Advanced Biological Sciences

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:2 Honours degree 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.

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Months of entry

September

Course content

• Undertake a substantial research project working within one of our world-leading research groups inside one of the UK's leading Biosciences departments, ranked 6th in the UK for research power (REF 2021)
• Opportunity to tailor your degree to your career ambitions by choosing one of our seven specialist pathways, including Animal Biology, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, and Frontiers in Plant Science
• Boost your employability with advanced laboratory skills and data processing training

Course Content

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.

Information for international students

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.

Fees and funding

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.