Course in brief

Our Biological Sciences BSc(Hons) covers everything from microbiology and biochemistry to ecology and physiology. Shifting between the microscopic and macroscopic level, we teach you how modern biology can be used to understand and change the world we live in.

With both optional modules and an optional placement year, you have the freedom to shape your learning experience and career. You will also benefit from a range of field trips and a teaching team who are recognised experts in their fields.

Our industry-standard facilities include an Image and Analysis Unit as well as purpose-built laboratories for the study of ecology, microbiology, molecular biology and tissue culture, allowing you to develop the practical skills needed for a career in the biosciences.

The course is available both to new students and as a top-up degree to those with a foundation degree or Higher National Diploma (HND).

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code C120

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Recognised by the Society of Biology

Book your open day place

Meet our students, see our accommodation and find out more about your course.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2017. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

A-levels
BCC. Must include biology at A2.

BTEC
DDM. Must be in science-related subject.

International Baccalaureate
28 points, specified subjects.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Must include 12 credits at level 3 in biology. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C)
at least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a science.

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
may enable you to start the course in year 2.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

After you apply
If you meet our entry requirements you will also be invited to attend one of our open days, part of which will include a small group exercise led by one of our academic staff. You will talk about a relevant biological or biomedical topic and discuss it with other members of the group.

This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate how you work with others; it is not a knowledge test. It’s also a chance to ask an individual member of staff any questions.

Offers are made on the basis of the entry requirements, information in the UCAS form and the outcome of the group exercise.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

You will learn through lectures, fieldwork, group work, practical classes and independent study. Assessment involves the use of essays, exams, presentations, practical exercises and communication exercises, which can vary depending which options you select.

The course offers a number of field trips, including ones to Wales and South Africa. Fieldwork is used to contextualise the taught material using real-world activities. Laboratory classes are specifically designed to investigate fundamental areas of bioscience that might be encountered when working in professional laboratories. All classes are designed to underpin key skills recognised by the industry as needed for careers in the biosciences.

Biological Sciences

Year 1 

In your first year you will explore the foundations of biological science. You will also be able to choose from a small selection of optional modules according to personal interest alongside the core modules.

Modules

  • Physiological Ecology
  • Ecological Processes
  • Introduction to Microbiology
  • Introductory Biochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genes and Inheritance
  • Bioanalysis
  • Essential Skills for Biosciences

Two from:

  • Human Physiology 1
  • Biology of Reproduction
  • Introduction to Biomedical Science
  • Biology Field Skills
  • Habitat Ecology
  • Introduction to Pathology (Cells and Disease)
  • Elements of Chemistry*

*Compulsory for students without AS Chemistry

Butterfly

Year 2 

In year 2 you will greatly expand your options as you decide which areas of biological science you would most like to pursue. Through the professional and career development module, you will develop the practical skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.

Modules

  • Behavioural Ecology
  • Genetics
  • Biology Professional and Career Development
  • Further Statistics

Three from:

  • Biochemistry and Metabolism
  • Microbiology
  • Evolution and Diversity
  • Introduction to Marine Biology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Molecular Cell Pathobiology [20 credits]*

Three from:

  • Human Physiology 2
  • Ecological Techniques
  • Forensic Biology: Interpreting the Evidence
  • Immunology
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Basic Human Nutrition
  • Biology International Field Course [20 credits]*
  • Molecular Cell Pathobiology [20 credits]*

*20-credit modules count for two out of your three options.

Giraffes

Flowers

Placement year

If you choose to go on a placement year, you will have an excellent opportunity to gain professional experience and an advantage in the job market.

If you impress your employer during the placement year, there is a chance that you will be offered a full-time position once you graduate.

Biomedical scientists

Final year 

In the final year, you will be able to shape your own curriculum as you choose from a wide selection of optional modules. You will also undertake an individual research project, which will be supervised by a member of academic staff but will also involve a large amount of independent research in your chosen area.

Modules

  • Biology or ecology project

Three from:

  • Biogeography
  • Parasitology
  • Medical Genetics
  • Clinical Immunology
  • Biology Independent Study
  • Ecology Field Skills [20 credits]*
  • Applied Ecology and Conservation [20 credits]*
  • Blood Sciences [20 credits]*
  • Cellular Pathology and Pathobiology [20 credits]*

Three from:

  • Animal and Plant Interaction
  • Neuroscience
  • Diet and Disease
  • Microbial Control
  • Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
  • Molecular Ecology
  • Zoonoses
  • Biology Independent Study
  • Applied Ecology [20 credits]*
  • Blood Sciences [20 credits]*
  • Cellular Pathology and Pathobiology [20 credits]*

*20-credit modules count for two out of your three options.

Scientist with petri dish

Scientist at work

Facilities

The Huxley building houses purpose-built laboratories for the study of ecology, molecular biology and tissue culture. We also have a suite of microbiology laboratories in addition to biomaterials and chemistry facilities.

Our industry-standard Image and Analysis Unit features scanning electron microscopes and confocal microscopes, providing a comprehensive research and development service for novel products and materials from a physicochemical, cellular biological and microbiological perspective.

Student in laboratory

Staff profile

Dr Ian Cooper

Course leader

"My personal area of expertise is in microbiology. I studied Biological Sciences at undergraduate level, and continued on to study Microbiology at PhD level. My research extends across the following fields:

  • investigating the mechanisms by which bacteria are able to resist antibiotic action and in developing novel coatings for biomaterials to reduce the likelihood of implant-associated infection
  • the survival of human-associated bacteria in environmental matrices such as soil and water
  • and the spread of zoonotic diseases between human and animal populations.

"My research directly feeds into the course at all levels of study, and I run final-year projects in each of these themes. I am currently involved in national, EU and other international microbiology projects, and am a reviewer for international microbiology journals. I currently have four PhD students investigating quorum-sensing, microbial production of amine compounds, toxin-host membrane interactions, and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis."

Ian Cooper

Careers and employability

The array of optional modules in the Biological Sciences BSc(Hons) allows you to tailor your degree to your chosen career path. Previous graduates have secured a variety of roles, some in laboratory science, forensics and scientific consultancy, and others in education, sales, communications and accountancy.

Some graduates have chosen to pursue a career in biological research and committed to further study.

Science students in laboratory

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,000 GBP

International (full-time) 13,800 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2016–17. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee. Further details regarding tuition fees are available from the university’s student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, field trips or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

 

 

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Brighton has been called the happiest place in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. With five miles of pebble beach, more than 300 pubs and a packed festival calendar, Brighton is the ideal place to spend your student years.

Arts and culture: The Royal Pavilion is the most famous landmark in Brighton, opening its doors to around 400,000 tourists every year. Right next door is the Brighton Dome, the south coast’s premier multi-arts venue, and the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, which holds a diverse collection of decorative arts, textiles and archaeological artefacts.

Festivals: The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England and a major milestone in the international cultural calendar. Meanwhile, The Great Escape has been established as the UK’s leading event for new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Nightlife: Aside from the many nightclubs that line the city’s seafront, student favourites include The Haunt, Concorde 2 and Patterns, which attract leading bands and DJs from around the world. If you don’t feel like dancing, you can take your pick from the many hundreds of pubs and bars that dot the city centre.

Shopping: The quirky North Laine district houses Brighton’s finest collection of boutique shops and independent cafes, while the narrow, winding streets of the South Lanes house collections of jewellery and antiques. Churchill Square is the city’s main shopping centre and serves all of your high street needs.

Sports: Brighton’s seaside location offers the perfect opportunity to try paddle boarding, kayaking and windsurfing. Further into the city, The Level has a skate park for skateboarders and BMX riders to practise their skills.

Brighton Wheel   What to expect enriching experiences

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Just two miles north of Brighton city centre and the seafront, Moulsecoomb is the largest of our five campuses with more than 8,000 students. A wide variety of subjects are taught here, from engineering and product design to business and law.

Students benefit from many professional-standard facilities, including a flight simulator, design and digital media suites, and specialist research laboratories. The campus library, Aldrich, offers long opening hours and a diverse collection of books and journals for students from all subject areas.

Sports enthusiasts will enjoy our basketball and badminton courts, fitness suite and climbing wall. The campus is also a few minutes walk from the South Downs National Park, providing a great place to relax during the summer months.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Our Grand Parade campus is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance. We have around 300 rooms available in Phoenix Brewery, which are all ensuite and self-catered.

Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus. All accommodation in Moulsecoomb Place is catered, offering breakfast and an evening meal during term time. There are more than 150 rooms available here, with six to eight rooms per flat.

Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence. The site is four miles from Brighton centre but within walking distance of Falmer train station. You can also catch a free bus service to Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb and Falmer campuses, which is operated by local bus service The Big Lemon.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field. Great Wilkins offers 150+ self-catered single rooms and one-bed couples flats, while Paddock Field offers 450+ catered and self-catered single rooms only. All rooms in Falmer are en-suite.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. The rent covers all utilities and includes £5,000 of contents insurance for your personal belongings.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

If you have any questions about accommodation in Brighton, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place


  

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

 

Unistats

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats is an organisation that collects specific data about university courses in the UK which enables you to compare information that is important in your decision-making when choosing a university. All universities publish Unistats data on their online course pages.

Wherever we can we have provided extra information here to help put the data into context so that it is as useful as possible when you are making decisions.

Programme specification

Programme specifications are the official university documents that describe each course in detail. They reflect the course as it is being taught to students who started their course in this academic year. They are updated every summer, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification

Find out more

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644
enquiries@brighton.ac.uk

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Meet our students, see our accommodation and find out more about your course.

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Student views  

Nadin Fathallah

"I visited the university on an open day and fell in love with the campus – it was nice, welcoming and not as big and intimidating as the other universities I had visited. I also found the laboratory facilities very impressive.

"I would definitely recommend my course as well. One of the main positives is the flexibility and choice provided, allowing you to explore the aspects of the biological sciences you are most interested in. It has been possible for me to pick ecology modules, biomedical science modules and even language modules.

"The teaching staff are also extremely friendly and always available to answer any queries. I found this to be very helpful, particularly during the exam period when lecturers even set up revision sessions and drop-in classes to help us out.

"I would say to anyone who is thinking of applying for this course to definitely go for it. Make sure you visit the university on an open day as it really gives you a sense of what student life will be like."

Nadin Fathallah

Michelle Thorn

"As part of my degree in Biological Sciences at Brighton, I attended a field course in South Africa. After I graduated, I registered for an MPhil at Brighton and went back to South Africa to do my fieldwork. I have been there for nearly three years now researching carnivores in non-protected areas, and I was lucky enough to find the funding I needed to transfer from MPhil to PhD.

"My lecturers at Brighton have been immensely supportive and have helped equip me with a broad range of skills and experience, giving me the best possible start in my biological career."

Uhna Raath

"I graduated in Biological Sciences from Brighton in 2009. I have since been accepted at Keele University Medical School. The help and guidance I received throughout my time at Brighton certainly helped me gain my place here.

"The topics I studied and the research I carried out at Brighton are helping me a great deal here and I appreciate all the hard work and support from the lecturers at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. It has all given us as students a very enriched experience in our studies."

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