Biomedical Science
Aston University, Birmingham
UCAS Code: C900 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
BBB in three A level subjects including Biology. Excluded Subjects: We welcome the following subjects as an additional A level, but not as one of the core three A levels - General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship Studies. BBC in three A level subjects including Biology and B in either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). BCC in three A level subjects including Biology for our contextual offer scheme (more details https: //www2aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextuaI¬offer). We welcome applications from students who have tried to improve their examination grades by taking resits and only your latest grades will be accepted. We treat these applications in exactly the same way as other applications.
Access to HE Diploma
Subjects Accepted: Applied Science, Biology combined with Chemistry, Biomedical Science, Biosciences, Combined Sciences, Health Sciences, Health Sciences Professions, Life Sciences and Sciences.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Five GCSEs which must include Mathematics and English all at grade C/4. Please note we do not accept Key skills or Functional skills in place of these.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
31 points overall and must include grades 5, 5, 5 in Higher Level subjects which must include Biology. You must also have Standard Level grade 5 in both Mathematics and English.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
With this BTEC you must also achieve grade B in A-Level Biology. Contextual offer students must also achieve grade C in A-Level Biology (more details https: //www2aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextuaIoffer).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
With this BTEC you must also achieve grades BB in two A levels of which one must be Biology. Contextual offer students must also achieve grade BC in two A levels of which one must be Biology (more details https: //www2aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextuaIoffer).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
With this BTEC you must also achieve grade B in A-Level Biology. Contextual offer students must also achieve grade C in A-Level Biology (more details https: //www2aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextuaIoffer).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
With this BTEC you must also achieve grades BB in two A levels of which one must be Biology. Contextual offer students must also achieve grade BC in two A levels of which one must be Biology (more details https: //www2aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextuaIoffer).
Scottish Higher
Biology at Higher Level required.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Our dual Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and Royal Society of Biology (RSB) accredited Biomedical Science degree focuses on current clinical practice. It has been designed to provide you with the necessary academic requirements to allow you apply to become a registered Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
It covers a range of disciplines including microbiology, physiology and immunology, as well as common aspects of medicine and care, such as blood transfusions; and explores the impact on the human body on things like exercise, temperature, and disease.
During your time on the course you could get to:
- Undertake liver function tests
- Learn how to set up and read an ECG
- Determine your own blood group
- Undertake research to explore new clinical treatments
- Practice key techniques used in pathology laboratories like preparing and staining tissue samples, and examining serum samples.
By studying at Aston, you’ll have the opportunity to gain invaluable real-world experience in the NHS or industry through an optional placement year: giving you the platform for a career that saves and transforms lives.
Designed to make you stand out in the graduate crowd, you could undertake a placement in a hospital, industrial or research laboratory, or in a non-laboratory setting. Our students have completed placements in clinical trial companies, research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, medical sales, biotechnology companies and NHS organisations.
Key course benefits:
- Dual accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and the Royal Society of Biology (RSB).
- Top 15 in the UK for graduate prospects (Biological Sciences, Sunday Times, 2021).
- Our optional placement year offers you the opportunity to gain valuable experience and set your studies in the context of a working environment, designed to boost your future employment prospects.
- Top 20 in the UK for satisfaction with teaching (Biosciences, Guardian University Guide, 2020).
- 92% of BSc Biomedical Science students were satisfied with their course (National Student Survey, 2020).
- Top 35 in the UK for Biosciences graduate salaries three years after graduation (Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data, 2020).
Modules
Year 1
Learn from a range of bioscience academics and complete a number of specialist sessions with practicing biomedical scientists. You’ll study the key biology topics that will form the basis of your biomedical science education, preparing you for specialist modules in later years. You will also develop the knowledge to undertake laboratory work safely. Core modules: Biomolecules, Cells to Systems, Microbiology and Genetics, and Metabolism and Physiology for Biomedical Science
Year 2
Study new specialist subject areas and revisit previously studied topics at a deeper level. You’ll learn how to select appropriate experimental approaches and test hypotheses, in addition to participating in Problem Based Learning (PBL), where you (as part of a group) will be set a problem and asked to provide a solution through independent research. Core modules: Clinical Sciences, Mechanisms of Pathology, Cell Signalling and Physiology, and Clinical Genetics and Human Disease.
Placement year (optional)
The optional placement year gives you the opportunity to gain valuable career boosting experience by setting your studies in a real world context of a working environment alongside professionals. You will get the chance to undertake your placement in a wide variety of settings such as hospitals, industrial or research laboratories or non-laboratory settings.
Final year
Acquire the skills required to undertake an individual original research project, study a small number of advanced topics, in addition to critically reflecting on the enhancement of patient care and the importance of codes and acts in biomedical science. Core modules: Immunology and Inflammation, Clinical and Food Microbiology, Research Project Preparation, Research Project, and Professional Skills for Biomedical Scientists.In addition you will complete one optional module.
For more information, please visit our website.
Assessment methods
As a biomedical science student, you will be taught by experts in their field of biosciences about topics they have a passion for. You’ll encounter a wide range of teaching approaches, from lectures and group work to practical sessions and interactive workshops and tutorials. We utilise a wide range of assessments linked to learning outcomes, such as: exams, essay writing, practical and laboratory reports, presentations, and peer assessment.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Aston University, Birmingham
School of Biosciences
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.
Biomedical sciences (non-specific)
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.
Subjects allied to medicine
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
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Medical sciences
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£23k
£26k
£25k
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.
Explore these similar courses...
Same University
Nearby University
Lower entry requirements
Lower entry requirements
Higher entry requirements
Higher entry requirementsThis is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
