Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Biochemistry

Entry requirements


A level

B,C,C

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (1080 glh)

DMM

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted on its own at Distinction Distinction or towards tariff/grade requirements with other qualifications

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Access to HE Diploma

M:30

Science

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

M2,M3,M3

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

25

To include at H4 Chemistry and one of: Biology, Human Biology, Science, Mathematics or Physics

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

H3,H3,H3,H3

To include Chemistry and one of: Biology, Human Biology, Science, Mathematics or Physics

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted on its own at Distinction Distinction or towards tariff/grade requirements with other qualifications

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DMM

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted on its own at Distinction Distinction or towards tariff/grade requirements with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DMM

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted on its own at Distinction Distinction or towards tariff/grade requirements with other qualifications

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

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

DMM

Accepted towards tariff requirements

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,C,C

To include Chemistry and one of: Biology, Human Biology, Science, Mathematics or Physics. Individual Advanced Highers can be accepted with Scottish Highers towards tariff requirements

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B

To include Chemistry and one of: Biology, Human Biology, Science, Mathematics or Physics

T Level

Pass (C and above)

UCAS Tariff

112

Accepted towards tariff/grade requirements

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biochemistry

Biochemistry underpins the very nature of our existence and acquiring skills and knowledge of this subject will help you solve key biological problems. Our BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree is aimed at helping you understand the interconnectedness of chemistry, physics and biology by exploring a range of different topics. This includes protein – protein interactions, recognising how macromolecular structure is closely linked to biological function and how this is perturbed in disease. You will find this course has a unique blend of biochemistry related topics including genetics, microbiology, physiology and chemistry. You can also specialise in more focused areas including thermodynamics, molecular geometry as well as medical and industrial applications of biochemistry.

Other highlights include:

- Modules designed to help you achieve the highest levels of understanding.

- Collaborations with the life science sector for industrial application.

- Practice and practical application sessions for a more engaging experience.

- Global specialists to talk through highly specialised skills. Elective modules that allow you to shape your own active blended learning experience

**By studying at the University of Northampton, you can be sure that:**

- You will experience student life at the University’s £330 million Waterside Campus. Come along to an Open Day and find out more.

- Students enrolling on this course at Northampton will be provided with their own brand new laptop* to keep at no additional cost. All sports clubs and societies are free to join at Northampton and every essential course text book is available via the library, meaning you won’t have to purchase copies. For more information on this visit our website (northampton.ac.uk/benefits).

- At UON we guarantee a room in our Halls of Residence for all new full-time, first year students who apply and accept their room offer by June 2024 - and we won't ask for a deposit for September 2024**

- Our expert academics teach in small groups supported with one to one assistance. Our academics and students form a tight bond, providing individualised support and guidance whilst challenging students academically.

- Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd.

**The Northampton Employment Promise**
- We’re so confident in our careers and employability support that if you achieve at least a 2:2 degree and complete either our Employability Plus Gold programme or achieve a Changemaker Gold Certificate during your time studying with us, but still haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating, we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you or support you into postgraduate study.

✱ eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. See northampton.ac.uk/benefits for more information
✱✱ eligibility criteria apply. See northampton.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/ for more information

Modules

**Stage 1**

• Biochemistry and Cell Biology (Compulsory)
• Introduction to Microbiology (Compulsory)
• Genetics and Molecular Biology (Compulsory)
• Biochemical Skills (Compulsory)
• Anatomy and Physiology (Compulsory)
• Foundations of Chemistry (Compulsory)

**Stage 2**

• Genes and Genomics (Designated)
• Bioscience Research Methods (Compulsory)
• Processes of Life: Biochemistry (Compulsory)
• Physiology 2 (Designated)
• Principles of Pharmacology (Designated)
• Applied Chemistry (Compulsory)
• Bioinformatics (Designated)
• Molecular and Cellular Biology (Compulsory)

**Optional Placement Year**

• Health and Life Sciences at Work (Designated)

**Stage 3**

• Work Based Learning ((Designated))
• Contemporary Issues in Biochemistry (Compulsory)
• Pathogen Biology (Designated)
• Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience (Designated)
• Integrated Medical Genetics (Designated)
• Clinical Biochemistry (Compulsory)
• Gene Regulation (Designated)
• Biochemistry Dissertation (Compulsory)

Module information is quoted for 2023 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly.

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
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Northampton

Department:

Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology

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.

Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry

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?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
32%
Male students
68%
Female students
58%
2:1 or above
16%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
D

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.

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.

£17,063
low
Average annual salary
95%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Science, engineering and production technicians
11%
Other elementary services occupations

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.

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.

£20k

£20k

£22k

£22k

£29k

£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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
Swansea University | Swansea
Biochemistry
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-136
Nearby University
University of Bedfordshire | Luton
Biochemistry
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112

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