Explore the science of immunity: from health to disease
The study of immunology provides insight into the mechanisms of health and disease at both the acute and the chronic level. This course introduces the key processes involved in the function and the interaction of the innate and the adaptive immune systems, explores the developing area of cancer immunology, and uses a range of case studies to examine the interrelationship between the immune response, health and disease.
Why choose this course with us?
- Learn at Cambridge, whatever your experience: this is an open-entry course
- Access Cambridge teaching in a flexible format: part-time and online
- Gain a credited, Cambridge award: boost your learning and career opportunities
- Join our peer-learning and Cambridge alumni communities: connection and support, for life
Course Dates
Course details
Tutors
Course information
Course highlights
During this part-time online certificate course, you will:
- learn about the function of the innate and adaptive immune system
- consider how the immune system functions in the maintenance of health and in the contribution to disease
- develop key study and writing skills
As part of our learning community, you will:
- develop a rigorous approach to the acquisition of a broad knowledge base in immunology
- learn about experimental techniques relevant to the study of immunology
- gain detailed knowledge of the immune system
- discuss conceptual frameworks and core principles in immunity and identify their strengths and weaknesses
- investigate the key principles through which the immune system contributes to both health and disease
- learn how to effectively communicate scientific context and ideas to peers
Course breakdown
The course will run from 9 October 2026 to 9 June 2027.
Each term's teaching usually takes place on Saturdays. Exact teaching dates and times will be confirmed in the course guide upon enrolment.
Michaelmas Term: The Innate and Adaptive Immune System
- Unit 1 start date: 9 October 2026
- Unit 1 end date: 6 January 2027
This unit will provide an overview of the history of, and the key cells and molecules in, the innate and adaptive immune systems. The process of inflammation, pattern recognition, complement activation, B cell and T cell activation, antibody production, tolerance, hypersensitivity and autoimmunity will be introduced. You will discuss how changes in scientific knowledge have led to changes in the perception of the functional connections between the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Lent term: The Immune System in Health and Disease
- Unit 2 start date: week commencing 4 January 2027
- Unit 2 end date: 24 March 2027
The second unit of this Certificate puts the immune system into a functional perspective and considers how it contributes to both the maintenance of health and the development of disease. Case studies will enable the exploration of issues such as allergic responses and anaphylaxis, sepsis, the mechanisms behind vaccination and protective immunity, immunopathology, and the contribution of the immune response to chronic conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s Disease.
Easter term: Cancer Immunology
- Unit 3 start date: week commencing 29 March 2027
- Unit 3 end date: 9 June 2027
The final unit delves into the relationship between cancer cells and the immune system. Consideration is given to whether cancer cells should activate the immune response and how they modulate the immune system. The development and use of immunomodulatory anticancer therapies will be discussed.
After the course
You may develop your studies by taking further courses in the Biological Sciences. We aim to offer the following courses:
Students who have successfully completed the Certificate in Immunology and the Certificate in Infectious Diseases may apply to be awarded the Certificate of Higher Education in Infection and Immunity equivalent to 120 credits at level 4.
Entry requirements
There are no formal academic entry requirements for this course. It’s open to all learners who are interested in the subject.
English language requirements
Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you’ll need to meet the requirements of one of the language proficiency tests below. You’ll need to complete your test and submit the results to our admissions team by 22 September 2026.
IELTS (Academic), IELTS for UKVI Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake
Overall score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in any component.
TOELF iBT or TOEFL Home Edition
https://www.ets.org/toefl.html
Overall score of 92, with no element below 20.
Cambridge English C2 Proficiency
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/
Overall score of 176, with no element lower than 169.
As part of our open and inclusive learning environment, you can enjoy the world-class resources and expertise of the University of Cambridge wherever you are on your academic journey.
Our video-based teaching platforms offer a flexible way to access lectures, while our Virtual Learning Environment makes it easy to study and learn online and interact with your tutor and fellow students.
Our teaching methods include lectures, presentations by guest speakers and facilitators, and interactive and experiential learning activities. We will also give you reading and assignments to complete outside of classroom sessions.
You will demonstrate your learning using a range of assignments submitted at the end of each unit and through the construction of a portfolio of work. There are more details about how this course is assessed in the course guide we will send you once you have enrolled.
Qualifications
This course is equivalent to half of the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree. It offers 60 CATS credits, which are recognised by higher education institutions and employers.
Hours of study
The award of academic credit is a means of quantifying and recognising learning and within the UK, one credit notionally represents 10 hours of learning. This course attracts 60 credits, so students should expect to need to study for approximately 600 hours in total to complete all units successfully. However, it is recognised that students study at different paces and use a variety of approaches, so this is a recommendation, rather than a hard-and-fast calculation.
SEEC Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education (2021) here.
Fees
The total fee for this course is shown above in 'Course details'.
To help you manage your finances more comfortably, you can pay the fee in instalments. For more information on payment options, and how to secure your place, see how to pay.
Funding
We're dedicated to reducing and removing financial barriers to learning. Visit financial support before applying to find out what options may be available to help you in your studies. You can explore external funding and stay up to date on our concessions and bursaries.
We're committed to supporting you in your learning journey, and we offer a variety of support opportunities to meet individual needs. Visit student support to find out more about how we can help.
