Microorganisms are minuscule living beings which are too small to see with the naked eye, and are integral to human, animal and plant life. They’re crucial to a range of industries which underpin human lifestyles, from food and drink production to medicine manufacture, and are the key to understanding disease. Microbiologists find ways we can use these microorganisms; develop innovative solutions to global problems like climate change, pollution and antibiotic resistance; and uncover the causes, behaviours and treatments of diseases.

On this BSc Microbiology degree, you’ll delve into the microscopic worlds of bacteria, fungi, single-celled parasites and viruses. Taking a medical and research-focused approach, you’ll get comfortable working in professional-standard labs, and learn how microbiology applies to industry, biotechnology and human society.

Here at NTU, your learning will be hands-on. You’ll become a competent microbiologist, with all the technical knowhow, transferable skills and specialist knowledge you need to lead and assist in some of today’s most crucial research.

Get hands-on lab experience

with plenty of practical teaching time in our Class II laboratories.

A Royal Society of Biology accredited course

guaranteeing top teaching quality and boosting your prospects.

in the UK for Biology (Guardian University Guide 2027)

An optional placement year after Year Two

as well as plenty of opportunities to boost your employability throughout your degree.

This microbiology course has the very latest medical research and real-world application at its core. You’ll hone your practical lab skills as you handle, grow and identify microbes safely; learn how to conduct your own academic research; get to grips with computer-based microbiology; and delve into all aspects of infectious disease — from diagnostics, outbreak and spread to control, treatment and prevention.

You’ll also explore specialised topics such as microbial genetics and metabolism, antibiotics, immunology, virology, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and environmental, forensic and molecular microbiology.

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation

On this course, you’ll engage with AI in a practical, informed way, reflecting its use across science and technology today. You’ll explore how AI supports analysis, problem solving and innovation, while developing the skills to understand its limitations and ethical implications.

AI won’t replace scientific knowledge or professional judgement. Instead, you’ll learn how it complements your expertise and enhances professional practice in industry and research.

We’ll help you build confidence, adaptability and informed judgement, preparing you for a changing workplace where human expertise remains essential. Find out more about how the School of Science and Technology is harnessing AI.

Get ready to embark on an adventure with our study abroad programs at partner universities or by getting a work placement overseas. Both opportunities will boost your employability, build lifelong friendships, and allow you to experience the world in a whole new way.

Course accreditations

Highlights of our microbiology degree include:

Accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), giving you free RSB membership for a year after graduation, boosting your career prospects, and promising high-quality teaching.

Research-led teaching from experienced microbiologists at the top of their fields, with opportunities to work on their active research projects and even co-author publications.

Consistently high student satisfaction ratings, praising our friendly lecturers, the expertise and enthusiasm of all our teaching staff, and the community feel amongst our students.

The chance to build your professional network and connect with employers within bioscience industries, via field trips, guest speakers, work placements, summer studentships, and conferences.

The option to do a placement year — previously, students have worked for NHS clinical laboratories, research companies and drinks manufacturers.

95% of Biosciences students were positive about the learning opportunities on their course (National Student Survey 2026)

Module information

A standard full-time BSc (Hons) course is made up of 120 credits studied each year. Some courses may vary, however, and you can find information on the total number of credits achieved per module below.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the

Year OneYear TwoOptional Placement YearFinal Year

ModulesExpand all +

Practical Techniques for Biology

Covers experimental design principles, data collection and analysis methods, and techniques such as centrifugation, chromatography, electrophoresis, microscopy, and radiobiology.

20 credits

Genetics and Immunology

You will develop genetic concepts and be introduced to the basic aspects of the immune system, including the molecules, cells and interactions involved.

Introduction to Microbiology

Explore different types of microbes, their function and purpose. Consider the significance of the microbial world, the biology of microorganisms, and medical, industrial, and environmental microbiology.

Living Systems

Introduces levels of biological organisation from molecules to cells and ecosystems, providing a platform of knowledge and skills upon which other modules are developed.

Introduction to Biochemistry

Study the key aspects of macromolecules, cell structure and function, and inter-relationships in both practical and theoretical contexts.

Introduction to Physiology

You'll learn about the physiology of human organ systems such as the respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular, urinary, endocrine, and muscular systems. You'll study how the process of homeostasis underpins the regulation of these organ systems and will explore some of these systems in action in the lab.

Applied Microbiology

Reviews the use of micro-organisms in the production of industrially important products and biofuels, and considers lactic acid bacteria and the production of fermented products.

Clinical and Public Health Microbiology

Learn the importance of microbial infections, how they might be diagnosed, the sources of these infections and how sterilisation and disinfection procedures can be used to control them.

Microbial Metabolism and Genetics

Investigate the process of how bacteria share, modify and control their genes and DNA, as well as learning about energy-yielding mechanisms in microbial systems and their diversity and importance to humans.

Microbial Structure, Identification and Distribution

Explore the function of important subcellular structures of micro-organisms, as well as the taxonomy and identification of the main groups of bacteria, fungi and viruses relating to forensic investigations.

Host-Pathogen Interactions

Explore ways in which pathogenic organisms and their human hosts interact with each other, and learn how we might exploit this knowledge to develop new drugs and vaccines.

Professional Skills in Microbiology

Explores current hot topics in microbiology such as emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and food security.

Optional year-long work placement. If you are not taking a placement, you will progress directly to your final year in year three.

Forensic Microbiology

Develop your molecular identification methods including microbial DNA fingerprinting (PFGE, PCR-amplification techniques) and explore the use of international databases (EnterNet, PulseNet).

Molecular Microbiology

Study advanced concepts in bacterial genetics, including regulation of bacterial gene expression, molecular biology of bacterial pathogenesis and the application of knowledge in industry.

Immunology and Virology

Explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunology, analysing immune responses to infectious agents and review the principles of vaccination.

Infectious Diseases and their Control

Learn about the global importance of infectious diseases, their effect on individuals and the population as a whole and how they can be controlled.

Research Project

Develop your skills as an independent researcher by completing a 40 credit point research project under the supervision of one of our academic staff, in an area of their expertise.

40 credits

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

Student experience

Het Gajjar

Microbiology student

“I choose NTU because of its strong reputation in Bioscience and excellent teaching quality with awards received by NTU.”

Read Het's profile

Valerija Bojarinova

“I was drawn to NTU due to the wide variety of course options and the flexibility they offer.”

Read Valerija's profile

Leah Sullivan

“Support from course tutors within NTU were fantastic, course leader Jody Winter was extremely supportive when it came to coursework, day-to-day learning and preparing you for the working world.”

Read Leah's profile

Video Gallery

Watch our facility tour video to get an insight into the equipment you'll use and what you'll study on the course.

Biosciences | Facility Tour

How you're taught

Your teaching team will consist of over ten dedicated microbiologists, who aren’t just academics — they’re highly experienced researchers, experts in industrial microbiology, and teaching award-winners and nominees. They’re all talented specialists at the forefront of their fields, who regularly publish their work in respected journals.

You’ll learn through a mix of:

practical laboratory classes, where you’ll learn workplace lab skills, put theory to the test, and get involved in real-world research projects

lectures, covering the breadth of the subject

seminars, for doing group work and delving deeper into your modules

IT workshops for learning bioinformatics skills

field trips, which have previously included local brewery tours to learn about industrial microbiology and an international trip to clinical labs in Uganda

How you're assessed

The assessments on our microbiology degree are designed around the kind of work you’ll do in research and industry, so they include scientific posters, presentations, diagnostic and client reports, data analyses, an employability pitch, skills portfolios, reflections and written research papers. Most assessments are open book, to better simulate real-world scenarios and test your deeper understanding.

Contact hours

This microbiology course is very practical and you’ll spend lots of time in our industry-standard laboratories, with most modules including at least nine hours of labs (but often 12 to 15 hours). Outside of your timetabled sessions, you’ll work on your assignments independently or in groups, but your tutors will still be available to give you guidance and support.

As a guide, each 20-credit module, you’ll spend about 200 hours learning overall. Around 40 of those hours will be taught in labs, lectures or seminars. The rest of the time is for independent study, reading, research, or working on assignments.

Who will teach you?

Michael Loughlin

Principal Lecturer (Learning and Teaching Manager)

Michael Loughlin is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Biosciences and Learning and Teaching Manager for the School of Science & Technology.

Visit Michael Loughlin's staff profile

Maria Rosa Domingo-Sananes

Senior Lecturer

Dr. Maria Rosa Domingo Sananes

Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Microbiology and Evolutionary Systems Biology at NTU. Her research focuses on combining systems and evolutionary biology to understand the function, architecture and evolution of biochemical cellular networks and genomes.

Visit Maria Rosa Domingo-Sananes's staff profile

Gareth McVicker

Dr Gareth McVicker is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in the department of Biosciences. His research focuses on plasmid biology and toxin-antitoxin systems in enteric bacterial pathogens.

Visit Gareth McVicker's staff profile

Jody Winter

Principal Lecturer

Dr Jody Winter, Principal Lecturer in Microbiology, partners with public sector organisations and international collaborators to tackle global challenges in antimicrobial resistance and bacterial infections. Her main research interests are the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and how infection prevention, One Health and antimicrobial stewardship principles can be applied to this problem.

Dr Winter leads the Microbiology subject group within the Department of Biosciences, the Biosciences Outreach group, and the interdisciplinary antimicrobial resistance research cluster at NTU.

Visit Jody Winter's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

Standard offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Biology grade C

Contextual offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Biology grade C

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

Additional requirements

Additional requirements for UK students

There are no additional requirements for this course.

Contextual offers

We consider every application in the context of your individual circumstances and educational background. This may include information about where you live, the school or college you attended, or experiences that may have shaped your educational journey. This is known as a contextual offer, and we use information provided through UCAS to help inform our decisions. By considering achievement in context, we can better recognise academic potential and ensure applicants are assessed as fairly and fully as possible.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Other qualifications and experience

NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.

We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.

Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Biology grade C. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Additional international requirements

Additional requirements for international students

If you need help achieving the academic entry requirements, we offer a Foundation preparation course for this degree. The course is offered through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) based on our City Campus.

English language requirements

View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.

If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.

If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Sign up for emails

Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.

If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students - see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£10,050 per year

Year abroad - £1,507

Placement year - £2,010

If you choose to do a placement year or year abroad, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year. Please be aware that you will be charged the fee set for the year this takes place, rather than being fixed at the rate applicable when you start your course, and any increases are subject to Government approval. As a guide, the fees above are for the 2027/28 academic year.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students - see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

£18,400 per year

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Lab lockers

A refundable deposit is required for laboratory lockers (approximately £5).

Year abroad

If you choose to study abroad for a year, you may need to consider additional costs such as visas, vaccinations, accommodation and travel expenses.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, phone the Student Money Team on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

Cost of living in Nottingham

Our student benefits and free services

Money advice for international students

Careers and employability

Excellent placement opportunities

A placement is one of the best ways to prepare for your future career. Whether you choose a year-long placement or a shorter summer option, you’ll gain hands-on experience, apply your knowledge in a real-world setting, and develop the skills employers are looking for. Our students have been on year-long placements at companies such as:

Scancell

Public Health England

In roles such as:

Trainee Biomedical Scientist (Microbiology)

Research Assistant

Hygiene Microbiology Placement

Assistant Project Worker

Completing your placement earns you a Diploma in Professional Practice—a great addition to your CV. Students who take placements are twice as likely to secure a graduate-level job within six months of graduation.

Short summer placements are also available—a flexible way to explore different career paths, gain experience, and build your professional network.

Find out more about work placements.

Where can I go with Microbiology

A microbiology degree opens doors to careers spanning a range of industries. These include disease diagnostics and control, environmental testing, food safety and manufacturing, molecular biology, epidemiology, biotechnology, therapeutics, and industrial research and development.

Thanks to the highly desirable transferable skills you’ll develop on your microbiology course, your options aren’t limited to this field alone. In fact, some of our graduates work in science communication, publishing, finance, patent law, and quality assurance.

You may also choose to further your education or pursue academia, with several of our recent students having published research papers, taken up research assistant posts, and secured funded PhDs at prestigious institutions.

What’s more, as a student at NTU, you’ll be supported by our award-winning Employability services for up to three years after you graduate, and get access to our online career resources for life.

Employability Promise

Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have successful careers in organisations such as:

AstraZeneca

Food and Environment Agency

Merseyside Police

Unilever

Covance Laboratories Ltd

Catalent Pharma Solutions

Our graduates are…

Graduates from this course now work in a wide range of roles such as:

Research Scientist

Microbiologist

Microbiology Analyst

Medical Lab Assistant

Associate Technologist

Pharmacovigilance Specialist

Secondary Science Teacher

Assessed work-like experience

We’ve embedded at least eight weeks of assessed work-like experience into all of our courses. This gives you the opportunity to apply your learning in real-world scenarios, build your confidence, and develop the experience employers are looking for.

NTU Enterprise

If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Campus and facilities

We are ranked in UK’s top 5 for learning resources and learning opportunities by Biosciences students. (Full-time first degrees, National Student Survey 2026)

You'll study in lecture theatres, classrooms and laboratories in the Rosalind Franklin Building and across Clifton Campus, with access to research-grade equipment such as PCR machines, automated gel documentation systems, anaerobic cabinets, and tissue culture hoods. Each lab has its own dedicated technical team to support your classes.

Clifton Campus has been designed to keep you busy between lectures. Catch up with your coursemates in the Pavilion’s café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in stylish study spaces; or enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union.

The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!

Just a short bus ride away, you’ll find the heart of Nottingham — a vibrant student city full of history, culture, and exceptional social venues.

Explore the Bioscience Research Lab in 360°

View the Super Lab in 360°

Explore the Library at Clifton Campus in 360°

Bioscience Facilities

For more information visit the Bioscience Facilities page.

Rosalind Franklin Building

For more information visit the Rosalind Franklin Building page.

Take a virtual tour

Applying

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

Keeping up-to-date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!

Apply through UCAS

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

We advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as Student visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Apply through NTU portal

Personal statement guidance

You’ll submit a personal statement with your UCAS application – here are our tips on what to include and how to structure your personal statement.

Application support

If you have any questions about applying, get in touch through our online form or call us on 44 (0)115 848 4200.

Related courses

Microbiology (with foundation year)

BSc (Hons)

Biomedical Science

Biomedical Science (with foundation year)

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences (with foundation year)

Pharmacology

Pharmacology (with foundation year)

Biochemistry

Biochemistry (with foundation year)

More from this subject

View more courses on the Biosciences subject page

Further study

View Biosciences postgraduate courses

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