Accreditation of MBB degrees by the Society of Biology

MBiolSci in Biochemistry

The Society of Biology, a professional body for bioscientists, announced in March 2012 that the MBiolSci in Biochemistry at Sheffield is one of only four courses in the UK to be accredited in their first round of course accreditations. The aim of the accreditation programme is to raise the standard of bioscience higher education, and in particular to highlight degrees which educate the research and development leaders of the future, and produce graduates better matched to the needs of industry.

The award of the accreditation followed a detailed visit and scrutinisation of the course details. The team particularly welcomed

• the integration of chemistry into the course. Chemistry is not taught as a separate subject, but forms part of many of our core modules. See our course details to see how this works.
• our emphasis on practical skills. Throughout the first and second year, students typically have two three-hour practical sessions a week plus a third session that provides a deeper understanding of the practical material. In the third year, students do a research project. The fourth year is almost entirely occupied by a research project.
• training provided in data handling and calculations. Throughout the first two years, analytical sessions give practice in data handling skills. All students study a data handling module in the third year, which gives further practice in calculation, and provides a formal training in experimental design, presentation and analysis of results, and reading the scientific literature.
• a stepwise approach to acquiring and assessing practical scientific skills. In the first year, the emphasis is mainly about learning basic knowledge and technical skills, which is also reflected in the way we assess the first year mainly by multiple choice exams. Going into the second and third years, the emphasis changes to gaining an understanding and making connections between different topics, with an increased emphasis in assessments on essays and coursework. In the fourth year, students attend seminars by distinguished external speakers and reflect on them; they write up their research as a detailed literature survey and lab report similar to scientific papers; they participate in a journal club; and they have a viva exam at the end, in very much the same way that PhD students do.
• preparation for PhD study. The fourth year provides training (and assessment) in the skills needed for PhD research, and most of our fourth year graudates go on to do PhDs.
• flexibility to move between the three-year BSc and four-year MBiolSci degree programmes. Students can change their degree programme (both the subject and the length) at any point up to the end of the third year. We encourage this, because students' interests, needs and understanding change as they progress.
• research-led teaching in the Department. All staff in the Department teach, and many are internationally recognised experts in their fields. See our staff pages for details about our research and teaching.

At the ceremony in London, David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, said “The Society of Biology’s Accreditation Programe will signpost students to the degree courses recognised by industry as providing the essential scientific and practical skills needed for a career in life sciences.” Prof David Hornby, Head of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, added "We are delighted to be honoured in this way. The accreditation recognises the emphasis of this course on students acquiring practical experience in a research lab, and thus giving our students the best possible opportunity to secure PhD programmes of their choice and high quality positions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector." The photo shows David Willetts presenting the accreditation certificate to Dr Anderson, Director of Studies in MBB.

The Programme has been developed with the support of government, higher education, industry, and the Society of Biology’s member organisations. The full press release can be found here.

At our graduation party in July 2012, we celebrated the accreditation by the award of a certificate to Hayley Owen, the top student graduating from the MBiolSci course (right).

Degree in Biotechnology from the University of Sharjah

We are delighted to report that the Society of Biology has also accredited the Biotechnology degree from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates with an International Recognition Certificate. This is the first certificate to be awarded by the Society of Biology for a degree outside the UK. This degree is a pioneering collaboration between MBB and the University of Sharjah. For more details on this story, visit the MBB News site.

The photo comes from the 2012 summer graduation ceremony at the University of Sharjah, at which Prof Mike Fowler presented the Society of Biology's accreditation certificate to the ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi.