About this course

Develop specialist knowledge and practical skills on this MRes Advanced Biological Sciences degree. You’ll build in-depth understanding of your chosen specialism as you conduct a piece of original research, supported by the University of Southampton’s expert academics. This degree is great preparation for future PhD research, or for a career in a wide range of industries.

Our flexible, research-focused MRes biological sciences course lets you focus on a particular research interest. You can choose to specialise in one of the following:

• biodiversity, ecology and ecosystem services
• biotechnology
• developmental biology
• microbiology
• neuroscience
• molecular and cellular bioscience
• plant biology
• zoology

An MRes differs from a standard MSc in the balance between teaching and research. As an MRes student you’ll spend more time on the research project and less on the taught part of the course.

The taught part of the course will allow you to increase your scientific knowledge in your chosen area and enhance your skills in research, presentation and scientific communication.

You'll use your learning as the basis for an original piece of research, with the support of a leading academic in your specialism. You’ll also benefit from a wide range of facilities, including a dedicated life sciences laboratory.

Your research project will be laboratory or fieldwork-based, depending on the specialism you choose.

When you apply, we'll ask you to choose a supervisor for your research project. You can explore our list of potential supervisors to learn more about their research areas.

Careers

With this degree you’ll be in a great position to continue your research at PhD level or move into a career in industry.

Areas you could go into include:

• agriculture
• pharmaceutical
• healthcare
• scientific services
• science communication
• science policy
• teaching