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Biological Sciences

Entry requirements


A level

B,C,C

to include two science subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Health and Food Technology, Physics, Maths, Psychology and Life & Health Science

Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6)

Pass

Accepted as equivalent to one Higher at grade B as part of the overall grade profile of Highers required for entry. Any essential subjects at Higher should still be achieved in addition to the Foundation Apprenticeship.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

28

including two sciences at HL 4

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H3,H3,H3

including 2 sciences e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

in Applied Science or Science

Scottish HNC

Pass

Level 1: HNC Applied Sciences (or other relevant science subject) with graded unit C Year 2: HNC 15 credits in relevant subject - graded unit B - to include Genetics, DNA Structure and Human Physiology/Human Body Structure and Function

Scottish HND

Pass

Year 3: HND in relevant subject - graded units BB to include Genetics, DNA Structure and Human Physiology /Human Body Structure and Function and Human Metabolism

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,C

to include two science subjects e.g. Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Health and Food Technology, Physics, Maths, Application of Math, Psychology or Environmental Science

T Level

M

Health and Science: Science

UCAS Tariff

102-104

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biological sciences

Recent advances in the field of Biological Sciences have revolutionised the way we understand and treat disease. Stem cell and novel cell based therapies and personalised medicine are increasingly in the headlines and Biological Scientists are leading the way in developing these powerful new therapeutic options. Modern medicine requires an understanding of the key interactions of molecules and cells both internally within the cell and the body and externally from the environment. This can include how a cell responds to a specific pathogen, or how a drug targets a specific pathogen or cellular protein. Equally, external stimuli, such as chemicals, toxic waste or carcinogens, can also have an effect on how cells grow and divide, modifying their function with devastating consequences for health. The Biological Sciences programme at GCU has a strong focus on human disease and aims to help you understand these events, and demonstrate how therapies that may correct or prevent the diseased state are developed.

Biological Sciences is the study of biology from molecules through to whole body systems, looking at what goes on inside a cell or organism and examining how cells communicate and interact with each other to influence physiological mechanisms in health and disease.

The Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences has an excellent teaching and research record. It combines a friendly learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities. It offers a range of support tailored to individual needs where necessary, including open door access. Major emphasis is placed upon laboratory work throughout the programme. This enhances your learning, by linking theory with practice, giving you the lab skills which employers seek.

Modules

Level 1
CELLS & BIOMOLECULES
CHEMISTRY
CORE SKILLS IN BIOSCIENCES 1
PHYSIOLOGY 1
PHYSIOLOGY 2

Level 2
CORE SKILLS IN BIOSCIENCE 2
INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY
MECHANISMS OF CELLULAR REGULATION
FUNDAMENTAL CELL BIOLOGY
IMMUNOLOGY
PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

Level 3
Compulsory modules:
MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN & ANALYSIS
MOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS

Optional modules
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF DRUG ACTION
SYSTEMATIC & CELLULAR PATHOLOGY
BIOSCIENCE WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE
FOOD SCIENCE
BIOINFORMATICS & GENOMICS
NUTRITION & PUBLIC HEALTH
PHARMACOLOGY OF CHEMICAL MEDIATORS

Level 4
Compulsory modules:
PROJECTS & WORKSHOPS
BIOLOGY OF DISEASE
TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
CELL INTERACTIONS & NETWORKS
FOOD TOXICOLOGY

Optional modules
MOLECULAR VIROLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY
NEUROPHARMACOLOGY
EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIONS

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£15,200
per year
International
£15,200
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£1,820
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Glasgow Caledonian University

Department:

Department of Life Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


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.

Biosciences (non-specific)

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

93%
UK students
7%
International students
46%
Male students
54%
Female students
88%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

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.

Biosciences (non-specific)

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.

£22,000
high
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

38%
Natural and social science professionals
18%
Science, engineering and production technicians
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

These stats refer to the prospects of graduates from general courses in biosciences. About a quarter go into further study and for those who go into work, bioscience, teaching and finance jobs are the most common types of employment. But you can go into most careers with this kind of degree — the majority of jobs for graduates don’t ask for a particular degree subject - and you will acquire a wide range of skills valued by many employers. If you want to find out more specifically about the prospects for your chosen subject, it might be a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates from your chosen subject went on to do.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Biosciences (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£26k

£26k

£29k

£29k

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):

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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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here