MPhil Microbiology: The University of Manchester

Course description

The MPhil is a one-year research degree where students get the opportunity to study a specific research project. The MPhil degree can act as a stand-alone degree for applicants who would like to gain experience in a specific area, or can be linked to a PhD programme. Rather than register on a direct entry 3 or 4 year PhD, some postgraduates may first register on a one-year MPhil programme. Subsequently students may then wish to transfer on to a full PhD programme with a further 2 or 3 years of study.

Microorganisms play pivotal roles in everyday life from elemental cycling and the production of food to life threatening infections of man and animals. At Manchester there are two main research topics - Molecular Bacteriology and Molecular Mycology. Molecular Bacteriology is focussed on studying bacterial pathogens of man in both the host and the environment and includes the following areas:

• the role of bacterial polysaccharides and glycoconjugates in disease
• attachment of pathogens and biofilm formation
• structural biology of cell surface proteins in bacterial pathogens
• adaptation of intracellular bacterial pathogens to life inside the cell
• plasmid segregation and maintenance
• adaptation of pathogens to heavy metals
• molecular ecology of agricultural and contaminated soils
• ecology and evolution of microbial populations.

Molecular Mycology is exploiting genomic approaches to study the following areas:

• understanding protein secretion in filamentous fungi and yeast
• drug resistance in fungal pathogens of man
• fungal developmental biology
• genome structure

Career opportunities

The majority of their MPhil students choose to study for a subsequent 2 or 3 years to gain a PhD qualification. Other students use the skills they have acquired to move into related areas such as education, information technology, consultancy and management, helped by the comprehensive skills training they gain during their programme of study.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview:

The standard entry requirement for MPhil study is a First or Upper Second class honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, in a relevant subject. In certain circumstances, a Lower Second class honours degree supplemented by appropriate relevant experience, may be acceptable.

English language:

For MPhil applicants whose first language is not English an IELTS score of 6.5, TOEFL 577 (paper based), TOEFL 233 (computer based) or TOEFL 90 (internet based) is required as a minimum.