BSc microbiology degrees in the UK Liz Sockett Entering stationary phase? Student recruitment Liz Sockett An interrogation of the UCAS statistics for takes a look at G2001(www.ucas.ac.uk) reveals 199 UK first first degrees in degree programmes that include the word UK universities, ‘microbiology’ in their title, of which 51 are single- subject microbiology degrees. In the remainder analysing the microbiology is offered in combination with subjects recruitment figures including French, German, psychology, computing, and checking food science, immunology and opthalmic dispensing. out their course The range of UK institutions offering these degrees is content. shown in Fig. 1. Some others, not listed, offer micro- biology within biotechnology programmes. Despite the plethora of institutions offering degrees, the total number of students entering bachelors degrees with a C5 microbiology code in the UK is only around 500. As the histogram in Fig. 2 illustrates, this number is similar to that for genetics, but considerably less than for biochemistry, chemistry and biology degrees. As Fig. 2 shows, recruitment to microbiology degrees is approximately one-quarter of that to media studies degrees. If only microbiological media were as attractive as the news media! As can be seen in Fig. 3, recruitment onto micro- biology degrees has remained steady or even slightly increased over the last 5 years with the exception of 2000 over the same 5 year period. The comparative figures where a downturn was experienced. Whether the 2000 for media studies help to explain where those students figure turns out to be an anomaly, only time will tell. The are going. picture is similar for biochemistry and genetics degrees. What these recruitment figures clearly show is the For degrees in biology and chemistry a moderate value of explaining the interesting careers that a degree downturn in recruitment is seen, but this is from a pool of in microbiology offers to even a small group of local student places that is eight to ten times bigger. This school pupils. Speaking to just five pupils one could be recruitment picture is set against an approximately 7% addressing 1% of all entrants to microbiology degrees in increase in total student numbers entering university a year! The SGM External Relations staff put a great deal of effort into attending The University of Aberdeen The University of Wales, Aberystwyth careers fairs for pupils who Anglia Polytechnic University Aston University are deciding which GCSEs Barnsley College The University of Birmingham The University of Bradford to take or which degree to University of Bristol University of the West of England, Bristol Cardiff University University of Central Lancashire University of Dundee University of East Anglia study. Our careers leaflets University of East London The University of Edinburgh University of Glamorgan and posters, Microbiologists University of Glasgow Glasgow Caledonian University Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh University of Hertfordshire The University of Huddersfield Imperial College make a difference! (as shown of Science, Technology and Medicine (University of London) The University of Kent at above), explain which Canterbury King’s College London (University of London) Lancaster University school subjects give pupils University of Liverpool Liverpool John Moores University University of Luton University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Lincolnshire and Humberside access to microbiology The University of Manchester The Manchester Metropolitan University Napier University degrees and dispel some of University of Newcastle Upon Tyne Nescot University of North London The University of the specialization myths Nottingham The Nottingham Trent University University College London (University of London) Queen Mary and Westfield College (University of London) that abound. All SGM University of Paisley members running any sort University of Plymouth University of Portsmouth of schools open days are Queen’s University Belfast welcome to have a supply The University of Reading of the leaflets by contacting The University of Strathclyde The University of Sheffield [email protected] South Bank University Once again we are all Staffordshire University busy with our research but University of Surrey University of Teesside taking time to do a bit The University of Warwick of recruiting for our subject Fig. 1. Mushroom diagram of University of Westminster UK universities offering degrees University of Wolverhampton is a positive alternative containing microbiology. to bemoaning the paucity 54 MICROBIOLOGYTODAY VOL 28/MAY 01 BSc microbiology today Fig. 2. Number of ‘degree accepts’* Microbiology can encompass a diverse set of subjects and the content of microbiology 7000 G degrees depends upon the research interests I I I I I , 1996; , 1997; , 1998; , 1999; , 2000 of the academic staff and upon the requirements for 6000 co-teaching of classes with other bioscience students, especially in the early years. As we are specializing in ’ 5000 microbiology education in this issue of Microbiology Today, I have tried to compile a very small snapshot of 4000 degree content kindly supplied to me by some members of SGM Council. The degree courses were chosen purely 3000 arbitrarily based on the supply of usable material to me. I degree accepts ‘ do not provide these data as any sort of statistically 2000 reliable view of current BSc microbiology courses, but it No. of strikes me that as an educational community, we know 1000 little of the diversity of degree courses in our neighbours’ institutions. Further surveys of degree course content in 0 all institutions can be found in the CRAC Degree Course Microbiology Biochemistry Biology Chemistry Genetics Media Studies Guide: Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology and I Degree topic will not be volunteering to expand upon the tables presented here! Fig. 3. ‘Degree accepts’ as a percentage of 1996 numbers* Although the snapshot is very small and does not 180 include a diversity of old and new universities, it is good I, 1996 (100%); I, 1997; I, 1998; I, 1999; I, 2000 to see that the research project and literature review, or 160 dissertation, are alive and well. It is also interesting to note the varying levels of provision made for mycology in 140 ’ different degree schemes, supporting the comments made by Professor Tony Trinci about the dearth of 120 university mycologists in the August 2000 issue of 100 Microbiology Today. In addition we can see that some universities have already decided to incorporate degree accepts ‘ 80 bioethics or microbiology and society modules into their degree courses. With pressures for transparent public 60 accountability in scientists rising, this may be a trend that is set to continue. Interestingly, training in ethical 40 Percentage issues is listed in the draft Bioscience Benchmark. 20 Another feature of the degree schemes is the reassuringly high microbiology content. With the 0 amalgamation of many former microbiology depart- Microbiology Biochemistry Biology Chemistry Genetics Media Studies All ments into super-schools of molecular biology or life and Degree topic health sciences, it is pleasing to see that a BSc in micro- biology has not become simply a degree in molecular *Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency. The figure of ‘degree accepts’ shown in biology with slight lip-service paid to the organisms in Figs 2 & 3 above represents those applicants who firmly accepted an offer to do a microbiology degree and then made the grades required by their offer. which genes are manipulated. Molecular biology tech- niques are very useful, but in the post-genomic era, now that we are trying to assign function to gene products, we of postgraduate and postdoctoral applicants that we need young scientists who can understand the diverse receive when advertising our research posts! I am physiologies, behaviours and community interactions of well aware that issues of temporary contracts and salaries micro-organisms. While on the subject of microbial that are adequate rather than meteoric do make communities, it is interesting to note that not many of microbiology careers harder work than maybe those our snapshot courses explicitly teach biofilm biology – a in media studies. However, the exciting and sometimes shortcoming identified in American degree courses that threatening challenges that bacteria and viruses are was addressed by visiting ASM members Bill Costerton constantly presenting to our society need an army of and John Lennox at an evening educational workshop at well-educated graduate microbiologists to tackle them. the Exeter SGM Meeting in 2000. Maybe our biofilm Otherwise we may no longer be around to read the papers biology is embedded into relevant courses on medical that the media studies graduates produce! and environmental microbiology. MICROBIOLOGY TODAY VOL 28/MAY 01 55 Liverpool Nottingham Manchester Sheffield Edinburgh BSc Microbiology BSc Microbiology BSc Microbiology BSc Microbiology BSc Microbiology/Medical Microbiology Year 1 Core Year 1 Core Year 1 Core Year 1 Core Year 2 Core* Cells Genetics & Cell Biology The Cell Molecular Biology of the Gene 2x Cell Metabolism & Regulation 2x Molecules Industrial Applications Biotechnology Microbes in Medicine & Industry 2x Microbes, Cells & Immunity 2x Diversity & Evolution Foundation Science Genetics Genetics 2x Genes & Gene Action 2x Biochemistry Biochemistry Biochemistry Biochemistry 2x Equivalent of six 1x courses from these OPTIONS: Four OPTIONS