Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Immunology

Immunology is the study of the immune system, the set of cells, molecules and tissues that protects the body from infection. The British Society for Immunology describes it as a branch of both the medical and the biological sciences. When the immune system does not work as it should, the result can be disease, such as autoimmunity, allergy and cancer, so the subject covers far more than infections and vaccines.

Students learn how the body recognises and removes pathogens. Courses start with innate immunity, the non-specific first line of defence, and adaptive immunity, which responds to specific pathogens. They then cover antibodies, vaccination, transplantation, immunotherapy, allergy and autoimmune disease. Laboratory training is central: cell culture, antibody-based methods and flow cytometry, and increasingly the analysis of large genomic data sets.

Qualifications and levels

Few students start with a degree named immunology. Most meet the subject inside a broader degree and specialise later.

  • Bachelor's degree. Immunology is usually a set of modules within biology, biomedical science, biochemistry, pharmacy or medicine. The BSc in Biomedical Sciences of the University of York, for example, lasts 3 years full-time and offers modules such as The Immune System and Haematology and Immunology in Health and Disease.
  • Master's degree. This is the most common level for specialising. The Master's in Infection and Immunity at Utrecht University is a selective research programme of 2 years, taught in English, that covers fundamental and clinical immunology, vaccines and immunotherapy. Uppsala Universitet offers a Master's Programme in Infection Biology of 120 credits, also in English. In Spain, official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits and follow a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits; the Universidad Complutense de Madrid lists a master's in Investigación en Inmunología at its Faculty of Medicine for the 2026-27 academic year.
  • Doctorate. Research careers require a PhD. Stanford University runs a PhD programme in Immunology with two tracks, one in molecular, cellular and translational immunology and one in computational and systems immunology. The University of Chicago also awards a PhD in Immunology through its Committee on Immunology.
  • Clinical route. Clinical immunologists are doctors. They complete a medical degree first and then train in the specialty under the rules of their country.
  • Short courses. Online training centres offer shorter courses in immunology and laboratory techniques. Ask the school what recognition the certificate has before enrolling.

Where to study immunology

SpainExchange lists 48 active schools for immunology. The United States has 23, Spain 6 and the United Kingdom 6, and Ukraine has 2. Other countries in the list include Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

In the United States the list includes Stanford University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University, The Rockefeller University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the United Kingdom it includes the University of Bristol, the University of Sheffield and the University of York. In Spain the list includes two public universities, the Universidad de Alcalá and the Universidad de Extremadura, and online centres such as Formación Universitaria and Neptunos Formación in Seville. Elsewhere it includes Utrecht University, Uppsala Universitet and the University of British Columbia.

English is the working language of immunology research, and the master's programmes in Utrecht and Uppsala are taught in English. Bachelor's degrees are mostly taught in the national language: Spanish in Spain, for example. Check the language of instruction of each programme before applying.

Careers

According to the British Society for Immunology, many immunologists work in a laboratory on research, either in academia or in private industry such as pharmaceutical companies. Others are clinical immunologists who diagnose and manage diseases of the immune system, such as autoimmune diseases and allergies. Graduates also work in hospital and diagnostic laboratories, vaccine development, clinical trials and regulatory affairs.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics includes immunology researchers among medical scientists and notes that PhD programmes for this group typically focus on one field, such as immunology. It projects employment of medical scientists to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, and employment of microbiologists to grow 6 percent over the same period. These figures refer to the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study immunology as a first degree?

In most countries immunology is studied as modules inside a biology, biomedical science or medicine degree, and as a named subject at master's or PhD level. A bachelor's degree in one of those fields is the usual starting point.

How long does a master's in immunology take?

One or two years, depending on the country. The Infection and Immunity master's at Utrecht University takes 2 years; official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

Do I need a medical degree to become an immunologist?

Not for research: laboratory immunologists usually hold a science degree followed by a PhD. Clinical immunologists, who treat patients, are doctors and need a medical degree and specialist training.

Is immunology taught in English outside English-speaking countries?

At master's level, often yes. Utrecht University and Uppsala Universitet both teach their infection and immunity programmes in English.