2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Programme Catalogue

MSc Plant Science and Biotechnology

Programme overview

Programme code
MSC-BSGS/PSB
UCAS code
Duration
12 Months
Method of Attendance
Full Time
Programme manager
Professor P. Urwin
Contact address
p.e.urwin@leeds.ac.uk
Total credits
180
School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme
School of Biology
Examination board through which the programme will be considered
Masters Biology Examination Board

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

At the end of the programme students should have:
- gained specialist training in plant science;
- received a solid training and personal development experience in generic and transferable skills and attitudes;
- an integrated and critical understanding of research principles and methodologies in the biosciences and in particular plant science;
- developed critical skills, both qualitative and quantitative, in the interpretation of data;
- received training in a range of practical molecular and cellular laboratory skills that are of broad relevance to research in the biosciences and in particular plant science;
- put these practical, data analysis and writing skills into practice through undertaking a supervised research project in the plant sciences.

Our MSc Plant Science and Biotechnology degree provides training in modern molecular aspects of plant science and requires a good background in molecular bioscience. Teaching is delivered by research active academics from the University of Leeds' Centre for Plant Sciences and is often aligned with their areas of expertise.

Topics covered include, plant cell biology, plant development, plant biotechnology, crop science and sustainable agriculture, and bioimaging methods.

The programme consists of compulsory core research training modules designed to equip students with the expertise necessary to work at the cutting edge of a modern plant science sector - including research planning exercises, methodologies underpinning modern bioscience and bioinformatics and a protein engineering mini project intended to give the students experience in the techniques used in molecular biology. Added to this is an independent laboratory-based research project (60 credits) in an area of plant science. There are additional specialist training modules in plant science, and the students have the flexibility to choose 2 out of 3 optional modules in semester 1 depending on their interests and the areas they are interested to focus on.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates will be required to study 180 credits.

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules: 

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
BIOL5126MPractical Bioinformatics15Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL5148MResearch Planning and Scientific Communication15Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL5201MAdvanced Biomolecular Technologies15Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BIOL5373MProtein Engineering Laboratory Project15Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY5235MCrop Science & Plant Biotechnology30Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY5391MMasters Research Project601 Jan to 30 Sep

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 2 modules from the following optional modules: 

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
BIOL5135MBioimaging15Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY5132MGlobal Challenges in Sustainable Agriculture15Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY5133MCrop Production in a Changing Environment15Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Last updated: 09/12/2024 13:13:56

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