The Department of Microbiology conducts two master degree programmes

The Department of Microbiology conducts two master degree programmes

M.Sc. in Applied Microbiology commenced in 1980 before the inception of the Department of Microbiology when the present Professor of microbiology was a member of the Department of Botany.  The vision of the degree programme is the dissemination of knowledge and research skills in the field of General & Applied Microbiology through science based graduates.  The Department of Microbiology is dedicated to the continuing development and practices of teaching and research and provides postgraduate students with relevant practical knowledge and skills for a diversity of challenges in the field of General & Applied Microbiology, and to be a partner in the continuing scientific, social and economic development of Sri Lanka.

M.Sc. in Food & Nutrition programme originally coordinated by the Department of Botany with the inception of the Department of Microbiology  The mission of the Food & Nutrition M.Sc. Degree programme is to develop human resources and to expand and transfer knowledge for continuous improvement of the safety, quality and value of food and in general health of the community.

These two postgraduate programmes have been popular among graduate students who had obtained basic degrees from local and foreign universities in Biological Sciences, Agriculture and Medicine.

The duration of each programme is two years.  During the first year the students attend to the lectures, laboratory practical classes, field studies, and seminars.  During their second year each student conducts a research project on a selected topic under the supervision of Senior Academic Member of the department appointed as an Internal Supervisor.  Some of the employed students of industries and institutions carried out their research projects relevant to their industries/institutes under the guidance of the External Supervisor appointed from their workplace in addition to the Internal Supervisor appointed from the department.  The appointments of Internal and External Supervisors are approved by the university senate.

The rate of admission and completion of these programmes have been at satisfactory level as indicated in Table 8 A & B.  The admission to both these degree programmes were increased with Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project and scholarship programme under ADB manpower development project.  Though the completion rate of these candidates was satisfactory, the duration for completion was too long (Table 8 A & B).

• Postgraduate Diploma/ MSc Degree in Food and Nutrition, 2016
• Postgraduate Diploma/ MSc Degree in Applied Microbiology, 2016