Human Biosciences

UCAS code: 1262

Here's what Birmingham City University says about its Human Biosciences course.

Human Biosciences is an exciting branch of modern science, involving many disciplines and cutting-edge technology. It is focused on human biology and health, providing a perfect springboard for a variety of careers within the growing life sciences sector.

Our degree is practice-led and designed to support you to develop a range of practical and analytical skills, valued by employers. Through the course, you will gain an insight into human life processes, both in health and disease.

What's covered in this course?

Our Human Biosciences course encompasses several disciplines, including human anatomy and physiology, human nutrition and metabolism, human molecular genetics, infection and immunity, pharmacology and toxicology and science communication. These subjects play a huge role in healthcare provision and medical research, as well as underpinning the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. With input from industry and healthcare science, this course has been designed to help you develop important practical and scientific skills sought after by employers.

To further support your employability, you will have the opportunity to complete a professional placement year in an industrial or research setting between years two and three of the course. You would be responsible for securing your placement with support from our dedicated placements tutor, however a placement cannot be guaranteed. In the final year you will also undertake an independent research project under the guidance of one of our expert academic staff.

During year one, you will learn alongside students on our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science course. During years two and three you will study a Human Biosciences-specific curriculum, covering a greater variety of subjects with more optional modules in your final year compared with the IBMS-accredited BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science. These include human nutrition and metabolism, communicating science, biomaterials and tissue engineering, proteomics, and pharmacology and toxicology.

This gives you the opportunity to explore subjects which you may wish to build upon in your career, in roles in drug development and clinical trials, sales and marketing, or research, or through postgraduate level study for example in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, Dietetics, or Medical Engineering.

Professional Placement Year

This course offers an optional professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, following successful completion of your second year, and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.

If you choose to pursue a placement year, you will need to find a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional, and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you are able to secure a placement, you can request to be transferred to the placement version of the course.

Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year.