Biological Sciences with a Year Abroad

UCAS code: C105

Here's what Swansea University says about its Biological Sciences with a Year Abroad course.

A deep academic understanding of life on Earth is now more important than ever. Studying living organisms in all their fascinating variety helps us to identify critical threats and major opportunities, from the smallest scale to the largest.

This three-year biology degree gives you the flexibility to fully explore biological sciences over the course of one full academic year, before committing to a specific degree path. You’ll dive deep into Biology, Marine Biology, and Zoology in the first year so you can make an informed decision about which degree to complete and choose your specialisation before moving into Year 2.

As part of this programme, you will spend a year abroad between your second and final year, broadening your skills and experience. Our partner institutions span the globe, with opportunities varying each year. If you wish to receive more information, please get in touch with us on [email protected]

Local, residential, and international field courses allow you to work in varied habitats. You can explore the spectacular marine coastal ecosystems, freshwater environments, and terrestrial habitats of the Gower Peninsula on our doorstep. You will benefit from excellent teaching facilities for ecological, physiological, and molecular studies, including new laboratory facilities, the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, a zoology museum, a custom-designed 18-metre research vessel, and a unique visualisation suite to explore in unrivalled detail complex animal movement and behaviour data. In your final year, you will complete a research project which may be field-based, laboratory-based or purely analytical.

Your learning will be shaped by inspirational and internationally-renowned academics including Professor Rory Wilson – Chief Scientific Consultant behind National Geographic’s Great Migrations, and Dr Richard Unsworth – advisor on the globally acclaimed BBC series Blue Planet II.

The BSc Biological Sciences course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, and covers themes including animal and marine welfare and conservation, the biological control of invertebrate pests, microbiology, and ocean and climate.

Our proximity to a diverse range of contrasting environments plus our own facilities provides a wide scope for customising your learning experience. Local, residential and international field courses will allow you to work in habitats such as the spectacular marine coastal ecosystems, freshwater/wetland environments and terrestrial habitats of Gower.

Year 1: 8 compulsory modules with examples of possible modules being: Cellular & Microbial Biology, Evolution and Genetics & Life in the Oceans.

Years 2 and 4: depends on which degree scheme is pursued [please see BSc Biology, BSc Marine Biology or BSc Zoology]. A total of 120 credits must be pursued in each year

You will spend Year 3 at one of our partner institutions abroad. This is a marvellous opportunity to experience a different culture and, depending on the destination, to develop valuable language skills.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars and discussion groups supported by practical classes and field courses. You will be assessed through a variety of methods, including examinations, coursework and a practical research project.