External summary

The MSc in Biotechnology will seek to attract home, EU and overseas students to Edinburgh to an academically challenging and career-developing MSc programme on research and development using biological principles and systems to create new products, services and industries.  It will investigate the economic basis for current biotechnology structures and areas of future demand for biotechnology, including the pharmaceutical industry and innovation in drug and vaccine design and regenerative medicine.  Changing human demography and growing demand for food, fuel, intelligent agriculture and a cleaner environment producing less atmospheric carbon dioxide will also be major thematic areas of the programme. 

Students will enhance their career prospects by acquiring current, marketable knowledge and developing advanced analytical and presentational skills, within the social and intellectual sphere of a leading European university.  The School of Biological Sciences offers a research-rich environment in which to develop as scientists and entrepreneurs.

During the Diploma or MSc programme students can expect to achieve the following:

• Strong background in the science underlying emerging fields of biotechnology
• Ability to approach the technology transfer problem equipped with the skills to analyse the problem in scientific and practical terms
• Understanding of how biotechnology relates to real-world biological problems
• Ability to conduct practical biotechnological experimentation
• Ability to think about the future development of biotechnology

Educational aims of programme

The MSc in Biotechnology aims to give students a thorough grounding in biotechnology, and produce a trained intellect that is capable of critical thinking.

The programme aims to develop skills in:

• Knowledge and understanding
• Research skills in both laboratory and library
• Awareness of unresolved issues and unanswered questions in the area of Biotechnology
• Graduate attributes: a range of generic transferable skills

The programme aims to teach experimental methods used to investigate areas of biology; how to perform and document experiments in a laboratory; how to draw quantitative conclusions from experimental data and how to present results and theoretical knowledge. Specific courses develop particular skills e.g. in metagenome sequencing and bioinformatics. All students will develop the level of understanding that will allow engagement in debates on current topics in a broader context.

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

• Strong background in the science underlying emerging fields of biotechnology
• Ability to conduct practical biotechnological experimentation
• Ability to think about the future development of biotechnology 
• Understanding of how biotechnology can be applied to ameliorate, or solve, pressing real-world biological problems and create new growth industries

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

Through a combination of laboratory practicals, research projects and group work, students learn current skills and approaches in biological research.  An understanding of scientific method, allied to the ability to construct alternative arguments and hypotheses leads our students to develop an ability to evaluate evidence for and against particular points of view.  Our students will have developed numerical competence.  They will learn to report research data and conclusions through written reports and competent oral presentations.

Through participation in a combination of different teaching and laboratory experiences, graduates acquire the ability to:

• Develop critical thinking
• Discuss and evaluate scientific arguments
• Exchange ideas with scientific colleagues
• Communicate concepts and ideas to the wider public
• Formulate scientific questions and programmes of research
• Ability to design, interpret and critique experiments
• Understand introductory scientific entrepreneurship

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

The development of critical thinking lies at the core of the intellectual training provided in the Biotechnology MSc programme.  Students develop an increasing competence to deal with intellectual concepts and scientific discussion, and to evaluate contradictory arguments through both essay writing and laboratory research. 

Students acquire the ability to:

• Organise complex arguments and draw these together into a coherent conclusion
• Understanding the relative value of different scientific approaches
• Summarise and interpret the work of others in the context of previous work and likely developments.
• Evaluate the strength and weaknesses of scientific evidence, thereby being able to arrive at independent conclusions
• Analyse graphs figures and tables
• Practise and record accurate observation
• Deliver presentations in a logical and coherent manner
• Acquire knowledge of opportunities and career pathways for professional development
• Learn analytical methods and apply them to problem solving
• Consider and understand scientific theories
• Formulate, investigate and discuss questions
• Engage and draw on an understanding of scientific investigations
• Build on existing knowledge to suggest new directions for investigation
• Understand the relevance and importance of explaining scientific ideas and the impact of science to the wider community.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

The development of communication skills occurs at all stages of the MSc programme. Skills

comprise of:

• Oral and written communication (project, poster and paper presentations)
• Computer skills
• Graphical and numerical skills
• Library skills
• Problem solving skills
• Group and teamwork skills (working effectively)
• Analytical skills
• Independent learning
• Time management
• Organisational skills
• Numeracy and statistical analysis skills
• Problem solving
• Online/Internet information retrieval skills
• Communicating with the wider public

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

Student personal development is achieved through a number of interconnected learning processes and interaction with other students and staff. These processes include:

• Group working using a range of techniques (e.g. leadership; interaction with other students, supervisors, research fellows)
• Building confidence from completion of assignments and from successful work experiences within the laboratory, and via projects, presentations and essays.
• Collaborating efficiently and productively with others in the process of learning and presenting conclusions
• Organising their own learning, managing workload and working to a timetable
• Effectively plan, and possess the confidence to undertake and to present scholarly work that demonstrates an understanding of the aims, methods and considerations, and ability to form their own conclusions
• Working independently on the creation of essays and reports.
• Learning study techniques, such as literature reading.
• Learning to analyse individual strengths and weaknesses through the provided written and oral feedback.

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

Technical/practical skills are acquired mainly through laboratory practicals and the summer research project. Quantitative and statistical skills are included within all course options.

• Ability to approach the technology transfer problem equipped with the skills to analyse the problem in scientific and practical terms
• Ability to conduct experiments and contribute to development of tools used in biotechnology
• Enhanced scientific and business communication skills
• Ability to analyse the scientific understanding of biotechnology business development

Programme structure and features

Modes of Study:

The programme is full time, with the Diploma running from mid-September to May, with graduation taking place in June, and the MSc running from mid-September to the end of August, with Graduation taking place at the end of November.

Progression and Exit Awards:

Students who gain >=50% overall and >=50% in at least 80 of the 120 credits in the final overall assessment of the taught stage at the end of May can proceed to the dissertation stage, and carry out a full-time research project from June – August.

Students who gain >=40% overall and >=40% in at least 80 of the 120 credits in the final overall assessment who do not qualify to proceed will be awarded the Diploma and leave in June.

To be awarded the MSc, students must successfully complete both the taught and dissertation stages.  Students may elect to exit at the end of the taught stage with the award of Diploma. Both the MSc and the Diploma may be awarded with Distinction or Merit.

Curriculum:

The taught component of the programme will comprise 120 credit points made up of compulsory courses and optional courses. Courses will be 10 or 20 credit points, and will be split between the first and second semesters.

A full breakdown of the course options available with credit points and levels is given below:

COMPULSORY COURSES

OPTIONAL COURSES

Select exactly 80 credits from the following list of courses, as available

The remaining 60 credits will be for students on the MSc programme undertaking a full-time research project culminating with a dissertation in the third semester.

MSc Research Project and Dissertation

Assessment:

The programme will be assessed by a combination of in-course assessment (both continuing assessment and a written exam in most cases), and an MSc dissertation prepared from the major research project. Examinations will be held at the end of the semester in which the course is completed. Students reaching a satisfactory standard in course assessment will be allowed to continue to the MSc, and will be required to submit a dissertation on an approved topic by the end of the programme (mid August). The weighting given to each course will be according to its credit points.

Flexible Learning Week
The University of Edinburgh Flexible Learning Week is scheduled in Week 6 of Semester 2. During this week ‘normal’ teaching is suspended which provides space outwith the curriculum for staff and students to explore new learning activities. Some examples of the types of activities held in Biological Sciences were workshops, peer assisted learning activities, public engagement activities, careers events and field trips.

During this week, the programme’s students will undertake a 3-day visit to the University’s field centre at Firbush, Loch Tay, as part of the compulsory Research Project Proposal course. Here, as well as participating in outdoor activities, they will present an assessed short talk designed to prepare them for the background research and summarising skills necessary for planning and carrying out their dissertation projects.

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

Teaching and Learning strategies employed at the University of Edinburgh consist of a variety of different methods appropriate to the programme aims.  The graduate attributes listed above are met through a teaching and learning framework (detailed below) which is appropriate to the level and content of the programme.

Teaching and Learning Activities include:

Lectures

Workshops

Presentations

Laboratories

Field Work

Tutorials

Seminars

Discussion Groups/Project Groups

Problem based learning activities

Examples: Students attend problem based tutorial sessions, one to one meetings with programme director, project work in a research laboratory; students carry out their own research at the frontier of knowledge and can make a genuine contribution to the progress of original research.  This also involves reviewing relevant papers, analysing data, writing a report and giving a presentation.

Assessment methods and strategies

Courses are assessed by a diverse range of methods and it often takes the form of formative work which provides the student with on-going feedback as well as summative assessment which is submitted for credit.

Essays; students are provided with written feedback

Assessed Problems; students are provided with written feedback

Oral Presentations; feedback is provided by peers and staff

On-line Tests; on-line feedback with explanations

Written Degree Examinations; students have the opportunity to meet with course organisers to view their examination scripts.

Multiple Choice Tests

Project Reports and Presentations; students are provided with written feedback.

Career opportunities

Biotechnology graduates have a wide range of career options and are recruited by both the established household names of the pharmaceutical industry and by 'start-ups and spinouts'- young companies seeking to develop novel ideas into innovative products and services. 

Biotechnology graduate employers can range from the water delivery and purification industry, through the distilling and distillation by-product industry to genetic engineering-based companies seeking to produce new products from cancer drugs and vaccines to biofuels. 

Equally this qualification is great preparation for further research at PhD level and a number of our current students plan to continue their studies after graduation.

Other items

The MSc in Biotechnology is one of eight campus based programmes offered by the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. These programmes share a common structure, and thus a wide range of educational opportunity is presented through the optional courses.

Students will be encouraged to integrate themselves with the vibrant postgraduate student body (both MSc, MRes and PhD students) based in the King’s Buildings campus, and to make best use of the vibrant research community there.

The Programme Director of the MSc in Biotechnology also adopts the role of Personal Tutor to each student on the programme, providing them with both academic and pastoral guidance. Throughout a students time at the university the Programme Director guides the student in choice of courses and provides general support. Courses are administered and run through Teaching Organisations. These produce detailed course guides for new students. These guides provide details of courses and also advise students on assessment and general university policy and regulations.

The Degree Programme Tables (DPT) for the Biotechnology programme can be found at:

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/index.php