Program Overview

Each year undergraduate students can apply to join the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scheme. This gives you the chance to spend around six weeks working in one of our research groups over the summer. It's a unique opportunity to pursue research in an area that you’re excited about and inform your future career aspirations.Our four-year MBiolSci is designed to give you the best start for a career in industrial or academic research. The course allows you to discover the diverse range of biochemical, genetic and microbiological approaches needed to understand life at a molecular level. You'll study the methods scientists use to sequence genomes, clone and engineer genes, determine molecular structures and analyse cell growth in humans, plants and microbes.

We’ll also show you how this knowledge enables us to develop novel biotechnological solutions to global challenges such as sustainable production and combating disease. The first three years of your course have the same structure as the BSc, with the fourth year devoted to a major research project working in industry or in an academic lab with our world-leading academics.

From your first year you’ll study modules that span the molecular biosciences covering molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics and microbiology. Alongside these modules you’ll have the freedom to explore complementary topics across the breadth of bioscience, such as biomedicine, ecology, plant science and zoology. This flexibility allows you to study genetics in greater depth, broaden your interests or even switch to another biosciences degree. No matter what modules you choose to study, you’ll develop the practical laboratory and transferable skills that make our graduates attractive to employers including project management, problem solving, communication skills and data analysis.

We’ll give you plenty of opportunities to apply your new skills and knowledge. You’ll be in the lab completing in-depth practicals across molecular genetics, DNA manipulation and protein structure analysis, and you’ll get the chance to use cutting-edge equipment to run your own in-depth research projects in an area such as clinical diagnostics or brewing biotechnology.