includes a placement year, giving you direct professional experience in a microbiology, immunology, pharmaceutical, or healthcare research setting before you graduate. You will study the structure, function, and behaviour of microorganisms, their ability to cause human disease, and their potential for industrial applications including the production of pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and fermented products. Immunology runs alongside this, covering the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the immune response, autoimmunity, allergy, transplantation, and the principles underlying vaccines and immunotherapies.

Swansea's research-active life science departments ensure that you engage with the cutting edge of both fields.

Graduates go on to careers in clinical microbiology and immunology laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, vaccine development, food science, environmental microbiology, public health, and academic research. The professional placement year at Swansea significantly strengthens graduate employability by providing experience of a real research or industry setting. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in microbiology, immunology, infectious disease, or related life sciences disciplines.