BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences University of Surrey

Key information

• Start date: October 2021
• BSc (Hons) UCAS: 7C53 3 years
• BSc (Hons) UCAS: 7C54 4 years with professional training
• BSc (Hons) UCAS: 7C55 4 years with foundation year
• BSc (Hons) UCAS: 7C56 5 years with foundation year and professional training

Why choose this course

Our BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences gives you the exciting opportunity to study biology in its widest sense. As you study, you’ll be able to tailor your course to reflect your emerging interests and prepare you for the career you aspire to.

You’ll also have access to our recently opened £10m Innovation for Health learning laboratories.

What you will study

Our BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences course will give you the opportunity to study biological structure and function at various levels, from molecules to cells, whole organisms, and beyond into communities and ecosystems.

You’ll develop your knowledge in a number of current areas including environmental impact, human and animal health issues, and food security.

You’ll study the topics that are fundamental to biosciences and will have opportunities to specialise and tailor your degree, particularly in your final two years, to the areas that interest you.

The skills you will develop include critical thinking, the ability to solve problems, evaluate evidence and analyse data. These skills will be with you for life and prepare you for a wide variety of careers.

"Thanks to Surrey’s 2300+ connections in the industry, I have a lot of options to choose from!” Tejasvi Shivakumar, student

"I have so many good memories from my first year.” Matt Eastland-Jones, student

Professional recognition

BSc (Hons) - Royal Society of Biology - Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of the meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement of membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

Placements

You have the option to complete a Professional Training placement as part of this course. This will give you the opportunity to develop your professional, academic and personal potential, helping to prepare you for your future career.

A significant proportion of placement students at Surrey are offered graduate-level jobs or go onto postgraduate study.

Biological Sciences placements

Surrey students have access to a wealth of Professional Training placement opportunities. Our experienced tutors will help you to choose suitable placements from a well-vetted selection of industrial and academic institutions in the UK and abroad.

Previous students have taken placements in:

• Genetics
• Environmental research
• Animal welfare
• Molecular research
• Pharmaceuticals
• Neuroscience research
• Cancer research
• Microbiology

Many of our placements provide a salary and you’ll be visited by a tutor during your placement to ensure your success. We offer placements across Europe, the rest of the world (US, China, Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan) and throughout the UK, including major pharmaceutical, food and biotechnology companies and research institutes.

Study and work abroad

We give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their studies by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities or by completing a Professional Training placement abroad.

Want to study at an overseas institution as part of your degree or work abroad during your Professional Training year? Perhaps you would like to volunteer in India or learn about Brazilian business and culture in São Paulo during your summer holidays? With more than 200 partnerships, from 50 different countries worldwide, there is something for everyone.

Not only is the opportunity to go abroad a hugely enjoyable experience, but you will also develop key skills and knowledge that will strengthen your CV and increase your employability.

Please note: the status of the Erasmus+ scheme is dependent on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

On this course, you might be able to study abroad (subject to availability) at one of our partner institutions in the US (Texas, North Carolina, Cincinnati or Florida) or in Singapore. This would normally be for one or two semesters in your second year.

The exchange programme enables you to study and live in another country, earning credits that contribute towards your Surrey degree, without paying additional tuition fees.

Studying abroad also enables you to become more independent, teaching you how to adapt and adjust to the culture and climate of another country.

In addition, or alternatively, you may wish to spend your Professional Training placement working in another country. We offer more than 150 placements in many European countries and all over the world, typically working in a research laboratory at a partner institution.

"The placement year was by far the best part of my course. I learnt so much being in a working lab that you can’t learn in lectures or teaching labs.” Rebecca Ellerington, graduate

Careers and graduate prospects

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.

This course will prepare you for a wide range of careers, from scientific and technical roles in specialised areas, through to those which draw upon the breadth of biological sciences, such as teaching and science journalism.

While many of our students go immediately into the scientific job market, others choose to complete further studies, such as masters degrees or PhD studentships.

The scientific problem-solving skills you will develop may be put to good use within the industrial or finance sector, while biological sciences graduates’ professional and communication skills make them ideal candidates for managerial roles.

With a BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences degree, the nature of your future career is directed by your own interests and the combination of topics you choose to study.

Our recent biosciences graduates have gone on to roles such as:

• Microbiology Researcher, Procter & Gamble
• Analytical Chemist, AstraZeneca
• Biochemist, GlaxoSmithKline
• Quality Control Scientist, Genzyme
• Biochemist, Food Standards Agency
• Biomedical Scientist, Public Health England
• Medical Laboratory Assistant, Medway Maritime Hospital