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Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Natural Sciences

Durham University

(3.9)
114 reviews

Entry requirements

Here's what you will need to get a place on the Natural Sciences course at Durham University.

Select a qualification to see required grades

A level

A*,A,A

The standard offer is A*AA and you will need specific A level grades depending on subject choices. Biology: A in either Biology or Chemistry. Chemistry: AA in any order in Chemistry and Mathematics. Computer Science: A in Mathematics. Economics: A in Mathematics. Mathematics: Either AA in any order in Maths and Further Maths at A level or A* in Maths plus A in AS Further Maths for students unable to take A2 Further Maths. Physics: A*A in any order in Maths and Physics. All applicants wishing to study Psychology will need to have achieved Grade 5 (or grade B) in Mathematics at GCSE, or equivalent. Information: Specific subjects may be required depending upon the combination of subjects to be studied. Please see the website for more information. Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A Levels.

Course summary

What this course is about

UCAS code: CFG0

Here's what Durham University says about its Natural Sciences course.

Course details Natural Sciences is a challenging and rewarding choice for science students who wish to study more than one subject. The BSc in Natural Sciences is one of our most flexible courses. This well-established, challenging and rewarding degree is ideal if your interests span a range of subjects including at least one science. It offers the opportunity to build on your existing interests and explore new subjects. Studying across disciplines, you’ll build a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills that you can put to use in a wide range of industries, in the sciences and across a wider range of professions. It also provides a springboard into postgraduate study. You can find more information about the subjects on offer by scrolling to the bottom of the page for Provider Information and select Visit our Course Page under Course Contact Details.

Why Durham University? Real-world challenges often require multidisciplinary solutions. Our Natural Sciences degrees allow students to combine either traditional Joint-Honours degrees or transcend traditional subject boundaries, bringing together a range of ideas and disciplinary perspectives. You can study for a BSc or MSci. Both qualifications allow you to design your own degree, majoring in at least one science subject: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Earth Sciences; Mathematics; Physics; and Psychology; with the possibility of studying a second science discipline, Anthropology, Business, Economics, Education, Geography, Philosophy or Sport & Exercise Sciences. You will have access to a wide range of facilities across multiple departments. Facilities will depend on the subject specialism but include laboratories, libraries, project spaces, lecture theatres, study and networking spaces as well as shared social spaces. You will also benefit from excellent IT facilities including Learn Ultra, Durham’s virtual learning environment. You will have access to up to 1.6 million printed books, 25,000 eJournals and over 850,000 eBooks in the main library.

Rankings 3rd in the UK Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 5th in the Guardian University Guide 2026 5th in the UK Complete University Guide 2026 Top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2026

Careers Opportunities Graduates acquire a valuable range of subject-specific skills across disciplines with the capacity to make creative connections. They are highly employable in a diverse range of careers and sectors. Natural Sciences graduates have the academic knowledge, flexibility and technical skills to take on roles including consulting, accounting, banking and investment, research, software engineer, data scientist, international development, and government.

Source: Durham University

Course details

Qualification

Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Department

Natural Sciences

Location

Durham City | Durham

Duration

3 Years

Study mode

Full-time

Subjects

• Natural sciences

Start date

28 September 2026

Application deadline

14 January 2026

The modules you will study

For current information please scroll to the bottom of the page for Provider Information and select Visit our Course Page under Course Contact Details.

How you will be assessed

All subjects are assessed by examinations, but there may be some element of continuous assessment in modules where there is a practical element. Assessment is designed to evaluate your knowledge and understanding of the material, test your critical thinking and determine your ability to relate your learning to real-world issues.

In your final year, you will be required to study modules where the content is student driven and involves independent thought and personal management of the work’s direction.

In addition to the help provided by your subject lecturers, you can also access extensive support for your assessments through ASC, the Academic Skills Centre. See below for details: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/centres/academic-skills-centre/

Durham University reviews

(3.9)
Based on 114 reviews from Durham University's students and alumni
5 star
35%
4 star
35%
3 star
19%
2 star
6%
1 star
6%
All reviews

Showing 106 reviews

Graduate

The SU building is uninviting. The SU didnu2019t seem to run many events or fun activities. It seemed to just exist.

(1)

1 year ago

Graduate

Itu2019s good if youu2019re able to participate in college life. But, it can be quite cliquey and as a non-British student it can be isolating.

(2)

1 year ago

Graduate

Accommodation is way too expensive for what and where it is. Durham is a small place with not much to do. Itu2019s beautiful and can be lovely, but rent prices are clearly inflated for student homes and the atmosphere and access to amenities does not warrant the prices.

(1)

1 year ago

Graduate

All around I think Durham does support rather well. Academic support especially - the process of getting extensions was smooth.

(5)

1 year ago

Graduate

The available facilities are great. But, there are very limited places to eat on campus and those available are often not very clean. All the ones I went to were also far more expensive than my friendsu2019 at other universities cafes and refectories.

(4)

1 year ago

Graduate

The teaching was good but I think it sacrificed giving space and time to learn the basics that would later be assessed in national exams like the new Solicitors Qualifying Exam in favour of delving deep into academic and theoretical aspects of law. For someone choosing to go into academia itu2019s t...

(4)

1 year ago

National Student Survey (NSS) scores

The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.

Here you can see ratings from Durham University students who took the Natural Sciences course - or another course in the same subject area.

Natural sciences (non-specific)

Select an option to see a detailed breakdown

How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?

92%

med

How good are teaching staff at explaining things?

96%

med

How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?

83%

med

How often is the course intellectually stimulating?

98%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?

85%

low

How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?

90%

med

How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?

83%

med

To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?

90%

med

To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?

84%

med

How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?

85%

high

How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?

95%

high

How often does feedback help you to improve your work?

74%

med

How often have you received assessment feedback on time?

88%

med

How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?

78%

med

How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?

98%

high

How well have teaching staff supported your learning?

89%

med

How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?

92%

high

How well organised is your course?

88%

med

How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?

93%

med

How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?

90%

med

How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?

94%

med

How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?

60%

med

To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?

90%

med

To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?

84%

med

How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?

50%

low

During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?

93%

high

How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?

84%

med

Student information

See who's studying at Durham University. These students are taking Natural Sciences or another course from the same subject area.

Natural sciences
Mode of study
Full-time100%
Gender ratio
Female48%Male52%
Where students come from
International11%UK89%
Student performance
2:1 or above81%
Number of students785
Most popular A-levels studied
SubjectGrade
MathematicsA*
ChemistryA*
Further MathematicsA
PhysicsA
BiologyA*
Source: HESA

Graduate prospects

What graduates do next

We have no information about graduates who took Natural Sciences at Durham University.

Earnings after graduation

Earnings from Durham University graduates who took Natural Sciences - or another course in the same subject area.

General, applied and forensic sciences

Earnings

£30.7k

First year after graduation

Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Natural Sciences.

Source: LEO

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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