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Postgraduate Taught
| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year full time 2 years part time |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Biosciences |
| Contact |
| Typical offer | At least a 2:2 Honours degree or equivalent in Biology or a relevant science subject |
|---|---|
Top 20 in the UK for world-leading research in Biological Sciences
REF 2021, based on 4-star research
Opportunity to specialise with a choice of pathways
Advance laboratory skills with specialist techniques training
Substantial research project within one of our world-leading research groups
Top 20 in the UK for world-leading research in Biological Sciences
REF 2021, based on 4-star research
Opportunity to specialise with a choice of pathways
Advance laboratory skills with specialist techniques training
Substantial research project within one of our world-leading research groups
Minimum 2:2 Honours degree with 55% and above or equivalent in a relevant science subject.
Relevant subjects include: Biological Sciences, Cell Biology, Ecology, Ecology and Conservation, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Marine Biology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Plant Science, Zoology.
A 2:2 degree below 55% in a related discipline will also be considered.
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
The Masters programme at Exeter allows you to specialise in an area of Biology that you are most interested in and gives you a fantastic opportunity to undertake research in one of our world-leading research laboratories.
Programme Director and Senior Lecturer
Our MSc in Advanced Biological Sciences degree allows you to study a broad base of Biological Sciences, or specialise in one of seven specialist areas (Animal Biology, Bioinformatics, Ecotoxicology, Frontiers in Plant Science, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Molecular and Cellular Biology, or Sustainable Aquaculture).
Throughout this research-intensive Masters, you will be immersed in a world-leading research environment and trained in the skills required to analyse and address major biological challenges of our time.
Knowledge and skills learned during core modules will enable you to develop your research project, which will be supervised within one of our world-leading research groups, determined by your research project focus.
The optional modules available provide access to a breadth of biosciences topics, which will allow you to tailor your studies to your particular interests and career goals.
Our Advanced Laboratory Skills module provides training in both practical and data processing skills, with advanced laboratory experiments carried out in small groups to prepare you for your independent research project with one of our research groups.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
120 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOM560 | Research Project | 90 |
| BIOM509 | Professional Skills | 15 |
| BIOM549 | Advanced Laboratory Skills | 15 |
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MSc Advanced Biological Sciences optional modules 24-25 | ||
| BIOM543 | Ecology of Environmental Change | 15 |
| BIOM544 | Ecotoxicology | 15 |
| BIOM545 | Frontiers in Plant Biology | 15 |
| BIOM546 | Living in a Microbial World | 15 |
| BIOM547 | Frontiers in Molecular Cell Biology | 15 |
| BIOM548 | Cell Biology of Disease | 15 |
| BIOM551 | Biology of Marine Vertebrates | 15 |
| BIOM553 | Current Issues in Marine Biology | 15 |
| BIOM554 | Advanced Applications of Physiology | 15 |
| BIOM515 | Cellular Basis of Immunity | 15 |
| BIOM516 | Bioinformatics | 15 |
| BIOM567 | Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease | 15 |
| BIOM568 | Blue Planet | 15 |
| BIOM570 | Beyond the Frontiers of Medical Mycology | 15 |
| BIOM571 | Molecular Biology of Bacterial Infection | 15 |
| CSC3011 | Medical Genomics | 15 |
| CSC3009 | Pharmacogenomics | 15 |
| GEOM149 | Green Planet | 15 |
| NSCM005 | Mathematical Modelling in Biology and Medicine | 15 |
| BIOM555 | Bioimaging | 15 |
| PSYM205 | Advances and Methods in Animal Behaviour | 30 |
| PSYM213 | Current Research Issues in Animal Behaviour | 15 |
During your MSc you can, if you wish, choose to specialise in one of seven specialist pathways:
You will receive advice about the specialisms once you're at Exeter so you don’t need to make any decisions in advance.
To be awarded a bracketed specialism on the MSc, at least 45 credits should be selected from the specialist modules grouped below. Your research project (module BIOM560) must also be relevant to the specialist field.
You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows, and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
*You cannot choose this module if you have already taken the undergraduate version.
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM551 | Biology of Marine Vertebrates (variant of BIO3098)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM553 | Current Issues in Marine Biology (variant of BIO3083)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM554 | Advanced Applications of Physiology | 15 | No |
| BIOM4043 | Rewilding the UK | 30 | No |
| PSYM205 | Advances and Methods in Animal Behaviour | 30 | No |
| PSYM213 | Current Research Issues in Animal Behaviour | 15 | No |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM516 | Bioinformatics (variant of BIO3092)* | 15 | Yes |
| BIOM567 | Applications of Genomics in Infectious Disease | 15 | Yes |
| CSC4007 | Medical Genomics | 15 | No |
| CSC4005 | Pharmacogenomics | 15 | No |
| HPDM041 | Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis | 15 | No |
| NSCM005 | Mathematical Modelling in Biology and Medicine | 15 | No |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM568 | Blue Planet | 15 | Yes |
| BIOM544 | Ecotoxicology (variant of BIO3067)* | 15 | Yes |
| BIOM543 | Ecology of Environmental Change (variant of BIO3037)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM554 | Advanced Applications of Physiology | 15 | No |
| BIOM4043 | Rewilding the UK | 30 | No |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM545 | Frontiers in Plant Biology (variant of BIO3046)* | 15 | Yes |
| BIOM546 | Living in a Microbial World (variant of BIO3097)* | 15 | Yes |
| GEOM149 | Green Planet | 15 | Yes |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM525 | Molecular Basis of Infection (variant of BIO3079)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM515 | Cellular Basis of Immunity (variant of BIO3078)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM534 | Medical Mycology | 15 | No |
| BIOM567 | Applications of Genomics in Infectious Disease | 15 | No |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM525 | Molecular Basis of Infection (variant of BIO3079)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM515 | Cellular Basis of Immunity (variant of BIO3078)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM547 | Frontiers in Molecular Cell Biology (variant of BIO3077)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM548 | Cell Biology of Disease (variant of BIO3086)* | 15 | No |
| NSCM009 | Bioimaging | 15 | No |
| Code | Module title | Credits | Compulsory |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM568 | Blue Planet | 15 | Yes |
| BIOM551 | Biology of Marine Vertebrates (variant of BIO3098)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM553 | Current Issues in Marine Biology (variant of BIO3083)* | 15 | No |
| BIOM554 | Advanced Applications of Physiology | 15 | No |
*You cannot choose this module if you have already taken the undergraduate version.
£14,900 full-time; £7,500 part-time
£30,900 full-time; £15,500 part-time
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.
For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
The ability to specialise the degree into one of seven different specialisations (or none) really allows students to tailor this programme to their own ambitions and career aspirations.
Dr Rose Murray
External examiner (University of Bristol)
The suite of programmes naturally builds on our internationally-leading undergraduate degrees, providing a rich and focused research-led experience. It works both ways - a fantastic opportunity for students to enhance their specialist training, while welcoming a new cohort of enthusiastic, budding scientists into our Departmental community.
Professor James Wakefield
Head of Biosciences
The programme consists of core modules that provide you with a theoretical and applied learning framework for directed student-centred learning where you’ll develop in-demand skills of synthesis, critical analysis, and interpretation. You’ll also receive professional skills training tailored to the areas most relevant to your academic and professional development.
You will carry out your independent supervised research project in one of our world-leading research laboratories. Research projects are individual and can be based on laboratory work, field work or in silico (e.g. bioinformatics).
The research project will give you first-hand experience in many aspects of research work including data generation, analysis, and interpretation as well as science communication in written, poster and oral presentations.
During your research project, you will be supported by your research supervisor and other members of the research group to ensure you produce your best work.
Depending on your chosen modules and research project topic, you may have access to the following facilities:
You will be allocated a personal tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your studies. There is also a postgraduate tutor available to help with further guidance and advice, and our programme director will offer every student a meeting each term to review academic progress.
Taught modules are assessed through essay examinations, individual and group-based coursework assignments, oral presentations, in-module tests and reports or essays. A significant proportion of the marks are based on your substantial research project and the associated paper submitted in August.
MSc Advanced Biological Sciences will provide you with a diversity of skills that will equip you for work in a range of sectors.
Skills include:
In the Professional Skills module, we have dedicated careers workshops, and sessions on being an Academic Entrepreneur. Visiting speakers from outside the University are incorporated into some of the taught modules to further enhance your employability and you will be encouraged to seek out internships during your time here.
Our dedicated careers team at the Career Zone can help guide you through a wealth of information to match your skills and interests to a career that will suit you. Our staff work with regional, national and international employers to develop new work placement, project and graduate opportunities.
Graduates are well placed for a research career in industry, or for progression to PhD. You’ll also be competitively placed for work in Government Agencies such as CEFAS and DEFRA.
The programme is designed very well to support students in attainment of the programme ILOs. In particular, the advanced laboratory skills module is innovative and bespoke for this particular cohort, forming an integral part of the focus of the programme.
Dr Rose Murray
External examiner (University of Bristol)
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