Practical elements of the course

Practical classes are timetabled throughout years one and two. These are carefully structured to allow the student to develop skills over the two years. The skills range from very basic individual techniques (e.g. accurate use of automatic pipettes) through to confident use of complex (and expensive) equipment, and associated advanced procedures (e.g. immunological assays, recording and analysis of physiological and pharmacological parameters in tissues/organs). This prepares the student for the research project in their final year. The project is a substantial piece of original work, undertaken with close supervision in a research lab environment. This experience allows deep understanding of the science surrounding the project and is a solid foundation for subsequent post-graduate study or research, as well as providing more generic analytic/critical skills which are highly valued in many careers.