Biotechnology MSc
MSc Biotechnology
Overview
Biotechnology is the fastest growing research and development sector in the UK. There’s no better time to turn your ambition into a postgraduate qualification that’ll help open doors to an exciting career in the field.
On this MSc Biotechnology degree course, you’ll learn the theory and knowledge you'll need to succeed in the industry. You’ll unpack the molecular tools that are used to solve global issues, and tailor your studies to the areas of biotechnology that match your interests and career ambitions.
As a Master of Biotechnology, you can pursue roles in companies from innovative start ups, to global corporations, taking on roles such as a research scientist, business associate or sales representative. You could also continue studying to PhD level.
What you'll experience
On this course, you'll:
- Work with industry, or in an academic environment, choosing subjects that match your aspirations
- Develop your practical skills using the latest high-tech research equipment
- Unpack a practical and a theoretical understanding of the molecular techniques used in the biotechnology sector
Work experience and career planning
To give you the best chance of securing a great job when you graduate, our Careers and Employability service can help you find relevant work experience during your course.
We can help you identify placements, internships, voluntary roles and opportunities to build your CV.
Careers and opportunities
When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in the industry.
Routes you could pursue include:
- PhD level study
- research scientist
- business associate
- sales representative
Entry requirements
- A 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. Professional experience and other qualifications may be taken into consideration for applicants not meeting this requirement.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
- A 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. Professional experience and other qualifications may be taken into consideration for applicants not meeting this requirement.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
Course costs
Tuition fees (2018 start)
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students:
- Full time: £9,200 per year
- Part time: £4,600 per year (subject to annual increase)
Government Postgraduate Loan
Full time and part time course is eligible
International students:
- Full time: £15,100 per year
- Part time: £7,550 per year (subject to annual increase)
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
Our accommodation section shows your accommodation options and highlights how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.
You’ll study up to 6 units a year. You may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each unit.
You can borrow most of these from the Library. If you buy these, they may cost up to £60 each.
We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.
If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
What you'll study
Each unit on this course is worth a certain number of credits.
In each year, you need to study units worth a total of 180 credits. For example, 4 units worth 30 credits and 1 unit worth 60 credits.
Core units on this course include:
- Biotechnology Research Skills and Project
Options to choose from on this course currently include:
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Bioinformatics & Omics
- Engineering Animals
- Biotechnology Enterprise
- Protein Production & Characterisation
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional units may not run every year. If a unit doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative unit.
Learning support
As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- academic writing
- note taking
- time management
- critical thinking
- presentation skills
- referencing
- working in groups
- revision, memory and exam techniques
Teaching
Teaching methods on this course include:
- lectures
- seminars
- worships
- practical work
How you'll spend your time
Each academic year is divided into 2 teaching blocks and an assessment period:
- Autumn teaching block – September to December
- Spring teaching block – January to Easter
- Assessment period – Easter to June
Most teaching takes place during the day, Monday to Friday. There’s no teaching on Wednesday afternoons. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings and at weekends.
How you're assessed
You’ll be assessed through:
- written exams
- practical work
- problem solving
- presentations
- essay
- project work
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study with us, you also agree to our terms and conditions as well as the University’s policies, rules and regulations. You should read and consider these before you apply.Apply
Apply for this course using our online application form.
International students
If you're from outside of the UK, you can apply directly to us or you can get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region. To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.