Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with Professional Experience University of Reading - Whiteknights campus, UK

Expand your knowledge of some of the planet's most dominant life forms, and take part in research projects with a global impact on this BSc Microbiology with Professional Experience course.

As part of the UK's oldest microbiology department you can develop laboratory skills in purpose-built microbiology facilities and be taught by world-leading experts, with particular strengths in virology and bacteriology. Furthermore, you will benefit from membership of the Society for General Microbiology and strong links with industry.

Through the course, you will learn about the fundamental properties, genetics and physiology of diverse microbes. Options will then allow you to focus on areas that most interest you, including medical, environmental or food microbiology. You will also have the chance to carry out a year-long industrial placement or a paid vacation studentship in order to gain valuable work and research experience.

BSc Microbiology has a strong practical basis, and you will learn a wide variety of techniques such as microbial genetics, biochemistry and propagation. During your final year you will have the chance to spend three months working on an original research project of your choice. Recent projects have included the molecular engineering of viruses, and the mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity and host colonisation.

In your final year you will also have the opportunity to take part in our unique Arctic microbiology field course in Iceland. There you will be able to examine the unusual microbes that inhabit extreme environments and learn field-based sampling techniques.

Our £60m Health and Life Sciences building is the home of the School of Biological Sciences. It offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café. The building also houses the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring over 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.