Biological Science (With Foundation Year)
University of Bedfordshire
UCAS Code: C1FY | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
University of Bedfordshire
UCAS Code: C1FY | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
A science A-Level is preferred.
Successfully completed Access Diploma course. A science subject is preferred.
32 - 48 UCAS Tariff Points. A science subject is preferred.
32 - 48 UCAS Tariff Points. A science subject is preferred.
UCAS Tariff
A Level 3 qualification in a science subject is preferred.
About this course
This course offers you a wide understanding of life, ranging from single-celled organisms to more complex systems found in plants, animals and humans. You explore their structure at molecular, cellular and organismal level. You gain advanced knowledge in the fields of microbiology; physiology; biochemistry; ecology; evolution; molecular and cellular biology; mechanisms of health and disease; and the application of biology in industry. The course also helps you evaluate and confidently discuss the ethical issues around biological developments such as cloning.
**Foundation Year**
In the Foundation year you will study three days per week. The focus will be on academic writing skills and numeracy, plus subject-specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree. It provides a balance between content related to your chosen subject and the range of wider skills required for undergraduate study. This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will be required to pass the foundation year in order to progress to the first year of your degree. This course is ideal for those who do not meet our standard entry requirements or those with a non-standard educational background. It will allow you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree in your chosen subject in four years.
**Facilities and Specialist Equipment**
- Contemporary STEM building with high-tech labs and bespoke study spaces, providing you with a vibrant and supportive learning environment.
- Cell culture lab and specialised analytical science suite.
- HPLC, FTIR and GC-MS machines alongside facilities for qPCR and protein purification, allowing you to carry out high-end biotech experiments.
**Partnerships and Collaborations**
- Our Life Sciences Liaison Board works with industry professionals across the pharma-biotech, health and food sectors, including Glaxo Smith Kline, Life Science Group and GrowPura. Our collaboration within the sector help you establish links and gain valuable work experience.
**Your Student Experience**
- Enjoy practical-oriented, real-world learning that prepares you for employment in your specialist field.
- Get involved in field trips to industry leaders like Biogen, MSD Merck and the Centre for Alternative Technologies.
- Benefit from industry masterclasses and visits from a range of experts including Rothamsted Research; Glaxo Smith Kline; MSD Merck; Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; and UK Health Security Agency.
- Make the most of our annual STEM Careers Expo, bringing together employers and students through presentations, workshops and networking sessions.
- Take part in our Student Skills Lab scheme, where you’ll learn and test out cutting-edge practical techniques with the support of recent graduates.
- Learn from an academic team with active industry involvement and research expertise in progressive areas such as drug development, food security and cancer pathways.
- In your final year, undertake your own research project under the guidance of the Biological Science team, all of whom are actively involved in research themselves.
Modules
Areas of study include:
- Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Microbiology and Biochemistry
- Molecular Genetics
- Skills in Biological Science
- Animals and Plants in Crime
- Biochemistry
- Biotechnology
- Ecology and Evolution
- Environmental Change
- Food Microbiology
- Medical Physiology
- Skills in Science
- Applied Plant Science
- Biological Science Research Project
- Biology of Disease
- Biotechnology Innovations
- Cellular Biology
- Environmental Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Every effort is made to ensure this information is accurate at the point of publication on the UCAS website. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to our website.
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)
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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.
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
£22k
£25k
£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 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:
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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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