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Biotechnology (Applied Molecular Biology) with Industrial Placement

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

A minimum of 3 A Levels at ABB, to include AB from Chemistry and Biology. For Second Year entry, a minimum of 3 A Levels at AAB, to include AB from Chemistry and Biology. Also required: GCSE at C or above in English or English Language, Mathematics and in either Chemistry, or Physics or Dual Award Science.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34

A minimum of 34 points, to include 6 points at HL from Chemistry and Biology. For Second Year entry, a minimum of 36 points, to include 6 points minimum at HL required from Chemistry and Biology. A minimum of Standard level in English and Maths required.

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

H2,H2,H2,H2,H3

5 subjects at Higher, with 4 at H2 and 1 at H3. H2 from Chemistry and Biology.

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

DDD

Main subjects to be in Science or Mathematics. In addition GCSE at C (or Grade 4) or above in English or English Language, Mathematics and in either Chemistry or Physics or Dual Award Science. (NOTE: BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate (Subsidiary Diploma) achieved at Distinction level, is normally acceptable in lieu of one A Level at grade B).

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,B

Applicants who achieve AAAB or better over S4 and S5 are likely to be made an offer of admission. This may be unconditional or conditional, dependent upon academic profile. Good performance in additional Highers / Advanced Highers may be required. Note: we do not double count a Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject, but we do consider that a B at Adv Higher is equivalent to an A grade at Higher National 5 in English, Mathematics and in either Chemistry or Physics at minimum grade C grades AB from Higher Chemistry and Biology

UCAS Tariff

126-128

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

About this course


Course option

5years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biotechnology

Enhance your undergraduate degree with a year's placement in an industrial, commercial or research environment. Biotechnology is a technology based on the unique properties of biological molecules, cells and organisms, and provides new ways of diagnosing disease, producing antibiotics, pharmaceuticals and chemical feedstocks for industrial processes, reducing industrial contamination of the environment and improving food safety.

The study of biotechnology at Aberdeen involves study of microbiology, biochemistry and genetics. Knowledge of all three subjects is crucial in an area where microorganisms are frequently being genetically engineered to perform novel or enhanced biochemical reactions, and will become increasingly important as synthetic biology is used throughout biotechnological processes.

The potential of biotechnology to provide new health products, new fuels such as hydrogen, advances in agriculture and management of the environment (eg. oil spill clean-up) is immense but at present only partly tapped. Biotechnology is well-placed to contribute significantly to future sustainable technology development.

In your fourth year you will undertake a year's industrial placement and graduate after five years with an MSci (an undergraduate Masters degree) instead of a BSc. Placements vary considerably but in general terms, you will be placed in an industrial, commercial or research environment where you will obtain a breadth of practical experience to complement your degree programme and enhance your employability.

**We are ranked 1st in the UK for Anatomy and Physiology in The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.**

Modules

View all modules on the programme page to find out more about what you will be studying and when. University of Aberdeen modules are designed to give you breadth and depth to your degree. The range of modules you study will allow you to become proficient in all subjects which are directly relevant to your degree giving you greater career options.

Assessment methods

Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods: coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course; practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course; and written examinations at the end of each course. The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.

Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

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
£24,800
per year
International
£24,800
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

Extra funding

View the University of Aberdeen Online Prospectus programme page to find out about any scholarships and funding you may be eligible to apply for.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Aberdeen

Department:

School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

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.

Biotechnology

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?

18%
UK students
82%
International students
40%
Male students
60%
Female students
69%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
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.

Biotechnology

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.

£26,500
med
Average annual salary
92%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

51%
Engineering professionals
7%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
6%
Business, research and administrative professionals

This is a new and emerging field of technology and not many people completed degrees in biotechnology last year — it’s more common as a Masters degree. Further study is common for graduates as research jobs usually require a postgraduate qualification. Those who do go straight into work typically go into a range of biology and lab jobs in several different industries, but a good grade can be particularly important for this qualification, so bear that in mind.

Explore these similar courses...

Lower entry requirements
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Biotechnology
Msci (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 96-135
Higher entry requirements
University of Cambridge | Cambridge
Natural Sciences
Msci (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 160
Nearby University
Robert Gordon University | Aberdeen
Mechanical Engineering
Msci (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 102-104

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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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