Microbiology with Foundation Year

Microbiology is the study of organisms too small to see with the naked eye: bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and protozoa. These organisms make up the vast majority of life on Earth, drive the cycling of nutrients through every ecosystem, underpin the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and include the pathogens that cause infectious disease. Expanding your knowledge of some of the planet's most dominant life forms, and taking part in research projects with a global impact, is exactly what this four-year full-time BSc Microbiology with Foundation Year at the University of Reading offers.

The foundation year gives you the scientific foundations you need before you enter the main degree, ensuring you have the chemistry, biology, and laboratory skills to engage fully with the programme. As you progress you will study microbial genetics, cell biology, virology, immunology, microbial ecology, and the applications of microbiology in medicine, food science, and environmental management. Laboratory work is central to the discipline, and you will develop practical skills in culturing and identifying microorganisms, molecular biology techniques, and experimental design.

The University of Reading has strong research expertise in environmental and applied microbiology, giving you access to projects with real-world significance.

Microbiology graduates are in demand across a wide range of sectors. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, NHS clinical laboratories, public health agencies, food safety organisations, environmental monitoring bodies, and agricultural research institutions all employ microbiologists. The analytical and laboratory skills you develop are also highly transferable into data science, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and science policy.

Postgraduate study in infectious disease, medical microbiology, environmental biotechnology, or a related field is a natural next step for those who want to specialise.