Microbiology
The implications of the study of microbiology are wide ranging, touching all aspects of life on earth from disease control to food manufacture and climate change.
Have you thought about how you want to use the skills and knowledge you are developing while studying microbiology after you graduate?
What skills will I gain during my degree?
In addition to your subject specific knowledge, your microbiology degree will equip you with a range of transferable skills including:
- Significant laboratory based experience meaning you will be qualified to work with microbial pathogens
- Analytical skills
- Ability to communicate findings and results to a range of audiences
- Ability to analyse data taking a methodological approach
- Problem solving skills
- High levels of accuracy and good attention to detail
- Time management and organisational skills
- Ability to working collaboratively in teams
Biosciences Core Graduate Competencies
You will also develop 12 competencies which have been divided into these four headings:
- Fundamental skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Personal aspiration and development
- Professional responsibility
Explore the Biosciences Core Graduate Competencies
How can I develop my skills and experience during my degree?
Consider a Year in Industry
Why not take an optional industry placement, between years two and three of your degree? This will extend your degree to a four-year programme.
Year in Industry
As part of this, it is possible to gain accreditation from the Science Council as a Registered Scientist (RSci).
Read Sophie Parfitt's blog post on her 12-month industrial placement with Redx.
Get a summer internship
Summer internships are also a great way to gain experience, whether in science or non-science based roles. You can search for roles using the links below, but do also consider making targeted speculation applications to smaller companies who may not advertise all opportunities.
My Career - internships from companies targeting Nottingham students
Nottingham Internship Scheme
Royal Society of Biotechnology - placement opportunities
Plant Science Futures summer placements
For list of organisations offering work experience or internships in the lab, visit laboratory work
Explore summer research placements
If you are interested in the scientific side of your degree, the summer research placements might be a good option for you. You can find these through the School of Biosciences by approaching a relevant academic who is working in the area you are interested in.
There are also sponsored opportunities and funding for summer research placements, visit:
Royal Society of Biology - undergraduate studentships
Wellcome Trust - Biomedical Vacation Scholarships
Get involved in Students' Union activities
Involvement in relevant SU activities including volunteering, sports clubs and societies can help you to develop and enhance skills that employers look for such as working in multidisciplinary teams, communicating scientific information to a non-science audience and consulting with local businesses.
MicroSoc
Find societies that interest you
Volunteering
Join the Nottingham Advantage Award
Another way to develop skills relevant to your career goals is to participate in Nottingham Advantage Award modules. There are many to choose from, including modules that give you the opportunities to work with community groups and local businesses.
You might be particularly interested in the Nottingham Consultancy Challenge or the STEM Outreach Scheme.
Nottingham Advantage Award - find out more and explore the modules on offer
Keep up to date with industry news and attend events
Knowing about the latest developments is important for a couple of reasons: firstly it may spark your interest in a particular part of the sector and secondly, employers often ask questions about the factors that may be affecting their company at an interview as a way of gauging your interest in their business.
Applied Microbiology International
Microbiology Society
Please be aware that study abroad, compulsory year abroad, optional placements/internships and integrated year in industry opportunities may change at any time for a number of reasons, including curriculum developments, changes to arrangements with partner universities or placement/industry hosts, travel restrictions or other circumstances outside of the university's control. Every effort will be made to update this information as quickly as possible should a change occur.
What are the range of careers I could enter?
Microbiology graduates move into a wide range of different careers working in areas such as the food and drink industry, healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry, environmental organisations, research institutions and universities.
Some of the employers who have recruited our graduates
Food and drink
- 2 Sisters Food Group
- Bowman Ingredients
- Charlie Bigham
- Greencore
- Hardknott Brewery
- Muller Milk and Ingredients
- Nestlé
Pharmaceutical
- AstraZeneca
- Covance
- Sygnature Discovery
Healthcare
- BUPA
- Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research
- Public Health England
- Twenty Thirty Labs
Some of the roles secured by our graduates
- Assistant bacteriology scientist
- Biology teacher
- Biomedical scientist
- Clinical trials associate
- Healthcare scientist
- Microbiologist
- Microbiology lab technician
- Quality assurance lab technician
- Research scientist
- Supply chain graduate
- Technical graduate
- Trainee brewer
Clinical Microbiology
Working as clinical or medical microbiologist you are likely to find yourself working in the private and public sector in organisations such as the NHS (recruited through the Science Training Programme), Public Health England, private pathology laboratories such as Spire Healthcare, private hospitals such as those run by Ramsey Health Care UK, and university departments.
Depending on the role and organisation, you may be required to have a master's degree or PhD.
What are my further study options? Watch our webinar on PhD study
A large proportion of our microbiology graduates progress into further study. Many choose to build on their undergraduate qualification by undertaking a microbiology-related masters course or PhD. For example our students have gone on to study:
Others opt to take a postgraduate qualification which will allow them to pursue a particular career, such as Graduate Entry to Medicine.
A number of microbiology graduates undertook a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in science or biology in order to train to become a teacher, a profession for which science students are currently in high demand.
Search for courses and find out about funding
Thinking about a PhD? How to get started and how to apply
In these two videos, Dr Judith Wayte from the University of Nottingham provides clear and wide-ranging advice on:
- how to get started: what to take into account, and how to gather relevant information
- on the application process and how to prepare for interviews
Login to SharePoint to watch the webinar
- Alumni: Email us to gain access to the webinar
Explore more...