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Bioscience

Discover your research degree options, including areas of expertise for our academic supervisors.

Why you should join us

Our research degrees will help you advance or change your career, deepen your expertise, and expand your research and practical skills.

Work with leading experts in the field

We are experts in microbiology, cardiovascular pathology, healthy ageing, genetics, and molecular biology.

Choose from our flexible pathways

You can study full- or part-time, so our degrees fit your circumstances.

Benefit from state-of-the-art facilities

Enhance your studies with our specialist ageing, vascular pathology and microbiology research laboratories.

Undertake tailored personal and professional development training

Train in research methodologies and get transferable skills for careers in academia or industry.

Tackle the biggest health challenges

We research the main burdens on UK health and wellbeing in the 21st century.

Network with practitioners and industry

Our partners include pharmaceuticals and biotech companies, and clinical teams in Manchester and beyond.

Our research areas

Discover our areas of expertise and browse our experts. We encourage you to discuss your research ideas with us – even if your topic is not listed.

  • Ageing and lifelong health
  • Biomedical sciences
  • Cardiovascular science
  • Cell biology
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology and infection
  • Molecular biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Stem cell biology

For animal behaviour, conservation biology, environmental microbiology, ecology, evolution and ornithology, visit biology research degrees.

Research with real-world impact

Discover our five research missions.

Go to research missions
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Qualifications you can study

Choose from one of these programmes:

  • PhD Bioscience — three years full-time, six years part-time
  • Masters by Research — one year full-time, two years part-time
  • MPhil Bioscience — 18 months full-time, three years part-time

Find out about the research degrees we offer.

Start dates

Most of our students enrol in October. You can also join us in January and April.

Application information

Entry Requirements

To apply, you’ll need a first or 2.1 honours degree, or an equivalent qualification.

International students must have strong English language skills.

We welcome applicants from non-standard backgrounds. We’ll take subject knowledge, professional experience, publications, or other relevant achievements into consideration.

Find out more about our standard entry requirements.

How to apply for a research degree

Discover the key steps in the application process.

Go to application guidance

Scholarships, fees and funding

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Scholarships

Discover financial support available to help with study costs.

Go to scholarships

Postgraduate research fees

What will your research degree cost?

Go to fees

Postgraduate research funding

Find out how to fund your research degree.

Go to funding

Speak to us

Contact us

About this subject

For an initial discussion, contact Dr James Pritchett, our Doctoral College departmental lead, at j.pritchett@mmu.ac.uk.

General admissions

For further information on the application process, contact the admissions team at pgradmissions@mmu.ac.uk