Biotechnology
University of York
UCAS Code: J700 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
University of York
UCAS Code: J700 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Essential Subjects: Biology or Human Biology and a second Science (or equivalent) are essential. We consider the following subjects as a second Science: Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Further Mathematics, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. Information: Applicants taking Science A Levels that include a practical component will be required to pass.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 36 credits at Distinction and 9 at Merit or higher including Biology and second Science-related units.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
Cambridge Pre-U Biology and a second Science are essential.
Extended Project
If you achieve B or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A Level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
With 6 in Higher Level Biology plus either 6 in another Higher Level science or mathematics subject, or 6 in two Standard Level science or mathematics subjects.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
We consider a range of OCR qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels, or in combination with A Levels or other qualifications. A Level in Biology and a second Science (or equivalent qualification) are essential. We may also consider relevant units in your OCR Cambridge Technical as A Level Science equivalent.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We consider a range of BTEC qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels, or in combination with A Levels or other qualifications. A Level in Biology and a second Science (or equivalent qualification) are essential. We may also consider relevant units in your BTEC as A Level Science equivalent. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2016 syllabus) with all 7 mandatory units. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2010 syllabus), please contact us for information on the units we accept.
Please use the course link below for more details on Scottish entry requirements.
Please use the course link below for more details on Scottish entry requirements.
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
We will consider this qualification alongside or in combination with A Levels or other qualifications, as equivalent to one A Level.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Our Biotechnology and Microbiology course examines how microorganisms can be used to produce improved therapeutic drugs, and why an understanding of microbial evolution is important for controlling pathogens.
This course is ideal if you want an interdisciplinary approach to Biotechnology and Microbiology. You will have a wide range of options to tailor the course to your developing interests. Microorganisms are an important but often overlooked form of life. They are causative agents of many diseases, and can be harnessed to produce a wide range of useful products including antibiotics and other medicines. Microbes are also vital for providing multiple ecosystem services and are crucial for agricultural systems. They can provide the means to decontaminate polluted environments and act as important models for understanding biological processes. At York, you will learn about the practical application of biological knowledge to economically important areas, such as health, food and the environment. Adding a year in industry or a year abroad are both an option with this course too, so you can benefit from the advantages that a year away can bring. The Department of Biology will provide you with the opportunity to learn in new, spacious and modern teaching laboratories which provide excellent facilities for practicals and small group project work, alongside our state-of-the-art computing facilities.
Tuition fees
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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.
Others in biosciences
Sorry, no information to show
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Microbiology and cell science
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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.
Others in 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
Microbiology and cell science
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
If you want a career in microbiology, then this is the degree to take. The recession hit the job market for microbiologists particularly badly, but things have improved very significantly since then, and microbiologists are now amongst the most employable biological sciences graduates. We don't produce many graduates in the subject every year and a lot take further qualifications on graduating. Microbiology graduates who want to leave the lab can find jobs in most industries - not just in health and hospitals, but in the food and drink, water and ecology sectors, too.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Others in 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.
£22k
£26k
£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.
Microbiology and cell science
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
£26k
£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.
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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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