Biotechnology is the exploitation of living systems or molecules from them for commercial gain. Although the word 'biotechnology' is only a few decades old, humankind has been using biotechnology for millennia, for example in baking, brewing and sewage treatment.
Modern biotechnologies rely on our increasing ability to manipulate organisms at the genetic level and include novel waste treatments and bioremediations, new pharmaceuticals, the exploitation of enzymes in 'green catalysis' and exciting new diagnostic techniques. In the 20th century our lives were transformed by information technology; the 21st century may see an equally great transformation, but this time led by biotechnology.
This Masters degree aims to teach the fundamental molecular bioscience underpinning biotechnology along with examples of its current applications.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 31st July for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.
Please note a deposit may be required to guarantee a place on the course. Due to high demand, applications may not be considered if the course has reached its maximum class size and will be placed on a waiting list. Please see deposit terms and conditions for more details.
The School of Biological Sciences was the first school of Biological Sciences in the UK to achieve a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award.
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology highlights
Student Experience
Students will be offered selection of research project titles covering
various aspects of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Students will join a research laboratories and work full time in the real research environment for 3 month in summer. Students will be directly supervised by a member of research team.
World Class Facilities
The School is well equipped and carries out internationally competitive research in microbial, environmental and medical biotechnology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6FX4B65Zjk
This MSc is taught by research-active staff members in the School of Biological Sciences. In addition, fundamental biological research skills are taught and students are given an understanding of bio-entrepreneurship. The degree culminates in a three-month, intensive research project in a laboratory in Queen's, thus preparing graduates for a career in research biotechnology.
Core Modules:
Biotechnology
Foundations for Research in the Biosciences
Nucleic Acid Structure and Function
Protein Structure and Function
Optional modules (student must select two out of three):
Bio-entrepreneurship
Bioinformatics
Mass Spectrometry
Optional modules (student must select one out of two):
Research Project (triple module)
MSc Work Placement (triple module)
School of Biological Sciences Email: k.panov@qub.ac.uk
Teaching Times
Mornings / Evenings / Afternoons
Learning and Teaching
Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:
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At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.
On the Msc in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners.
Teaching is across a combination of morning, evening and afternoon classes.
Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course include; lectures, practical experiences, E-Learning technologies, Self-directed study and added value qualifications to enhance employability.
Assessment
Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:
Awards are based on continuous assessment of coursework, examinations and assessment of modules based solely on submitted work related to private, individual study. An MSc with Distinction will be awarded to a student who achieves a dissertation and average mark both exceeding 70 per cent.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
Structure of nucleic acids; bioinformatics; RNAi, protein expression and purification.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of advanced topics in molecular biology and some key experimental methods in this field.
Skills
Transferability/Employability: Oral and written communication; obtaining information from published literature. Subject specific: increased knowledge in key aspects of nucleic acid structure and function. Cognitive skills: apply acquired knowledge to solve problems.
Students will be able to demonstrate subject specific knowledge of biotechnology. In particular, students will be able to appreciate how molecular bioscience underpins biotechnology and how this can be applied in practical situations.
Skills
Aural, oral and written communication; increased knowledge in key aspects of biotechnology and its underpinning science.
Revision of core biochemistry; structure of proteins; interaction between proteins; protein purification; proteomics.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the module, students should be able to demonstrate a high level of knowledge, understanding and application of the structure and function of proteins and some key experimental methods by which these are determined.
Skills
Transferability/Employability: Oral and written communication; obtaining information from published literature. Subject specific: increased knowledge understanding and application in key aspects of protein structure and function. Cognitive skills: apply acquired knowledge to solve problems.
How to write a research proposal, how to search literature database, how to generate ideas, the scientific method, Experimental design, introduction to statistics, Ethics in research, Impact in research, how to communicate science.
Learning Outcomes
Students completing this module should understand the process by which scientific research is developed through the construction of a research proposal. They should understand the process of generating ideas, formulating and testing hypotheses, the role of data analysis and statistics in experimental design, the ethical implications of research and how to develop the impact of their research on society.
Skills
Experimental design; selection of appropriate statistical tests; introduction to commonly used computer packages; time management; project planning; synthesis and collation of literature from electronic sources; personal development and planning; presenting and communicating scientific results.
1. Pre-placement preparation including, placement options, making applications – CVs, LinkedIn profile, assessment centres and interviews. This will be conducted through a series of workshops. Workshops will be held during the second semester and these will be indicated in the timetable. The timetable will also be accessible via MS Teams. All workshops are compulsory, and must be attended by students.
The workshops will include the following:
A) Introduction and making applications to employers
B) Overview of typical placements and employments areas on placement
C) Engaging with employers; Interview skills and preparation
D) Careers support during semester two
E) Documentation to approve placement and your responsibilities
F) Assessment and learning outcomes -
G) Health and Safety, Professional Behaviours in the workplace; adapting to change in the work environment.
Evaluation of placement by the student, including potential to relate academic theory to the workplace and skills development.
2. On Placement - work including relating academic theory to the workplace, recording activities and reflection in a log book.
3. Post placement reflection of learning and career prospects.
Whilst support and help is given on seeking placements – students are responsible for attaining their own placement.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module students will:
1. have increased their ability to relate academic theory to the work environment;
2. have developed identified work related cognitive skills;
3. have developed identified work related transferable skills;
4. have developed their career management.
In the final reflective report students will have to demonstrate that they have achieved these learning outcomes during their placement (Appendix 1).
Skills
At the end of the module students will identify and evaluate the skills which they have developed during the placement which may include: communication (oral and written); problem-solving; team work; IT; presentational; personal development and reflection; organisational; time management as described in the Programme Specification and in the skills evaluation template completed as part of the pre-placement submission.
Fundamentals of bio-entrepreneurship; business and financial planning; routes to market: the role of R&D in the Biotech industry; intellectual property; literature critiquing; solving quantitative problems in the molecular biosciences.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the module students should be able to understand the diverse routes by which discoveries and inventions can be taken to market and be exploited for profit. This includes the framework for the development of a business plan in the bioscience industries. They will also have gained additional enhanced skills relevant to employment in the molecular biosciences including the nature of clinical trials. Students should be able to critically evaluate the contents of research papers and solve quantitative problems in the molecular biosciences.
Skills
Transferability/employability: oral and written communication; obtaining information from diverse sources including published literature and the Internet. Teamworking. Critical evaluation of data. Subject specific: increased knowledge in key aspects of bio-entrepreneurship. Ability to solve quantitative problems. Cognitive skills: apply acquired knowledge in key aspects of bio-entrepreneurship. Cognitive skills: apply acquired knowledge to solve practical problems. Preparation of business plan report.
Research project carrying out scientific research at an appropriate level for a Masters degree i.e. professional scientific research; preparation and presentation of written and oral reports.
Learning Outcomes
After completion of the research project students will have gained experience in scientific research at a level appropriate to the Masters degree i.e. professional scientific research; they will have gained experience in data collection and analysis and they will be able to contribute to design and communicate scientific research in a written form.
Skills
Communication of scientific research; problem solving; independent learning.
Biological Mass Spectrometry: Methods and Applications
Overview
Mass spectrometry forms the basis of many analytical techniques in the biological and life sciences. This module will give students a foundation in the theory of mass spectrometry and how it can be applied to the study of biological systems. This will include the fundamentals of mass spectrometry instrumentation, ionisation, and chromatography and explore applications in targeted analysis, proteomics, and metabolomics. The majority of the course material will be broadly applicable across the biological sciences, but some course topics and assessments will include material, such as case studies and literature critiques, that are directly related to their postgraduate degree programme.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
LO1: Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of mass spectrometry and associated methodologies.
LO2: Explain and critically evaluate the application of mass spectrometry for the targeted analysis of compounds in biological systems and matrices.
LO3: Describe the purpose and role of proteomics in life science research and critique the major mass spectrometry-based methods available to researchers
LO4: Define the purpose of metabolomics and consider the benefits and drawbacks of the use of mass spectrometry in its study.
LO5: Critically evaluate research papers using mass spectrometry that outlines an application in degree programme area of the student.
LO6: Analyse a raw mass spectrum and describe the methods which could be used for automated data analysis.
LO7: Identify the main uses of mass spectrometry in their degree programme area of study and describe the broader research and industry uses across the biological and life sciences.
LO8: Effectively communicate the application of biological mass spectrometry to their degree programme area of study and critically evaluate its performance.
Skills
Skills acquired and developed in this module will include transferable skills including: (T1) oral and written communication; (T2) critical analysis and evaluation of scientific data and literature; (T3) problem solving; and (T4) time management; and subject specific skills including: (S1) manual interpretation of mass spectra; (S2) understanding of mass spectrometry instrumentation; and (S3) analysis of complex data.
Bioinformatics Data sources & Sequence analysis: Databases and data availability.
Analysis of DNA and Protein sequences – sequence searching methods, multiple sequence alignments, residue conservation, Protein domains and families.
Protein Bioinformatics Methods: Protein structure and function prediction. Prediction of binding sites/interfaces with small ligands and with other proteins (e.g., Bioinformatics analyses using protein data, AutoDock prediction of how small molecules, e.g. substrates or drug candidates, bind to a receptor of known 3D structure).
Genomics: An introduction to the analysis of genomic data, primarily focussing on the data available from genome, exome and transcriptome sequencing – and how it can be used to study genetic variants and compare genomes (i.e., comparative and functional genomics), RNAseq data analysis. This will be accomplished using Galaxy (an open source, web-based platform for data intensive biomedical research) and Cytoscape an open source software platform for visualizing complex patterns in data.
Understand systems level approaches for genomic data analyses – e.g., Gene Ontology analysis, Over- representation analysis, Biological Pathway analysis, Co-expression network analysis, Gene Set enrichment analysis etc – and develop proficiency in tools such as Gorilla, Revigo, iPathway Guide, ToppFunn and Webgestalt.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring-e.g., bioinformatics tools utilized to analyze eDNA samples, aiding in biodiversity assessments and ecological monitoring.
Application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of food authenticity – exploration of software tools that can detect adulteration, mislabeling, and contamination with high accuracy, offering a robust solution to traditional methods.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to
• understand the principles behind a range of analytical tools used in bioinformatics and systems biology
• collate data obtained from a range of analytical techniques (e.g., genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics) and be able to analyze this data to extract meaningful information
• develop and apply bioinformatics skills for online data retrieval, analysis and presentation of data.
• develop proficiency in transferable skills including written communication and data dissemination in a wider context
Skills
• Transferability/Employability: The rapid production of 'omics' data within the biomedical and life sciences has meant that individuals with analytical experience in this field are highly sought after.
• Subject specific: Increased knowledge and practical skills in key aspects of bioinformatics analysis.
• Cognitive skills: apply acquired knowledge to solve practical bioinformatics problems and relate theory to practice.
Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above in a relevant area of science or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.
Applicants with qualifications below 2.2 Honours degree standard (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) will be considered on a case-by-case basis, if they can demonstrate appropriate experience acceptable to the School.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally not later than 31st July 2025. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.
Please note: A deposit will be required to secure a place on this course.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
This MSc will enable you to pursue a range of careers including commercial, industrial and healthcare applications of molecular biology. This course is also an excellent foundation for those wishing to pursue research at PhD level. Recent graduates have gone on to roles such as; Formulations Analyst, Norbrook; Right First Time Specialist, Pfizer; Research Associate at Zymergen, Inc; Technical Support, Qiagen; Validation Scientist, BD Bioscience; Quality Assurance, Baxter International; Associate Scientist, Abbott.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Students are required to buy a laboratory coat at a cost of £10.
Terms and Conditions for Postgraduate applications:
1.1 Due to high demand, there is a deadline for applications.
1.2 You will be required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the course. The current mandatory tuition fee deposit payment is:
• £400 for Domestic (NI/ROI/GB) students
• £1000 International (Non- EU & EU except ROI).
1.3 This condition of offer is in addition to any academic or English language requirements.
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.