MSc Biomedical Laboratory Science

Study Mode Full-time
Year of Entry 2025/26
Students in lab coats preparing experiments

MSc

Biomedical Laboratory Science

Work in industry-standard facilities, gaining an understanding of human disease from the biological mechanisms that underpin disease pathology to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £10,620 for the course
    International/EU: £17,725 for the course

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    1 Year

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2025


Course summary

  • Gain an in-depth understanding of modern biomedical laboratory sciences.
  • Develop applied research techniques using state-of-the-art laboratory facilities.
  • Build confidence in presenting your work to academic and professional audiences.
  • Enhance investigative skills including the design, execution and interpretation of practical work.

Biomedical science plays a pivotal role in healthcare. This course has been designed to respond to the increasing need for highly skilled biomedical researchers across a range of industries. The programme aims to explore normal and pathological cell processes and relate these to clinical features, diagnostic procedures and responses to therapy in a range of model diseases.


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How you learn

Your lecturer's view
Watch course leader Dr Sarah Forbes talk about this course.

At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.

The course provides grounding in a range of scientific disciplines applicable to modern Biomedical Laboratory Science including cell biology, molecular biology, immunology and microbiology. You will develop an understanding of the pathogenesis of different diseases from a cellular to whole system level and discuss methods for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. 

You will apply your theoretical knowledge of disease systems to conduct a practical investigative research project. The programme provides you with the opportunity for career development within the area of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, either as a researcher within a clinical or commercial setting or as a PhD student within the biomedical field. 

Modules may include Mechanisms of Disease, Case Studies in Pathology and Applied Diagnostics.

You learn through

  • lectures and seminars
  • academic advice
  • a programme of laboratory-based practical classes
  • full semester research project

Course leaders and tutors

Sarah Forbes
Sarah Forbes
Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

I am a lecturer in biomedical sciences working within the fields of antimicrobial chemotherapy and microbial ecology

Applied learning

You will have the opportunity to conduct a semester-long investigative research project within the biomedical field. This work will take place in cutting-edge, industry-standard laboratories and teaching labs under the supervision of world-renowned active research staff.

This work will be aligned with the current research interests of an academic member of staff within our specialist Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre. The project will include a critical review of the literature relevant to your research project, the development of a project proposal, design of research methods and the analysis, presentation and interpretation of experimental data.

Practical skills are developed throughout the course and you gain experience in molecular biology, microbiology, genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. All practical classes are led by expert academic staff whose research incorporates the latest techniques. Research skills and statistical analysis are developed throughout the programme and applied to relevant healthcare problems/case studies.


Future careers

This courses prepares you for a career in

  • health biotechnology sector
  • industrial biotechnology sector
  • pharmaceutical industry
  • academic research

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:

  • NHS
  • Public Health England
  • Novartis
  • ThermoFisher Scientific

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour 


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Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Learn more about your department

Biosciences and Chemistry Facilities Tour

Take a look around the biosciences and chemistry facilities at Sheffield Hallam University with senior lecturer and recruitment lead Dr Susan Campbell.

Department page

Equipment and facilities

On this course you work with 

  • industry-standard instrumentation
  • an analytical and mass spectrometry unit
  • multicolored flow cytometry
  • professional standard cell culture facilities
  • a state of the art microscopy suite

360 tour - biosciences and chemistry facilities

Entry requirements

All students

A 2:1 in a relevant Honours degree is normally accepted as the entry requirement for the course. Applicants with a 2:2 are also actively encouraged to apply and will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants with alternative qualifications with academic attainment or skills in subjects which are directly relevant to the course will also be considered.

If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Advanced Laboratory And Research Practice
Credits 30
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Applied Diagnostics
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Applied Laboratory Practice
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Case Studies In Pathology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Mechanisms Of Disease
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Research Project
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Elective modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Case Studies In Infectious Disease
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(40%) , Exam(60%)
Cell And Molecular Biology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Cell Biology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Cellular And Molecular Basis Of Cancer
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(40%) , Exam(60%)
Genomics And Proteomics
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.

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Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.

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Additional course costs

The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

General course additional costs

Additional costs for Biosciences and Chemistry (PDF, 133.1KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

You apply for this course via our online application form.

Apply for September 2025

You can also use the application form above to apply for future years of entry.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Why choose us?

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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Accommodation

We guarantee to find you an affordable place to live that’s close to campus and comes with all bills included

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Employment

95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

Where next?

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam's postgraduate opportunities and community.

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Information for international students including entry requirements by country and funding.

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