Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Biochemistry and Genetics

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,B

including Chemistry and at least one other science subject at A level. A pass is required in science practical tests, if assessed separately (waived for 2021/22 application cycle). Acceptable second science subjects are biology, maths, further maths or physics. Maths and further maths are acceptable as second and third science subjects. Applicants must also meet the GCSE requirements to be considered.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15,P:0

To include 15 distinctions from chemistry modules and 15 distinctions from biology, physics, maths modules

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English language at grade 4 (C) or above and GCSE Maths at grade 6 (B) are required

Applications are assessed on an individual basis

Applications are assessed on an individual basis

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34

including 5/6 in chemistry and another science, in any order, at Higher Level. Acceptable second science subjects are biology, maths, further maths or physics. Maths and further maths are acceptable as second and third science subjects. Grade 4 in maths at standard level and either grade 4 in English A at standard level or grade 5 in English B at standard level.

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

DD

DD in Applied Science plus one A-Level in either chemistry, biology, physics, maths, further maths at grade A

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

D

Grade D plus A-level grades AB including chemistry and one from biology, physics, maths, further maths

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

DDD

DDD in Applied Science

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,A

including Chemistry and a second science. Offers made in conjunction with Scottish Highers grades of AABBB. Acceptable second science subjects are biology, maths, further maths or physics. Maths and further maths are acceptable as second and third science subjects.

Scottish Higher

A,A,B,B,B

in combination with grades AA in the Advanced Scottish Highers, including Chemistry and a second science. Acceptable second science subjects are biology, maths, further maths or physics. Maths and further maths are acceptable as second and third science subjects.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

B

in combination with 2 science A-levels at AA, to include Chemistry. Acceptable second science subjects are biology, maths, further maths or physics. Maths and further maths are acceptable as second and third science subjects.

UCAS Tariff

112-147

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

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Genetics

Biochemistry

This course provides a thorough, modern training in both biochemistry and genetics, emphasising common areas such as molecular biology, genetic engineering and biotechnology.

You'll gain expertise in core practices such as handling DNA and proteins and manipulating genes and genomes. These skills are highly sought after in the medicinal, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and biotechnology industries.

Teaching takes place predominately in the Medical School and will include lectures, small-group workshops, practical sessions and seminars - providing a well-rounded and dynamic learning experience.

Many of the teaching staff are actively involved in real-world research and have a strong insight into the skills which are required for a successful career in this field.

The integrated masters (MSci) version of this course provides you with additional research experience, preparing you for your future career or further postgraduate study.

Modules

There are a range of optional modules to choose from in every year of the course. You will study these alongside core modules.

During the first year, you'll be introduced to the fundamental aspects of cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, organic and inorganic chemistry, as well as core skills in biochemistry.

In the second year, your studies continue to go into greater depth. You'll cover structures, functions and analysis of proteins and genes, as well as the genetic basis of disease, cell-to-cell signalling and metabolic regulation.

You'll undertake a research project in year three, exploring an area of biochemistry that suits your personal interests in the field. This project may be lab, bioinformatics, or literature-based. There's also a large selection of optional modules to expand your learning.

If you choose to study the integrated masters (MSci), you’ll complete a year-long research project in your fourth year. This could be lab- or literature-based.

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
£27,200
per year
International
£27,200
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University Park Campus

Department:

School of Biomedical 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.

87%
Genetics
83%
Biochemistry

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.

Genetics

Teaching and learning

78%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
87%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
70%
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

87%
Library resources
91%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
61%
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?

81%
UK students
19%
International students
38%
Male students
62%
Female students
83%
2:1 or above
5%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
A

Molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry

Teaching and learning

79%
Staff make the subject interesting
92%
Staff are good at explaining things
80%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
72%
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

80%
Library resources
85%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
61%
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?

91%
UK students
9%
International students
44%
Male students
56%
Female students
77%
2:1 or above
4%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
A
A

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.

Genetics

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.

£21,000
high
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

17%
Natural and social science professionals
17%
Science, engineering and production technicians
13%
Business, finance and related associate professionals

Only a few hundred people take genetics courses every year and graduates from these courses are amongst the most likely to go on to do a doctorate when they graduate, as that's the level of qualification you need to go into a career in research in this important and fast-moving field. Lab jobs were the most popular outcome for genetics graduates, but whilst other science and technical occupations were also common, you could also find genetics graduates in a range of other roles, particularly business and finance.

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.

£21,000
med
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
73%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

15%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
14%
Natural and social science professionals
12%
Science, engineering and production technicians

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.

Genetics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£21k

£21k

£25k

£25k

£30k

£30k

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.

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.

£21k

£21k

£25k

£25k

£30k

£30k

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...

Nearby University
University of Leicester | Leicester
Medical Genetics
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 128-152
Same University
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Genetics
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-147
Higher entry requirements
University of Aberdeen | Aberdeen
Molecular Biology
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-152

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