This programme offers an expansion of our already successful MSc Biotechnology into industrial biotechnology and business management. It is jointly run with Adam Smith Business School.
There are two semesters of taught material and a summer session working on a project or dissertation. September entry students start with management courses and January entry students with biotechnology courses.
Semester 1
You will be based in the Adam Smith Business School, developing knowledge and skills in management principles and techniques. We offer an applied approach, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
Core courses
Semester 2
You will study biotechnology courses, which aim to enhance your understanding of using biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life. These courses will provide training in state-of-the-art biotechnology applications what have resulted in ground-breaking developments in the areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and food production, environmental clean-up and protection and industrial processes.
Core course
Optional courses
Project or dissertation
If you are studying for an MSc you will undertake individual project in the summer period (May–August). This will give you an opportunity to apply and consolidate the course material and enhance your ability to do independent work, as well as present results in the most appropriate format. Project options are closely linked to staff research interests.
The aims of the courses are to
This programme will prepare you for a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industrial sectors or for entry into PhD programmes.
Whether you are a new graduate or already employed and seeking to further your career prospects, this course offers a solid career development path. You can also choose this course if you wish to pursue research in biotechnology at PhD level.
Biotechnology is the application of biological processes and is underpinned by • cell biology • molecular biology • bioinformatics • structural biology. It encompasses a wide range of technologies for modifying living organisms or their products according to human needs.
Applications of biotechnology span medicine, technology and engineering.
Important biotechnological advances including
You gain
The course is led by academics who are actively involved in biotechnology research and its application to the manipulation of proteins, DNA, mammalian cells and plants. Staff also have expertise in the use of nanoparticles in drug delivery and the manipulation of microbes in industrial and environmental biotechnology.
You are supported throughout your studies by an academic advisor who will help you develop your study and personal skills.
What is biotechnology
Biotechnology is the basis for the production of current leading biopharmaceuticals and has already provided us with the 'clot-busting' drug, tissue plasminogen activator for the treatment of thrombosis and myocardial infarction. It also holds the promise of new treatments for neurodegeneration and cancer through recombinant antibodies.
Genetically modified plants have improved crop yields and are able to grow in a changing environment. Manipulation of cellular organisms through gene editing methods have also yielded a greater understanding of many disease states and have allowed us to understand how life itself functions.
You begin your studies focusing on the fundamentals of advanced cell biology and molecular biology before specialising in both molecular and plant biotechnology. Practical skills are developed throughout the course and you gain experience in molecular biology techniques such as PCR and sub cloning alongside tissue culture.
Core to the program is the practical module where you gain experience in a range of techniques used in the determination of transcription and translational levels, for example.
All practicals are supported by experienced academic staff, skilled in the latest biotechnological techniques.
Research and statistical skills are developed throughout the program. Towards the end of the program you apply your skills on a two month research project into a current biotechnological application. Employability skills are developed throughout the course in two modules.
The masters (MSc) award is achieved by successfully completing 180 credits.
The postgraduate certificate (PgCert) is achieved by successfully completing 60 credits.
The postgraduate diploma (PgDip) is achieved by successfully completing 120 credits.
Core modules:
Optional modules :
As students progress through the course they are exposed to a wide range of teaching and learning activities. The assessment strategy of the postgraduate course considers diverse assessment methods. Some modules offer dedicated formative feedback to aid skills development with assessments going through several rounds of formative tutor and peer feedback. Summative assessment methods are diverse, with examinations present in theory-based modules to test independent knowledge and data analysis. Several modules are entirely coursework-based, with a portfolio of skills such laboratory practical's and research proposals generated throughout the course forming the summative tasks. In all cases, the assessment criteria for all assessed assignments are made available to student prior to submission.
The course is suitable for people wishing to develop their knowledge of molecular and cell biotechnology and its application to solving health and industrial problems.
You can find career opportunities in areas such as
Students on this course have gone on to roles including experimental officers in contract research, research and development in scientists, diagnostics specialists and applications specialists. Many of our graduates also go on to study for PhDs and continue as academic lecturers.
This Masters in Biotechnology programme provides you with an advanced practical knowledge of biotechnology and molecular genetic technologies underpinning modern biotechnology and how they can be applied to solve real world problems. The programme offers training in a broad range of topics including environmental biotechnology, synthetic biology, plant engineering, stem cell therapies and vaccine development.
The programme is made up of five teaching modules and a dissertation project. Each module explores different aspects of biotechnology. The dissertation allows you to specialise the degree through a chosen field of research. You will undertake this project with the support and guidance of your chosen academic expert.
The aims of these five course are to
This programme will prepare you for a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industrial sectors or for entry into PhD programmes.
The Masters in Sustainable Energy is an interdisciplinary programme that will equip you for employment within the international energy sector. This programme addresses all the key aspects of sustainable energy, from the most advanced technologies through to ethical and economic considerations.
Modes of delivery of the MSc in Sustainable Energy include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in lab, project and team work.
You will take a combination of core and optional courses, and a project which you will select from a list of standard projects or you can suggest a project of your own choosing.
The degree is designed to develop future leaders and decision makers in the growing international energy business. Graduates may expect to forge careers in established energy generation and transmission companies (for instance in the UK, National Grid, Scottish and Southern Energy, etc.), energy consultancy businesses, traditional oil, gas and construction companies who are moving rapidly into renewables, or fresh new companies in the wind, marine, solar or biomass sectors. Scotland, in particular, has seen great expansion in sustainable energy businesses in the last decade, with some of the best worldwide potential for wind, wave and tidal generation.
Graduates of this programme have gone on to positions such as:
The MSc Sustainable Energy is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineering. An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
The University of Aberdeen is highly regarded for Clinical Pharmacology as the discipline has been taught and delivered for 30 years and research spans 50 years. The programme draws on strengths within the university and medical area within disease discovery and treatment. The major innovation of Insulin was first developed at University of Aberdeen in the 1920s, winning the inventors a Nobel Prize and giving the world a major step forward in the management and regulation of insulin. Since this time the discovery of drug process, treatment and design has been developed and researched at Aberdeen. The University is also known for its research in food and nutrition, bacteria, gut issues researched at the world famous Rowett Institute and growing knowledge of disease process and latest innovative treatments.
Clinical pharmacology forms a critical part of the drug development process and our graduates are employed in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. These industries are now in rapid growth due to a combination of innovations and strength within customised and other types of medicine and treatment industry areas. The industry is also a major contributor of GDP in the UK. Further innovations which link into this industry come from easier upscaling processes, customisation and the Internet of Things and more ability to treat and diagnose at source.
There is always a strong need for the discipline to provide a foundation to any new innovations which often come from multidisciplinary teams. Our aim is to train students in the major areas of clinical pharmacology including molecular pharmacology, drug metabolism and toxicology, therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmcovigilance, regulatory affairs and experimental medicine. The programme aims to achieve this by a multi-disciplinary approach.
This programme is ideal for newly qualified graduates in medical science disciplines such as biomedical sciences, biochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacy, medicine and similar degrees. Careers can include work in clinical trials and NPD in pharmaceutical industries, doctoral research towards teaching, spin-outs and major innovations, regulation in the pharmaceutical industry and more.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Optional
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Our established programme in Biotechnology, which has been extensively updated, includes a wide range of modern molecular biology techniques and how biotechnology can be used by today's society. You will complement your theoretical studies with hands on experience of fully controlled fermenters that are up to pilot-plant scale, and are linked to modern monitoring and control systems.
You will study a range of subjects in considerable depth, including bioactive compounds, industrial bioprocesses, microbial physiology and fermentation technology, microbial production of novel metabolites, monitoring and control of fermentation, topics in biotechnology, and types of bioreactors.
Our facilities include:
Students normally find employment in the biotechnology industry e.g.
We have links with Sekisui Diagnostics, an international company that manufactures enzymes for diagnostic purposes and students get the opportunity to visit their facilities and experience first-hand how an industrial scale bioprocess operates.
This course provides strong scientific training in many issues at the forefront of modern biotechnology, as well as the professional skills that you will need to work in the field.
Course content is well balanced across the areas of biology, biomedicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, and covers topics such as green and medical biotechnology, genomics and bioinformatics, microbiology and proteomics; you will be taught by specialists in these fields. You will also have the opportunity to study a module in Bioscience with Enterprise that has been uniquely developed to allow you to advance your business skills along with core scientific skills.
You will be supervised by expert staff who are actively engaged in international research programmes. Teaching is by:
Assessment is by a combination of written examinations, oral presentations, coursework, laboratory reports and submission of the dissertation.There are eight taught 15 credit modules each of which have only one assessment (100%). Each exam is 2 hours.
The School is home to state-of-the-art laboratories with dedicated research labs for your research project. The University has invested £3m in the world-class teaching facility equipped with the latest technologies, which has been specially designed to promote an excellent student teaching experience.
The Bodmer Lab is a bright, modern space and has been designed with interconnecting walls which can be easily configured into two, three or four separate laboratories, for maximum flexibility and occupancy. An AV system allows the lecturer to be linked visually and audibly with some or all of the interconnected labs.
A new Translational Medicine Lab will be opened in mid-2017.
This course is particularly suited to those who wish to pursue a career in the biotechnological or pharmaceutical industries, which are priority areas in both the UK and abroad. However, this course will also equip you to pursue careers in hospital laboratories and research institutes, or to continue to a PhD programme.
Certain modules include industrial site visits and research projects may be carried out at other institutions (recently Universities in Bremen or France and the Cancer Research UK Manchester institute). We also invite visiting lecturers to share their expertise on the subject areas.
After completion of this course you may wish to specialise in a chosen subject area in one of the School’s two main research centres: Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre (EER) or Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).
