Study at the frontline of global health, exploring how pathogens spread, how our bodies defend us, and how we develop life-saving treatments.
Year of entry: 2026/27
Infectious diseases continue to shape lives across the world, and understanding how they spread, how our immune system responds, and how we can intervene is one of today’s most pressing scientific challenges.
Our MSci Immunology and Infectious Disease, taught jointly by the Department of Biology and Hull York Medical School, gives you direct access to York’s world-leading research in areas such as neglected tropical diseases, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, skin and immune disorders, and cancer. Through lectures, workshops and hands-on practicals, you’ll build strong foundations in immunology, microbiology, human physiology and mechanisms of disease, before tailoring your studies.
As you progress, you’ll dive deeper into advanced topics and undertake an extended research project guided by our biomedical science experts. Throughout the degree, you’ll gain the skills that define a modern scientist, from data analysis and experimental design to report writing and communication. This research-led training prepares you for a wide range of futures. Whether you want to combat global health challenges or shape the future of medical science, this programme gives you the knowledge and experience to make a real impact.
All long standing undergraduate courses in the Department of Biology have received accreditation (BSc) or advanced accreditation (integrated Masters) from the Royal Society of Biology. We are looking to receive accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology for our Immunology and Infectious Disease programmes
The Department at York is super flexible. Provided you meet the grade requirements, you can switch between Bachelors and Masters at the end of Year 1 and Year 2. You can add a year abroad or in industry, and you can change from Biology to a specialist degree, or vice versa, in Year 1 or Year 2.
All Year 1 modules are core modules.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
You will study two option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
You will study four option modules. A minimum of two of these four should be from the optional core group.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
The fees and funding information here is for students starting in the 2026/27 academic year.
If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year.
The UK government has announced its intention to increase tuition fees from £9,535 to £9,790 for the 2026/27 academic year. We expect this to apply to new UK (home) undergraduate students starting their studies in September 2026.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
Text books and course books are all available in the library or online. We do recommend books you might find useful, reading lists are provided to you when you start your modules, but it is not compulsory for you to buy the books.
Costs for students going abroad or into industry will vary depending on what sort of placement it is and what sort of financial assistance is available.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.
Just four UK universities are rated Gold for teaching and top ten for research* in the latest national assessment exercises.
* Awarded joint 10th in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Teaching is delivered by academic scientists with additional contributions from clinical researchers. Throughout your course there will be strong links between your studies, scientific research and clinical applications. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. You may be taught by the following methods:
Cutting-edge research informs all our teaching activities and our friendly, approachable, and accessible staff are experts in their respective fields. Small-group teaching is an important part of our course, in tutorials, skills-based and research project modules and in taught modules with group work elements. This approach helps develop your scientific writing, problem solving and communication skills, as well as being a great opportunity to have informal scientific discussions with members of staff about topical issues.
You will attend lectures where we will deliver stimulating and thought-provoking perspectives on the major global challenges in biosciences of the 21st century.
Practicals are designed to help you to develop laboratory skills and to become familiar with a wide range of practical techniques, training you to use methods precisely and encouraging you to objectively assess the reliability of your results.
Workshops are also an important feature of our programme, and they provide an additional dimension to most modules. You will often collaborate in small groups in problem solving and other learning activities in our flexible learning workshops. You will design your own experiments and work together on the findings from the latest research papers, or investigate the application of new technologies to the global challenges in the biosciences.
Each semester during the first two years, students take modules designed to develop more generic scientific and transferable skills. Some modules focus on specific scientific techniques, while others develop skills in problem solving, experimental design and data analysis.
We encourage you to develop important communication skills, including working in groups to plan and carry out experiments that investigate a scientific problem, and you will present your work as an oral presentation or poster.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 2-4 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 3-5 hours per week |
| Practicals | 3-6 hours per week |
| Small-group teaching | 5 hours per semester |
These figures are representative of a typical week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
Teaching and learning in the Department of Biology is based in a £23m state-of-the-art facility, which is equipped with laboratories, a flexible workshop and creative learning lounge, computer rooms, specialist tissue culture and fluorescence microscopy suites.
Our teaching labs are equipped with a range of biological techniques that you could engage with while studying your degree including polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, immunofluorescence microscopy, cell culture and flow cytometry.
This course is based in the Department of Biology which is on Campus West. The majority of teaching takes place within Biology, with some additional teaching taking place at other locations on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
You will be assessed via a mixture of closed exams, online open exams, and continuous assessment. Although you must perform to a satisfactory level, Stage 1 (which is your first year) does not count towards the final degree, which is determined by work in Stage 2 (40%) and Stage 3 (60%). If you undertake a year abroad or in industry this is marked by pass/fail.
Throughout your course we will provide you with feedback on your work and assignments, which will give you an indication of the progress you are making in your studies.
A degree in Immunology and Infectious Diseases provides an excellent basis for science or health related careers from and for a wide range of other occupations and professions from management and consultation, to teaching and communications.
Studying Immunology and Infectious Diseases will develop your critical thinking and research skills, and prepare you to be competitive for entry into relevant postgraduate degree programmes.
Employment opportunities are diverse, ranging from biological and biomedical research and development, to careers in science communication, the health service, public health policy, education and pharmaceuticals.
Turn ambition into achievement with our expert guidance and connections. From your first day here to life after graduation, we'll help you find your career advantage.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAA including Biology and either Chemistry, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics or Psychology. |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 39 credits at Distinction and 6 credits at Merit or higher. Must include Level 3 modules in Biology and a second science. Please contact us for information on the units we accept. |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | BTEC National Extended Diploma DDD. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2016 syllabus) with all 7 mandatory units plus at least 2 units from 8,9,10,11,12,17,20. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2010 syllabus), please contact us for information on the units we accept. |
| European Baccalaureate | 85% overall including 8.5 in Biology and either Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology. |
| International Baccalaureate | 36 points including 5 in Higher Level Biology plus either 5 in another Higher Level science or mathematics subject, or 5 in two Standard Level science or mathematics subjects. We accept the following IB subjects as a second science: Chemistry, Mathematics (A&A or A&I), Physics, Psychology, Sports, exercise and health science |
| T levels | We are currently not accepting T Levels for this course unless additional A Levels (or equivalent qualifications) in Biology and a second science or mathematics subject have been taken. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Advanced Highers - AB in Biology and a second Science/Mathematics plus Scottish Highers - AB We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| Other qualifications | To secure a place as a mature student on this course you will need recent qualifications in Biology and a second science (Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology or Physical Education) at a sufficiently advanced level to cope with the course, together with evidence of some of the key skills needed for studying at degree level. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | BBB including Biology and a second science. This is conditional upon successful completion of the WP programme including the YorJourney module (Black Access Programme, Next Step York) or successful completion of Realising Opportunities More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offer | ABB including Biology and either Chemistry, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics or Psychology. |
| EPQ | If you achieve B or higher in the EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| MOOCs | If you successfully complete our online course Bugs, brains and beasts, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. Details about how to evidence completion of the MOOC will be sent in your offer letter. Please note: you do not need to pay for the certificate. More about MOOCs. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| IB English | A score of 4 in English A or 5 in English B (Higher Level or Standard Level) |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component (taken before January 2026) 4.5 with 5 in Listening and 4.5 in each other component (taken after January 2026) |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
| Other English language qualifications | We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates. |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
