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Microbiology (with integrated year in industry)

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Sandwich including industrial placement
  • 22/09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site (Aberystwyth)
Awarded by:
Aberystwyth University (Prifysgol Aberystwyth)

Course summary

Kick-start and enhance your career prospects with our four year Bachelor of Science honours degree in Microbiology with an integrated year in industry. This course is designed to give you the head start in an increasingly competitive job market, and upon successful completion of this degree, you will have developed the skills and awareness that employers are seeking. Microbiologists study bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and their role in infectious diseases in humans, other animals and plants. You will also learn how microorganisms contribute to environmental nutrient cycling, brewing, food, and biotechnology industries, whilst you develop the scientific and analytical skills demanded in a broad range of professions.

You will learn in an Institute which has won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. You discover an exceptional environment where you will be surrounded by a great diversity of beautiful environments, including marine, moorland, mountain, waterways, grassland and coast.

At Aberystwyth, we place great emphasis upon practical skills, so that our graduates become practitioners from the word go. You will have access to extensive research and teaching labs equipped with the latest equipment, including bioimaging facilities, high-throughput DNA sequencing, proteomics, metabolomics and spectroscopic platforms. You will be taught by research-active staff at the forefront of knowledge, and emerge from your course with the knowledge, competencies and skills to forge a career in this fascinating field of science.

The syllabus of this course with the integrated year in industry is identical to its sister course BSc Microbiology (C500). Your work experience must be relevant to this degree as it will be assessed and will count towards your degree grade. You will organise your work experience under the guidance of our Director for Employability. There is no guarantee that the work experience will be paid. If you cannot obtain a placement, you must transfer to the sister course BSc Microbiology (C500).

Make no mistake, you will develop confidence and gaining experience in the industry will stimulate your enthusiasm for the subject. Completing a year in industry will allow you to: Apply the learning from your course to the work environment; Make industry contacts; Develop practical skills related to your area of study; Apply your practical skills and technical knowledge after returning to study; Enhance your CV and better prepare yourself for a job after graduating.

Our graduates are strong candidates for the following roles:

  • Research Scientist;

  • Laboratory Manager;

  • Sales and technical support;

  • Education;

  • Students who have completed this degree could also progress to further training in Medicine and Science journalism.

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
C502
Institution code:
A40
Campus name:
Main Site (Aberystwyth)
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 104 - 120 points

To include B in A-level Biology.

A level - BBB - BCC

To include B in A-level Biology.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDD - DDM

In a specified subject.

Access to HE Diploma

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 28 - 30 points

To include 5 points in Biology at Higher Level.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Accepted in lieu of one A-Level, excluding any specified subjects.

Applicants are selected on their individual merits and offers can vary. We allow you flexibility in meeting our entry requirements, and all qualifications that you have already gained, or are working towards, will be considered when reviewing your application.

We have an inclusive policy which recognises a broad range of qualifications. The entry requirements listed above represent typical offers for some of the most popular qualifications taken by applicants.

If you cannot find the qualifications that you are studying (or have previously studied) please contact our Undergraduate Admissions Office (Telephone: +44 (0)1970 622021; Email: ug-admissions@aber.ac.uk) for advice on your eligibility and details of the typical offer you are likely to receive.

Additional entry requirements

Other
A minimum grade C or grade 4 pass in GCSE (or equivalent) English or Welsh is a requirement for entry to all our degree schemes. Business, Psychology, Mathematics, and Science degree schemes also require a minimum grade C or grade 4 pass in Mathematics and/or Science at GCSE (or equivalent).

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
Cambridge English AdvancedB
Cambridge English ProficiencyC
IELTS (Academic)6.5With minimum 5.5 in each component.
PTE Academic55With minimum score of 51 in any component.
TOEFL (iBT)88With minimum scores in components as follows: Listening 21; Writing 21; Reading 22; Speaking 23.
If you are an international student needing more information about the English Language requirement for your course (e.g. country-specific English Language tests, Partner Institution tests, EU/EEA English Language qualifications where the school curriculum is taught in a native language) please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for further advice.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Within our Contextual Offer Scheme, we strive to embrace students whose educational and social backgrounds may have influenced their academic journey. Our decision-making process involves assessing the entire application to make an assessment based on your grades and individual circumstances.

Learn more on the Aberystwyth University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
Channel Islands£9535Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9535Year 1
EU£20715Year 1
International£20715Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Please note Irish nationals will continue to be eligible for home fee status and support by the Welsh Government under the Common Travel Area arrangement

Sponsorship information

Aberystwyth University offers a valuable package of scholarships and bursaries to support students. Our long-established Entrance Examination competition means you could get up to £2,000 a year towards your living and study costs. You can combine that with any or all of our other awards, to make your financial package more valuable. Our awards include Sport and Music Scholarships, Bursaries for Care Leavers/Young Carers/Estranged Students and a range of department specific awards. Please visit our website for full details.

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