Microbiology

Microbiology is the scientific study of microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microscopic life forms that are invisible to the naked eye but fundamental to the functioning of every ecosystem and to health and disease in human beings and other animals. Microorganisms drive nutrient cycling in soils and oceans, underpin the production of fermented foods and beverages, are central to the development of antibiotics and vaccines, and are implicated in some of the most serious infectious diseases and public health challenges the world faces. Microbiology sits at the crossroads of biology, chemistry, and medicine, and its insights are essential across science, healthcare, agriculture, and biotechnology.

At the University of Reading, this programme includes a foundation year for students who need to build their scientific foundations, making it accessible to a wider range of applicants with a typical entry tariff of 104 points. The programme also includes a sandwich placement year and work placements, meaning professional experience in microbiology is embedded in the degree. The placement year is a particularly valuable feature, giving you the chance to work in a research laboratory, a pharmaceutical company, a food production facility, or a clinical or environmental monitoring setting, all of which are environments where microbiologists are actively employed.

You will study the biology of microorganisms, their ecology and evolution, their role in disease and health, the techniques used to study them, and the applications of microbiology in industry, medicine, and the environment.

Microbiology graduates are in demand across a wide range of sectors. Research and development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, clinical laboratory science, public health microbiology, food safety and quality assurance, environmental monitoring, and academic research are among the most common career paths. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in microbiology, infectious disease, biotechnology, or biomedical science, which can lead to research careers and more specialist professional roles.

The placement experience gives Reading graduates a practical advantage in a competitive graduate job market.