Bachelor of Science (Microbiology)

Description of the Programme

Microbiology is the study of a large and diverse group of living organisms of microscopic size which includes viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, worms and protozoa. It is a field that is concerned with the study of micro-organisms including their distribution and role in the environment and their relationship to other living organisms including humans (in health and disease) and other animals. Are you interested in infectious diseases? Do you want to help conduct clinical trials for new drugs? Microbiology might be the career path for you. Many large-scale industrial processes involved in the manufacture of food and beverages, as well as the production of many pharmaceutical, chemical and agricultural products are microbiologically based. Microbiology also plays a vital part in the control of pollution in the environment through treatment processes for water and industrial, agricultural and domestic wastes. Microbiology helps prevent infectious diseases through the development of novel antibiotics and vaccines, but also through the use of ‘good’ microbes in prebiotics or probiotics or microbial community transplantation between patients. The environmental impact of microbiology is reflected in alternative ways to produce fuel or by increased ability to mitigate the greenhouse gas emission by the microbes in cattle rumen. Microbes are also used as factories for the production of medications or fuel. The rapid increase in the number of hospitals, medical colleges, nursing homes, health institutions, health-related research institutes, pharmaceuticals and biotechnological industries, food industries both in the private and public sectors over the last decade has accelerated tremendous demand for microbiological expertise. The demand is equally felt in the NGOs and INGOs sectors involved in health care and promotion activities.

Minimum Entry Requirements