Genetics
Entry requirements
A level
including Biology and a second science
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits overall with Distinctions in 36 Level 3 credits, including Chemistry and Biology units, plus Merits in 9 Level 3 credits. Applicants are also interviewed
Extended Project
plus grades AAB including Biology and a second science The Extended Project should be in a relevant subject.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English at grade C of grade 4 and GCSE Mathematics at grade B or grade 6
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
with 6 in Higher Level Biology and a second science
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
including Biology and a second science
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
in Applied Science plus A Level grade A in a science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Further Mathematics) plus interview
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
in Applied Science including modules in Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry and Practical Chemical Analysis and no more than one of the following: Forensic Evidence Collection & analysis ,Forensic Fire Investigation or Forensic Traffic Collision investigation + Interview
Scottish Higher
plus AA including Biology and a second science
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
plus AA at A Level including Biology and a second science
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Our MBiolSci Genetics course is designed for students who want to pursue a career in industrial or academic research, with the majority of the fourth year devoted to a major research project either in industry or in an academic lab.
The course offers a broad curriculum that spans human, plant and microbial genetics, genomics, and molecular biology, allowing you to explore the genetic basis of cell function and disease. You'll study the structure and expression of genes, inheritance and mutations, and learn about the latest molecular techniques for modifying genes, including CRISPR. We'll introduce you to how modern genetics is enabling us to understand and treat a range of diseases such as cancer, and help us to tackle global challenges like food sustainability and security.
All of our students take compulsory modules designed to give you specialist knowledge of genetics, whilst also introducing you to biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology. As you progress through your degree and discover what you’re passionate about, optional modules will allow you to explore your chosen subject in greater depth, specialise in one area, keep your interests broad, or even switch to another degree programme within the molecular biosciences.
In your first year you’ll spend six hours in the lab each week learning the practical skills and knowledge that every bioscientist needs including how to establish bacterial cultures, assess bioenergetics and perform gene cloning. Analysis classes will equip you with the skills you’ll use outside the lab from interacting with your data to interpreting your findings. Your lectures will give you a broad understanding of the molecular biosciences, allowing you to explore what you’re most interested in.
In your second year you’ll begin learning more advanced scientific techniques both in the lab and in lectures with topics including experimental design, genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 and protein purification. You’ll continue to take analysis classes to develop your data handling skills further and you can choose to study modules like “Molecules to Market”, allowing you to work in teams to come up with pioneering science enterprise ideas to launch a virtual business.
In your third year you’ll complete an extended research project in an area of molecular bioscience that interests you either in the lab or in wider society, alongside your chosen specialist modules. Depending on your interests and career goals you can choose a project from: experimental science, clinical diagnostics, industrial biotechnology, molecular systems and computing, science communication or education and outreach.
In your fourth year the majority of your time will be devoted to a major research project. You can choose between spending a year in industry and completing your project at a company such as AstraZeneca, GSK, or Unilever; or undertaking projects in one of our world-leading research labs within the department or the University of Sheffield Medical School.
Accreditation
Our four-year MBiolSci degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology which shows employers that you’ve developed the extra skills and knowledge that they’re looking for.
Genetics graduates are well equipped for jobs in universities, research institutes, businesses, the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry and the growing biotechnology industry in order to begin their scientific careers. The expanding field of genomics is another popular route for our graduates, entering roles in genetic counselling and diagnostics. With a variety of key transferrable skills that employers are looking for, including teamwork skills, critical thinking, and how to present effectively, graduates are also well equipped to pursue roles outside of bioscience, from IT and business management, to finance and accounting, to events management and teaching.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
The University of Sheffield Bursary is available to home students who have a household income of £40,000 or less. You may also be eligible for an additional £250 per year depending on your postcode and grades. We use the details you submit to Student Finance and UCAS to assess your eligibility for a bursary. You don’t need to apply; if you’re eligible you’ll receive an award for each year of your course. If you're a care leaver, care for an ill or disabled family member or are estranged from your parents or guardian you may be eligible for an enhanced bursary of £4,500 per year. The University also offers a number of scholarships to help you fund your studies and enhance your learning experience. Use our Student Funding Calculator to check what funding your could be eligible for - www.sheffield.ac.uk/funding/calculator. Further information - www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-funding
The Uni
University of Sheffield
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
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
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
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.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Biosciences
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£23k
£27k
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 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).
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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