BSc (Hons) in Microbiology

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are too small to be seen by the naked eye but which have a profound effect on our lives.

Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and protozoa can sometimes be harmful and cause infectious diseases. Others are beneficial and are exploited by biotechnology industries to produce food, alcoholic drinks, and drugs.

Until recently many clinicians thought of the diseases caused by microorganisms as largely being solved. This assessment was too optimistic and microbiology is re-emerging as a critical science to face new challenges from organisms that no longer respond to conventional antibiotic treatment or vaccination programmes.

The Microbiology programme structure combines a broad base in bioscience with in-depth specialist knowledge. Major emphasis is placed upon laboratory work throughout the programme, culminating in a five-day practical molecular biology workshop that brings together theory and practice.

Scholarships

We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package of over £2.5 million per year.

If you have any questions or inquiries regarding scholarships available for 2018/19, please feel free to contact the student inquiries team.

International student start dates

For new international students, orientation events start on 14 September 2018 . This extra time is specifically designed to assist new international students in settling into the UK and GCU prior to the start of general student induction and teaching.

There will be a whole host of fun and informative activities taking place during this period, including campus and city tours, as well as welcome events where you can meet other international students.

Assessment methods

We use a wide range of learning and teaching methods to ensure that you have both the necessary knowledge and understanding of business and management and a portfolio of intellectual and personal skills.

Each module on the programme uses its own learning, teaching and assessment strategy to achieve learning objectives. Assessment methods vary between modules and may include unseen examinations, class tests, essays, management reports, case studies, presentations, and group work.

Teaching methods

The learning and teaching methods we use to ensure that our programme is both vocationally relevant and academically challenging. Our approach is student-centered, practical, participative and relevant to the needs of employers.

We've moved away from the traditional teacher-centric learning to a more independent learning approach, where you are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills.

Glasgow Caledonian University is a distinctive, inclusive and forward-looking university that is committed to its social mission to promote the common good. We have become an international centre of excellence in higher education, promoting employability and global citizenship in our graduates. We win awards for our support and commitment to the student experience, whilst delivering innovation through our world-class research in key areas of strength. We have a tradition of widening access to higher education for talented individuals regardless of their backgrounds, and we leverage our intellectual and social capital for the benefit of the communities we serve in Scotland and internationally.

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is a vibrant, innovative and multi-award winning University for the Common Good.

We aim to contribute to society in a manner that embraces yet goes beyond the traditional role of a university. GCU’s For the Common Good commitment is brought to life and delivered by students and staff across academic schools and departments.

Welcome to the School of Health and Life Sciences

The School of Health and Life Sciences, one of three academic schools in GCU, brings together the departments of Life Sciences, Psychology, Social Work and Allied Health Sciences and Nursing and Community Health.

Working in partnership with our staff, students and external stakeholders, the School of Health and Life Sciences has created a unifying vision designed to meet the 2020 University Strategy, embedding excellence, engagement and energy into every aspect of school life.

Our School brings together the departments of Life Sciences, Psychology, Social Work and Allied Health Sciences and Nursing and Community Health. Inter-departmental collaboration allows the School to offer an unparalleled range of teaching programmes and flexible delivery options, research, bespoke training and consultancy services across the health, social care and life sciences sectors.

The School has more than 280 academics including Professors, Readers, Postdoctoral Research Fellows, and Research Assistants. We received an outstanding 93% student satisfaction in the most recent National Student Survey. We have over 4000 students from all over the world including the UK, Canada, Myanmar, Indonesia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh. They are a highly valued and integral part of our academic community.

We are committed to innovative, engaging and inter-professional education for all of our students. This is underpinned by our world-class facilities and cutting-edge research. The success of our methodology is demonstrated by our outstanding National Student Survey results.

Research Excellence

Excellence in teaching and research, top academics, supportive and stimulating learning environment in a wide range of areas – from Food Biosciences to Nursing.

Our Research

In REF 2014, we ranked in the top 20 in the UK for health research at world-leading and internationally excellent standards. Find out about our award-winning academics and vibrant research community.

Our Facilities

We offer students and businesses access to state-of-the-art learning and research facilities across all our departments.

Our Departments

The strengths of the School of Health and Life Sciences and the associated Institute of Applied Health Research lie in our professional expertise, multidisciplinary team-based service delivery, and strict adherence to regulatory standards that require partnerships with the public, and commercial and non-governmental organisations.

Our school's commitment to excellence and collaboration ensures we are on the cutting edge of undergraduate, postgraduate and research practice and knowledge, inspired by an individual and collective wish to contribute to the improvement of health and well-being.

Our school offers a breadth of theoretical knowledge, practice skills and educational engagement spanning community to bench to business and bedside, and back into the community, and supported by ongoing investment in our people and facilities.

The school consists of three departments subdivided into academic subject groups:

• Department of Nursing and Community Health
• Department of Psychology, Social Work and Allied Health Sciences
• Department of Life Sciences

Practice Academic Careers

Our policy of supporting Practice/Clinical Academic Careers across all disciplines is fundamental to the School of Health and Life Sciences. These are embedded in our mission towards the Common Weal and underpin our commitment to ensuring that practice, both clinical and academic, drives our learning and our research.

Our ongoing aim is to establish our School as a nationally and internationally recognised centre of excellence, with Clinical Academic Research Careers and Practice Education Academic Careers forming a key element in this vision.

The School’s clinical academic practitioners successfully integrate clinical knowledge, skills, research and education in their specialist area to benefit patients/clients and learners, and to enhance service delivery.

Through our Clinical Academic Research Careers and Practice Education Academic Careers, the School of Health and Life Sciences engages in real-world research and education to answer genuine dilemmas in practice and questions raised by those at the forefront of service and care delivery. Practice drives our learning and research, and our research provides evidence which is implemented into practice to benefit patients/clients, communities, health and social care services.

Supporting practice academic careers

The Clinical Academic Research and Practice Education Academic practitioners represent all the disciplines in the School of Health and Life Sciences, and are members of established research groups in the Institute for Applied Health Research, with its associated infrastructure and research impacts. They fulfil key roles in generating important research questions from practice and in working to ensure the new evidence shapes and influences service delivery as well as health and social care policy. The School has practice/clinical academic research practitioners and practices education academic practitioners in the areas of:

• Nursing
• Social Work
• Psychology
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Podiatry
• Radiology
• Vision Sciences – Optometry, Orthoptics
• Operating Department Practice