Swansea University
UCAS Code: CC47 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Biology and Chemistry essential.
At least 24 Distinctions and 15 Merits in Level 3 Credits including Distinctions in ALL Biology and Chemistry modules.
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a Grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Including good HL grades in Chemistry and Biology.
5 Higher subjects at min. H3 inc. Biology = H2 & Chemistry = H2
Distinction (D) in a relevant BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (6 units) is accepted in place of one A-Level (A2) (other than Chemistry or Biology). Typically Distinction to Double Distinction plus A Level Grade B in Biology and Chemistry.
Scottish Advanced Higher at equivalent grade is accepted in place of any A-Level (A2).
Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.
Welsh Baccalaureate at equivalent grade is accepted in place of one A-Level (A2) (other than Chemistry or Biology).
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
The Biochemistry & Genetics Joint Honours degree offers modules from both the separate Single Honours Biochemistry and Single Honours Genetics degrees and covers a broader range of topics within the fields of biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology. It is intended to demonstrate the overlapping principles of the two disciplines and allows greater flexibility in choice of modules. The Biochemistry and Genetics course is intended for students who have studied Chemistry and Biology.
This course will appeal to students who are enthusiastic about following a broad and flexible approach to understanding the molecular basis of life processes and inheritance mechanisms.
In the final year, you will complete a research project under the guidance of a professional research scientist. By working as an independent researcher, you will develop effective project management skills and will be trained to design experiments and plan work programmes.
This degree will prepare you for roles in a wide variety of professions, including the pharmaceutical industry, forensic science, and the development of new crops and agrochemicals. Our graduates have gone on to employment or further study in: university research, industrial research & development, clinical sciences, teaching, forensics, scientific management, medical sales, scientific publicity, graduate-entry medicine.
Modules
Year 1
Genetics, Genomics & Evolution
Chemistry for Biochemists
Energy and Metabolism: The Reactions of Life
Microbiology
Human Physiology
Organic Chemistry: an Introduction for Life Sciences.
Population Genomics
Epigenetics, Gene Regulation and Disease
Chemical Analysis: from Composition to Structure Elucidation; an Introduction for Life Sciences.
Year 2
Microbial Molecular Genetics
Human and Medical Genetics
Metabolic Regulation: Enzymes & Signal Transduction
Human Immunology
Molecular Evolution
Bioethics
Introduction to neuroscience
Biostatistics
Advanced metabolism
Techniques in molecular biology
Year 3
Membranes and energy transduction
Capstone project
Teaching science
Animal Development
Membrane Trafficking
Advanced Biostatistics
Medical Genetics
Genetic Toxicology
Genetics of Cancer
Nucleic acids: components, metabolism and modification
Human Immunopathology
Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
The Neuroscience of Learning, Memory and Cognition
Advanced Research Topics in Biomedical Science
Assessment methods
A wide variety of assessment methods is used in addition to the more traditional written exams, essays, lab reports and project dissertations. Students may undertake coursework such as: online web assignments, online problem solving, poster production, talks, slide presentations, screencasts, and literature reviews. Some of these tasks develop groupwork skills.
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.
Genetics
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)
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
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.
Genetics
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
Only a few hundred people take genetics courses every year and graduates from these courses are amongst the most likely to go on to do a doctorate when they graduate, as that's the level of qualification you need to go into a career in research in this important and fast-moving field. Lab jobs were the most popular outcome for genetics graduates, but whilst other science and technical occupations were also common, you could also find genetics graduates in a range of other roles, particularly business and finance.
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
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
Around 2,500 graduates got degrees in this demanding but valuable subject last year. Graduates who want a career in research usually take postgraduate qualifications - over a third of graduates in the subject took this option - but those who want to start work when they graduate have a lot to choose from. Laboratory work and other jobs in the biosciences are popular, as well as in education, but many biochemistry graduates find their way into the finance industry and as a consequence, graduates from these disciplines are particularly likely to get jobs in London and the South East.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Genetics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£23k
£26k
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.
Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£23k
£26k
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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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
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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?
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