Microorganisms are causative agents of many diseases, but can also be exploited as "cell factories" to produce a wide range of useful products and provide the means to decontaminate polluted environments. At York you will learn about the practical application of biological knowledge to economically important areas, such as health, food and the environment. The year in industry is ideal for students wanting to gain valuable experience in industry/research. By choosing to study Biology (or a specialist degree) at York you will be joining a Department that is consistently rated as one of the top UK departments for both research and teaching. You will be taught in excellent facilities by enthusiastic staff who are specialists in their chosen field. All our programmes start with a common first year that covers the major areas of biology from molecular biology through to ecology. From the second year you have the opportunity to personalise your degree by choosing from the wide range of modules that we offer, within the framework of our Biology degree or one of the specialist degrees. There is also the option of spending an extra year on an industrial placement or at a European university or research institute. You will learn about biology through a combination of lectures, practicals, seminars and regular small group tutorials (just five students) and also have the opportunity to carry out state-of-the-art research during a 20-week final year research project.

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