PG on demand content session 2 Biomedical Science

Hello everyone and welcome to our postgraduate on-demand content series. My name is Lauren and I’m the Postgraduate Marketing Manager here at Keele University. I’m pleased to introduce this session, which is led by Rebecca Harrison, our Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, who will share her insights and expertise.

So, what to expect? The session today will include a presentation exploring key themes in detail about our postgraduate programme, followed by a Q&A section covering some of the most common questions we receive from prospective students. And why should you watch this? Our on-demand sessions are designed to give you a deeper understanding of what it’s like to study at postgraduate level with us and to help you decide if this could be the right next step for your academic and professional journey. Thank you for exploring this content and we hope you find it useful. Without further ado, Rebecca, I will pass over to you. Thank you.

Thank you, Lauren. Today, we’ll be talking about our range of MSc Biomedical Science programmes that we have here at Keele University. I’m going to start by talking a little bit about biomedical science at Keele in general. All of our biomedical science programmes are based in the School of Life Sciences, and all of our programmes are accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science. Most of the clinical aspects of each of our programmes are delivered by HCPC-registered healthcare professionals, of which I am one, and that is the Health and Care Professions Council.

We currently offer a BSc in Biomedical Science, a BSc in Applied Biomedical Science—approved by the Health and Care Professions Council—but today we’re going to focus on the MSc programmes, of which we have three. We have our MSc Biomedical Science online programme, and two campus-based programmes: one focusing on blood science, and one on microbiology. To look at those campus-based programmes first, we have two distinct routes: one is blood science and one is medical microbiology. In addition to the multiple routes, we also have multiple start points within the year. We take in a cohort in September and also in January.

You can study full-time with us, or you can study part-time, giving you flexibility to study in the way that suits you. In Semesters 1 and 2, our taught semesters, the delivery of the programme is based around asynchronous content. We curate and package the content required for that week and release it on our online platform on Mondays. This means that when you come onto campus for lectures, tutorials, and seminars, we can focus on the application of that knowledge. We’ve also consolidated attendance on campus into two days if you’re full-time, and just one day if you’re studying part-time. Currently, these days are Wednesday and Friday. This helps with planning your study and other commitments.

On Fridays, we have our clinical day during Semester 1, where we focus on either blood science or medical microbiology content. In Semester 2, this clinical day moves to the Wednesday. Alternatively, we have our professional and research training day, which is Wednesday in Semester 1 and Friday in Semester 2. This allows us to really focus on the application of the content you’ve been learning. To give you an idea of the structure of the programme, if we look at a September start for our blood science and medical microbiology routes:

On a Wednesday, all students complete the module Scientific Leadership and Innovation. On Friday, the cohorts split into the two distinct routes: Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology for blood science, or Medical Microbiology for the microbiology route. In Semester 2, Wednesday becomes the clinical day and the groups again split, with students studying Haematology and Transfusion Science on the blood science route, or Infectious Diseases on the microbiology route. On Fridays, both cohorts come together for Advanced Research Skills.

During Semester 3 (June to September), all students complete their Biomedical Science Research Project. Full-time students attend both days; part-time students complete Wednesday modules in year one and Friday modules in year two. If you join us in January, you enter directly into Semester 2. That means on Wednesday, blood science students study Haematology and Transfusion Science; microbiology students study Infectious Diseases. On Friday, all students study Advanced Research Skills. You complete your project during Semester 3, and then return in September to complete Semester 1 modules. Again, part-time students attend Wednesdays in the first year and Fridays in the second. This structure means some modules overlap with those who started in September, helping create a strong cohort identity.

Now let’s take a look at the online route. This programme also has September and January starts, and both full-time and part-time study modes, offering great flexibility. However, unlike the campus-based programmes, the online MSc does not have separate specialisms—you study a broad biomedical science curriculum.

Content is delivered asynchronously and released on Mondays. Staff are available online at set times each week for questions, but you may also message us at any time using the online platforms. There are informal drop-in discussions and optional residential weeks on campus that include interprofessional education, networking, guest speakers, and academic skills development. For a September start, Semester 1 includes Medical Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry & Immunology. Semester 2 covers Infectious Disease, Haematology and Transfusion Science. Semester 3 is the Biomedical Research Project—the same project module completed by campus students.

For January starts, you begin with Semester 2, then complete the project, and finish with Semester 1. Let’s look more closely at the Semester 3 project module, which is shared across all cohorts. This runs June–September and may require campus attendance or can be completed at a distance depending on your chosen project. All project types are available to all students regardless of your programme.

Projects can include lab-based work, workplace-based projects (supported strongly if applicable), systematic reviews, big data analyses, or bioinformatics. These options allow you to study flexibly and choose a project suited to your circumstances.

Interaction with supervisors and any attendance requirements are discussed individually. For those wishing to complete laboratory-based projects on campus, we have recently invested £45 million in our facilities. We have four teaching laboratories within the School of Life Sciences and numerous connected research laboratories, with multiple containment levels for biological agents and tissue/cell culture spaces. These are supported by tutorials, seminars, and lab sessions. At postgraduate level, the focus is on independent research. We know you are already a successful academic having completed your undergraduate degree, and we aim to build your higher-level skills.

Assessments are varied and may include presentations, literature reviews, business plans, grant proposals, and class tests. We have removed all in-person exams, as we believe in assessing a broader range of skills rather than simple factual recall.

Support for postgraduate students includes: A dedicated late-arrival tutor, Student experience and retention leads linked with academic mentors, A student experience and support officer for pastoral care, Disability support and inclusion tutors, A dedicated Faculty Careers and Employability specialist, Academic conduct officers. You will meet many of these individuals during induction week, which helps you navigate Keele University—both the campus and the digital platforms—and helps establish a strong cohort identity.

I’d now like to share a case study from one of our recent graduates, Ben, who studied on the Biomedical Science Blood Science route. Ben highlighted how the programme gave him valuable insight into biomedical science and helped him explore career opportunities within the NHS.

Many prospective students are interested in becoming HCPC-registered biomedical scientists after graduation. Some applicants may already be qualified overseas but wish to join the HCPC register in the UK. One recent graduate shared their experience completing HCPC registration, emphasising the importance of previous lab experience aligned to HCPC standards. They explained the process of liaising with HCPC, completing forms, and ensuring all information was submitted professionally. It is essential that all students stay up-to-date with HCPC criteria including standards of proficiency, conduct, and ethics.

This student completed the MSc Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) at Keele and found that our IBMS-accredited programme and the support of HCPC-registered staff provided significant advantages in meeting the requirements. They also shared useful tips for future applicants. I hope this has been beneficial. I’ve talked about the structure and flexibility of our programmes and how you can use these opportunities for your next career steps.

Thank you, Rebecca, for that really useful overview. Now onto the Q&A section of the session.

In your experience, what does the job market currently look like for graduates in biomedical science in the UK and internationally? Can you give examples of typical career paths? I’m smiling because the job market is actually quite buoyant for MSc science graduates, particularly in biomedical science. We’ve had students go into the pharmaceutical industry, PhDs, academia, teaching, lab scientist roles, sales, product development—many of the expected careers in biomedical and life sciences. We’ve also had students enter less obvious fields such as patent law, graduate schemes, business development, and intellectual property, because they have the scientific foundation needed.

You mentioned accreditations and advice on HCPC registration. What does this mean in practice for our students in terms of accreditations and industry connections? For individuals who are not currently HCPC-registered but have the appropriate undergraduate degree and experience, this MSc can help them demonstrate updated knowledge and compliance with HCPC standards. IBMS accreditation means the programme contributes toward eligibility for Chartered Scientist status through the Science Council, which can be advantageous for career progression. Students who already hold the IBMS Specialist Diploma may also apply for exemption from certain modules.

Can you tell us about any research being done at Keele associated with biomedical science? I’ll highlight two areas. First, our Glycoscience Research Group, which studies new anticoagulants such as heparin and explores their potential therapeutic applications. This work involves both primary research and collaborations internationally. Second, we have significant research in infectious diseases, including vector-borne illnesses like malaria and leishmaniasis. This includes work on treatments, diagnostics, and also the social aspects of disease, involving collaborations with social sciences and humanities. This shows that biomedical science is far broader than working in a lab—there are many interdisciplinary opportunities.

Do students get to know each other and build a sense of community, even with online, part-time, or flexible routes? Absolutely. We are very proud of our strong sense of community. Across the School of Life Sciences, we have 100–150 postgraduate taught students. Many events are open to all PGT students. Within the MSc Biomedical Science programmes specifically, induction and welcome week bring students together, as do shared modules such as the research project. We also have a Postgraduate Taught Conference at the end of the project period where students present their work and reconnect with peers. We’re very proud of the community that develops.

Thank you, Rebecca. I’ve really enjoyed this session and your insights. Thank you for everything you do.