Course summary

Biochemistry is the study of biological systems and how they function at the molecular level, and also includes cell and developmental biology. It is a subject that has a rich history of scientific discoveries, from enzymology and metabolic pathways to the discovery of genes and the structure of DNA. Today the subject embraces important new areas, such as genomics, systems and synthetic biology and is central to all aspects of biology. During this course, you will learn the key role that biochemistry and biomolecular sciences contribute to advances in all biological disciplines, including medicine and biotechnology. You will receive extensive hands-on training in laboratory and (depending on module selection and availability) field research techniques, and gain practical experience of widely transferable skills in computing, statistics, data analysis and presentation. Your third year is spent on a professional work placement related to your degree. Experience shows that this greatly enhances your subsequent employment prospects. The programme combines scientific understanding with the development of academic skills (critical appraisal, evaluation and analysis of data) along with the development of practical, presentation and written skills within a scientific context. The course ultimately aims to produce graduates who are employable, well-informed, versatile and enthusiastic ambassadors for science. The knowledge and skills that you develop during your Biochemistry degree will make you employable in a broad range of careers within all areas of biological and molecular sciences, including pharmaceutical industries, research, publishing and teaching. The analytical and other skills acquired on the course are also an excellent grounding for many other career paths outside of science. Alternatively you may wish to further your studies by pursuing a higher degree. Distinctive features Our degrees are closely linked to the research interests of the staff who teach them, allowing you to experience the excitement of learning in an active research environment. We attract substantial external research funding and this will allow you to make use of the latest equipment, techniques and facilities in your project work. The School also houses a permanently staffed Field Station in Borneo, as well as leading the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, one of the University’s flagship Institutes, allowing access to a wide range of exciting training opportunities. This programme offers a high degree of flexibility with student choice at its core. You have the freedom to decide how your academic experience develops. You can choose to specialise in a particular area or to maintain a wide breadth of learning and explore the interdisciplinary research that underpins much of the School’s success.