Medical Microbiology

Medical microbiology is the branch of biomedical science concerned with the microorganisms that cause human disease: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, along with the diagnostic, therapeutic, and public health approaches used to detect, treat, and contain them. It is a discipline with direct clinical relevance, underpinning the laboratory investigations that guide the treatment of infections, the surveillance of disease outbreaks, and the development of vaccines and antimicrobial agents. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance and the continuing threat of pandemic infections, the importance of medical microbiology to global health could hardly be greater.

At the University of Bristol, you will study medical microbiology over three years full-time, developing a broad understanding of the biomedical sciences in your first year before focusing progressively on microbiology and the diseases caused by microorganisms. You will study the biology of pathogens, the immune system's response to infection, pathology, and biochemistry, developing the scientific and laboratory skills that research and clinical roles in the field demand. Bristol is a research-intensive university with strong biomedical science departments, and the programme benefits from that intellectual environment.

The typical entry tariff is 168 UCAS points.

Graduates of medical microbiology programmes go on to careers in NHS clinical microbiology laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology research, public health organisations, and infection control. Many pursue further study at MSc or PhD level in microbiology, infectious disease, or related areas, and the degree is also a strong foundation for those considering graduate-entry medicine or dentistry. The combination of clinical relevance and rigorous scientific training that medical microbiology provides is valued across the life sciences sector.