Our BSc Microbiology course involves the study of microorganisms with particular emphasis on the biology of bacteria, viruses and fungi. In spite of their size, the impact of microorganisms on the planet is so extensive that life as we know it could not exist without them.

In addition, microorganisms cause many of the known diseases of humans, animals and plants. Knowledge of microbiology will enable you to improve the quality of our lives in relation to the environment, to fight disease, and to combat pollution. Microbiology plays a key role in genetic engineering and other modern biotechnologies, such as antibiotic production and the exploitation of new sources of food and energy.

As a Life Sciences graduate from the University of Liverpool, you will have an excellent set of career options ahead of you. For those committed to a career as a professional scientist, higher degrees (MBiolSci, MSc, MRes, MPhil or PhD) at the University of Liverpool or elsewhere provide a flexible set of options for further study.

In the public sector, Life Sciences graduates are in demand in research institutes, government departments, the National Health Service, forensic science and the Environment Agency. Commercial sectors that actively recruit graduates from the Life Sciences include the pharmaceutical, food, biotechnology, water and agriculture industries.

There is also an increasing demand for life scientists to contribute to the public understanding of science as journalists and information/liaison officers, in view of the ethical and environmental issues that arise, for example, by developments in molecular biology and biotechnology.