Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Biology

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,A-A,B,B

Standard offer: AAA including two science-related subjects. Contextual offer: ABB including AB in two science-related subjects. Science-related subjects include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Economics; Electronics; Environmental Sciences; Further Mathematics; Geography; Geology; Mathematics; Physics; Psychology; and Statistics. Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

Access to HE Diploma in Science, Biomedical/ Medical/ Health Science or Psychology (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include: - at least 30 credits at Distinction and 15 at Merit or above; and - at least 12 credits at Distinction from units in one science and at least 12 credits (with 9 at Distinction) from units in another science. Mature students can contact [email protected] to check the suitability of their Access course.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,D3,D3

Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/ D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/ M2 is B and M3 is C

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32-36

Standard offer: 36 points overall with 18 at Higher Level, including 6, 6 at Higher Level in two science-related subjects. Contextual offer: 32 points overall with 16 at Higher Level, including 6, 5 at Higher Level in two science-related subjects. Science-related subjects include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Economics; Electronics; Environmental Sciences; Further Mathematics; Geography; Geology; Mathematics; Physics; Psychology; and Statistics. Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.

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

DDD

DDD in Applied Science BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,A

Advanced Higher: AA in two science-related subjects. Science-related subjects include: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Economics; Electronics; Environmental Sciences; Further Mathematics; Geography; Geology; Mathematics; Physics; Psychology; and Statistics.

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,A,B

Standard Higher: AAAAB.

Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.

UCAS Tariff

112-159

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

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biology

The MSci is ideal if you have ambitions to continue in biological research and want a competitive edge when applying for a PhD or research jobs.

Studying biology at Bristol exposes you to the breadth and depth of biological sciences, from enzymes to ecosystems. During your study with us you will gain knowledge of the diversity, evolution, function and interactions between animals, microbes and plants. Our course reflects the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology, taking into account the past, present and future of life on Earth.

Our biology degree starts broadly and then introduces more choice in years two and three, allowing you to specialise or maintain breadth in your studies depending on your interests.

The additional fourth year of the MSci contains advanced skills training and a substantial research project, which is especially valuable for those aiming for a career in biological sciences.

We have outstanding facilities in our state-of-the-art Life Sciences Building and our lecturers are world-leading researchers in their fields. Our internationally leading research spans animal behaviour and sensory biology, ecology and environmental change, evolutionary biology and plant and agricultural sciences.

Our Biological Sciences degrees explore the subject in detail, but do not focus on human biology. If human biology is your main area of interest, we recommend you explore the courses we offer in Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Physiological Science and Psychology.

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
£29,300
per year
International
£29,300
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Bristol

Department:

Biological 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

85%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
76%
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

78%
Library resources
79%
IT resources
92%
Course specific equipment and facilities
66%
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?

87%
UK students
13%
International students
44%
Male students
56%
Female students
93%
2:1 or above
3%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
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.

£21,500
high
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education
54%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
12%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
9%
Business, research and administrative professionals

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.

£22k

£22k

£30k

£30k

£35k

£35k

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...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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