Masters Degrees in Animal Biotechnology, United Kingdom

This exciting new programme offers specialisms in plant, microbial and animal biotechnology. The overarching theme is based on understanding the cellular mechanisms, manipulations of biological systems and production processes. You will be introduced to state of the art technologies in biotechnology and have the opportunity to find out more about current opportunities in this field of science with visits to industry and career workshops.

A key feature of the course is a three months research project in your chosen pathway, with the majority of projects based in relevant industries.

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Do you want to focus your scientific career on one of the fastest moving sectors of science? The UK has hundreds of biotech companies and is a leader in innovating specialist products from living organisms. Biotech applications are enhancing food production, treating medical conditions, and having a significant impact on the global future.

Given the common expectation for job candidates to have some form of postgraduate qualification, this Masters course offers a route to careers in biotechnology as well as the broader life sciences industry. If your first degree included the study of genetics and molecular biology, and a research module, you’re well-placed to join us.

This course can also be started in January (full time 21 months) - for more information please view this web-page: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/biotechnology-dtfbty6/

Learn From The Best

The quality of teaching in life sciences at Northumbria has been recognised by strong performance in student-led awards, Further evidence of academic excellence is the number of invitations to members of our team to join the editorial boards of scientific journals.

Our teaching team maintains close links with biotech companies and research labs, including via on-going roles as consultants, which helps ensure an up-to-date understanding of the latest technical and commercial developments. Several academics are involved in biotech ventures that make use of the University’s facilities: Nzomics Biocatalysis develops enzyme alternatives to chemical processes, and Nu-omics offers DNA sequencing services.

Teaching And Assessment

We aim for interactive teaching sessions and you will engage in discussions, problem-solving exercises and other activities. Teaching can start in the lab or classroom and then you make the material your own by exploring and applying it. Technology Enhanced Learning makes this easier; each module has an electronic blackboard site with relevant information including electronic reading lists and access to websites, videos and other study materials that are available anytime, anywhere.

You will undertake assignments within small groups and we provide training in communication skills relevant for scientific communication. The course aims to foster your ability to work at a professional standard both individually and as part of a team.

Module Overview
AP0700 - Graduate Science Research Methods (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0701 - Molecular Biology (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0702 - Bioinformatics (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0703 - Subject Exploration (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0704 - Industrial Biotechnology (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0705 - Current Topics in Biotechnology (Core, 20 Credits)
AP0708 - Applied Sciences Research Project (Core, 60 Credits)

Learning Environment

The technical facilities at Northumbria University are excellent. We are fully equipped for molecular biology manipulations and imaging – techniques include RT-PCR to show whether or not a specific gene is being expressed in a given sample. We also have pilot scale bioreactors so that we can scale up experiments and processes.

For cell biology and immunology, we have two multi-user laboratories. Technologies include assays for measuring immune responses at the single-cell level, and for monitoring the functioning of cells in real time. Further capabilities include biomarker analysis, flow cytometry, chemical imaging and fluorescence microscopy. For genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, our capabilities include genomic sequencing, mass spectrometry, 2D protein electrophoresis and nanoflow liquid chromatography.

All our equipment is supported up by highly skilled technical staff who will help you make the best use of all the facilities that are available.

Research-Rich Learning

In fast-moving fields like biotechnology, it’s particularly important for teaching to take account of the latest research. Many of our staff are conducting research in areas such as molecular biology, bio-informatics, gene expression and micro-biology of extreme environments. They bring all this experience and expertise into their teaching.

As a student, you will be heavily engaged in analysing recent insights from the scientific literature. You will undertake a major individual project in molecular and cellular science that will encompass all aspects of a scientific study. These include evaluation of relevant literature, design and set-up of experiments, collection and processing of data, analysis of results, preparation of a report and presentation of findings in a seminar.

Give Your Career An Edge

Many recruiters in the biotech industry expect candidates to have studied at postgraduate level so our Masters qualification will help you get through the door of the interview room. Once there, your major project and other assignments will help ensure there is plenty to catch their attention. Employers are looking for the ability to solve problems, think critically, work with others and function independently – which are exactly the attributes that our course develops to a higher level.

During your time at Northumbria, we encourage you to participate in the activities organised by the Career Development Service. We also encourage you to apply for associate membership of the Royal Society of Biology, with full membership becoming possible once you have at least three years’ postgraduate experience in study or work.

Your Future

The biotech industry has made huge progress in the last few decades and the years ahead promise to be even more transformational. With an MSc Biotechnology, you will be ready to contribute to the changes ahead through a rigorous scientific approach and your grasp of the fundamental knowledge, insights and skills that underlie modern biotechnology.

Scientific research is at the heart of the course and you will strengthen pivotal skills that will enhance your employability in any research-rich environment. By developing the practices, standards and principles relevant to becoming a bioscience professional, you will also prepare yourself for success in other sectors of the life sciences industry and beyond.

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Why take this course?

Biotechnology is a global industry and is the fastest growing research and development sector in the UK. Increasingly, the industry is relying on molecular tools to solve real world problems.

The Master's degree in Biotechnology will equip you with the theoretical and practical knowledge that is so highly sought after by both global and entrepreneurial start-up companies, opening doors to a wide variety of career opportunities. You will have the opportunity to choose from a number of optional units, tailoring your learning to what suits you best.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Work with industry or in an academic environment, choosing subjects that suit your aspirations
Develop your practical skills on the very latest high-tech research equipment
Develop both a practical and a theoretical understanding of the molecular techniques used in the biotechnology sector

What opportunities might it lead to?

This course will prepare you for a role within either research or industry in the biotechnology sector, and more generally, the bioscience sector.

Here are some routes you could pursue:

PhD
research scientist
business associate
sales representative

Module Details

The Biotechnology course is made up of one core unit and a number of other optional units that suit you.

Core unit:

Biotechnology Project
Optional units:

Bioprospecting
Biofilms & Antifouling
Engineering Animals
Bioinformatics & Omics
Business skills for Biotechnology
Microbiology & Bioremediation
Protein Production & Characterisation

Programme Assessment

The course is delivered to enable you to develop both the theoretical and practical aspects of your learning. Teaching is typically in small groups with a mixture of lectures, seminar, workshops and practical work. The course is delivered by a team of expert scientists who are all publishing regularly in international journals.

Assessment will cover all aspects of what is required to be a professional scientist, so will assess via a variety of methods, including:

written exams
practical work
problem solving
presentations
essay
project work

Student Destinations

The course in Biotechnology is designed to equip you to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as global businesses in the area of biotechnology. The course covers the theoretical as well as the practical skills that will set you up for your new career.

Roles our graduates might pursue include:

• research scientist
• PhD student
• business associate
• sales representative

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Why take this course?

Biotechnology is a rapidly expanding global industry. It's driven by the development of new tools for molecular biological research, the expansion of the ‘green economy’ seeking biotechnical solutions to energy and industrial needs, and remarkable advances in the application of biotechnology to medical diagnosis, therapeutics and to biomedical research.

The MSc in Medical Biotechnology will give you sought-after advanced skills in molecular biotechnology in the context of diagnostics, therapeutics and in biomedical research. You will also gain a vital understanding of how these are applied in molecular medicine.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Develop practical and theoretical understanding of the molecular techniques used in the biotechnology sector
Learn how these are applied in diagnostics, therapeutics and molecular medicine
Develop your practical skills on high tech research equipment
Conduct your own medical biotechnology research

What opportunities might it lead to?

This Master's degree in Medical Biotechnology will prepare you for a role within either research or industry in the biotechnology sector and, more generally, in the bioscience and pharmaceutics areas.

Here are some routes our graduates can pursue:

product development
research scientist
diagnostics and pathology lab work
PhD

Module Details

The Medical Biotechnology course is made up of core and optional units so that you can tailor your learning. The core units give you both practical and research skills as well as the knowledge that would be expected of an advanced course in molecular biotechnology. The optional units allow specialisation towards pathology, drug development, business or bioinformatics. Further options are included through a wide choice of subjects for your research project.

Core units include:

Medical Biotechnology Diagnostics
Medical Biotechnology Therapeutics
Molecular Medicine
Medical Biotechnology Research Skills and Project
Options to choose from include:

Clinical Pathology
Business Skills for Biotechnology
Drug Design and Clinical Trials
Bioinformatics and Omics

Programme Assessment

The course is delivered to develop your practical and theoretical skills in Medical Biotechnology. Teaching is typically in small groups with a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and practical work that includes case and problem-based learning. The course is delivered by a team of expert scientists who publish regularly in international journals. In the research project that forms a third of the course you will work alongside other researchers in a laboratory setting.

Assessment will cover all aspects of what is required to be a professional scientist using a variety of methods:

written exams
practical work
problem solving
presentations
essay
project work

Student Destinations

This Master's degree in Medical Biotechnology will equip you to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and global business in the area of Biotechnology, as well as public and private health service providers. The course covers the practical as well as theoretical skills for your new career.

Roles our graduates might take include:

product development
research scientist
diagnostics and pathology lab work
PhD student
sales
teaching

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The MSc by Research in Biosciences (industry linked) gives you an opportunity to work on an industry linked research question in the Life Sciences Industry Liaison Lab at Discovery Park (https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/social-and-applied-sciences/human-and-life-sciences/industry-liaison-lab/industry-liaison-lab.aspx), working with industry partners including Venomtech, Genea Biomedx and JSR Genetics.

The taught component means you will share a broad experience of methodological and research issues, allied with subject specific supervision, allowing you to develop a unique awareness of knowledge and experiences across the sciences in addition to a focus on your own research topic.

The MSC by research offers an innovative and flexible framework in which to develop and exploit the very best postgraduate research training possible (https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/social-and-applied-sciences/human-and-life-sciences/life-sciences/msc-by-research.aspx).

Format

The MSc in your chosen subject area is completed over the course of one year (two years if part time). Beginning in early September, the course combines 40 credits of taught modules in the first (Michaelmas) term with 140 credits of research during the remainder of the year. The taught component of the course will be multi-disciplinary in nature with lectures and seminars led by experts from across the range of subjects in the Faculty.

Suitability

Applicants should have a Molecular Biology or related degree. We are looking for highly-motivated and talented people who are about to complete, or have recently completed, their degree-level studies. Candidates must show enthusiasm and aptitude for molecular and cellular biology laboratory research. The student will predominantly be based at Discovery Park, Sandwich but will also spend time at the Canterbury Campus of Canterbury Christ Church University.

Assessment

Assessment will take many forms including traditional essays, team assignments, reflective logs, oral presentations, etc. All assessments will be completed before the end of the first term. You must pass all modules (40 credits) to progress to the research stage of the course. If any module is failed you’ll have one opportunity to resubmit prior to continuing with the research component of the module.

The largest part of the assessment will be based on your research output(s). Working with your Supervisor, you will have to decide what format the research output(s) will take. It may be a dissertation of approximately 16,000-20,000 word equivalent or a couple of research reports or research papers each of approximately 8,000 words in length. It may be possible that the research output could take some different form, e.g. an invention or patent, but a written component would still be required. The research output(s) will be assessed by an external examiner and you must pass this component of the module to receive the award of MSc.

How to apply

In the first instance should submit an application letter and CV to Simon Harvey (CCCU, [email protected] ) at the earliest opportunity. Applications will be considered on a continuing basis until the post is filled.
For information on how to apply, please follow this link: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/how-to-apply/how-to-apply.aspx
Funding

Loans

From 2016/17 government loans of up to £10,000 are available for postgraduate Masters study. The loans will be paid directly to students by the Student Loans Company and will be subject to both personal and course eligibility criteria.

For more information available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/funding-your-postgraduate-degree.aspx

2017/18 Entry Financial Support-

Information on alternative funding sources is available here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/funding-your-degree/2017-18-entry-financial-support.aspx

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