Aberystwyth University
UCAS Code: C701 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
To include B in A Level Chemistry
The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
With 5 points in Chemistry at Higher Level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In a specified subject.
UCAS Tariff
To include B in A Level Chemistry
Aberystwyth University welcomes the Welsh Baccalaureate as a valuable qualification in its own right and considers completion of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate to be equivalent to an A level grade.
About this course
Kick-start and enhance your career prospects with our new BSc Biochemistry (with integrated year in industry). The syllabus is identical to that of its sister course BSc Biochemistry (C700) which explores the techniques that have revolutionised the study of cell biology, biological chemistry, metabolism, and molecular genetics.
As well as a solid foundation in the study of cellular, molecular and chemical biology, this course is designed to give you a head start in the competitive job market after graduation by enhancing your CV and preparing you for a job relating to your field of study. We will assist you in finding a placement relevant to the degree and you will receive support and assessment throughout the work experience year. Completing a year in industry will allow you to apply what you are learning to the work environment, make industry contacts, enhance your CV, develop practical skills and technical knowledge and apply these when you return to your studies.
The Biochemistry teaching staff are recognised as experts and innovative educators who will nurture both your intellectual curiosity and your general scientific practice. The subject is taught within an internationally recognised centre of excellence, with state of the art teaching facilities with over £55 million pounds invested. As a University, we endeavour to provide you with an exceptional and memorable student experience.
The course will prepare you for careers in areas specifically related to the discipline, such as biomedical science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research. Enhanced mathematical and computational skills, research and data analysis skills and a thorough grounding in information technology are just some of the skills with which our students leave Aberystwyth University.
Modules
In your first year you will explore the diversity of biological disciplines which includes: structure and function of plants, animals and microbes at the organismal, cellular and molecular levels; major animal vertebrate and invertebrate which will focus on physiology, muscle and locomotion, nutrition, endocrinology, cardiovascular respiratory systems and homeostasis; the diversity of microbial life, vegetation and ecosystems. In your second year you will discover: cell biology, immunology, chromosomes, molecular biology, qualitative and quantitative procedures of data analysis. Your third year will be spent in work experience. In your final year you will study: bioinformatics, genomics, pharmacology, microbes, and undertake a compulsory dissertation.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Aberystwyth University offers a valuable package of scholarships and bursaries to support students. Our long-established Entrance Examination competition means you could get up to £2,000 a year towards your living and study costs. You can combine that with any or all of our other awards, to make your financial package more valuable. Our awards include Sport and Music Scholarships, Bursaries for Care Leavers/Young Carers/Estranged Students and a range of department specific awards. Please visit our website for full details.
The Uni
Main Site (Aberystwyth)
Department of Life Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Around 2,500 graduates got degrees in this demanding but valuable subject last year. Graduates who want a career in research usually take postgraduate qualifications - over a third of graduates in the subject took this option - but those who want to start work when they graduate have a lot to choose from. Laboratory work and other jobs in the biosciences are popular, as well as in education, but many biochemistry graduates find their way into the finance industry and as a consequence, graduates from these disciplines are particularly likely to get jobs in London and the South East.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£22k
£23k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
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Course location and department:
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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