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Biological Sciences with Foundation

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C

Including Biology or Chemistry. A second science subject from either Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required. Please note: You will also be excepted to achieve a Pass grade in the practical endorsement for any of the following A levels - Biology, Chemistry, Physics - if taken with one of the Awarding Bodies in England.

Access to HE Diploma

D:15,M:15,P:15

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 15 credits must be at Distinction, 15 credits at Merit and 15 credits at Pass or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

26

To include grades 4,4,4 from three HL subjects including Biology or Chemistry. A second science subject at Higher Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.

Queen Mary University of London welcomes applications from students currently studying Level 3 BTEC qualifications and will consider you for entry to the majority of our undergraduate courses. The typical entry requirements will vary according to the course you are applying for. Some of our courses require specific subject knowledge which you may not be able to cover as part of a Level 3 BTEC qualification and we may therefore require additional Level 3 qualifications to ensure that you are suitably prepared for relevant courses. A small number of our courses do not accept BTEC qualifications for entry, either as a standalone qualification, or in combination with other qualifications at Level 3. Information on our typical entry requirements and guidance for applying can be found at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/btec/ If you are at all unsure about the acceptability of your BTEC qualification for entry, please contact the Admissions team for individual advice ([email protected]).

UCAS Tariff

96

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

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time including foundation year | 2024

Subject

Biology

Combine a foundation year with a traditional university degree in the biological sciences.

Get the skills and experience you need to study an undergraduate degree in the biological sciences with our integrated foundation programme, open to UK/EU and international students. You are guaranteed a place on one of the following programmes at Queen Mary if you pass the foundation year, without having to re-apply through UCAS:
Biochemistry
Biology
Biomedical Sciences
Medical Genetics
Neuroscience
Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics
Psychology
Zoology
As a foundation student you’ll have full access to all student facilities, including welfare, library, social and sport. UK and EU foundation students are eligible for funding through the Student Loans Company. You’ll be taught on our Mile End campus by experienced university staff who also teach on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

You can choose your own pathway through this degree, some with the option to carry out an additional year of advanced study to graduate with an MSci.

Modules

Year 0

One Year-long double module allocated based on previous maths qualifications:

Mathematics A or
Mathematics B

Semester 1
Communication in Science & Technology
Form and Function in Biology
Introductory Chemistry

Semester 2
A Closer Look at Chemistry
Diversity and Ecology
Molecules to Cells

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Assessment methods

Measuring attainment in our modules against the intended learning outcomes involves either a series of coursework elements (practical reports, field course reports, essays, problem sheets, online exercises and tests), an end of semester final summative assessment/written exam or a combination of both. Final-year students undertake a research or investigative project, assessed with a detailed written report, poster and interview.

Tuition fees

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

England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Queen Mary University of London

Department:

Biological and Behavioural Sciences

Read full university profile

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.

79%
Biology

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.

Biology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

69%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
57%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

68%
Library resources
60%
IT resources
83%
Course specific equipment and facilities
71%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

81%
UK students
19%
International students
30%
Male students
70%
Female students
83%
2:1 or above
16%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

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.

Biology (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.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
90%
low
Employed or in further education
55%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

20%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Other elementary services occupations
10%
Science, engineering and production technicians

The recession was tough on biology graduates, and although the jobs market has improved for them - a lot - it's still not back to where it was a few years ago. If you want a career in biology research — and a lot of biology students do - you'll need to take a doctorate, so give some thought as to where you might do it and how you might fund it (the government still funds doctorates for good students). A lot of graduates also take 1 year Masters courses to specialise in this wide and deep subject - most students take a standard biology course for their first degree and then specialise in subjects like ecology, conservation or marine biology later. Hospitals, universities, biotech firms, zoos and nature reserves and clinical and scientific testing are common industries of employment for biology graduates.

What about your long term prospects?

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

Biology (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.

£23k

£23k

£27k

£27k

£31k

£31k

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...

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University of Brighton | Brighton and Hove
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UCAS Points: 104-120
Higher entry requirements
Queen Mary University of London | Tower Hamlets
Biology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 128
Same University
Queen Mary University of London | Tower Hamlets
Biology with a Year Abroad
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 128

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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 the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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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:

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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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

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