Course summary
This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview Discover life at its most fundamental level. On this BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), you’ll learn how biochemists fight disease, edit genomes, understand human and animal development and apply synthetic biology to current problems in biotechnology. By exploring the latest scientific theory through lab training, you'll gain the skills and expertise to become a professional biochemist and apply for Associate Membership of the RSB on graduation. Accredited by: This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills. Course highlights
- Experiment with the latest biochemistry techniques, such as protein purification and real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), both vital processes in the development of vaccines and medical testing
- Study genes and clone DNA in our molecular biology research labs, globally regarded as some of the best available at a university
- Learn from academics involved in trailblazing research at our Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Enzyme Innovation
- Get involved with the European Xenopus Resource Centre, one of the largest frog resource facilities in the world
- Have the opportunity to study abroad on a summer research placement at a European university
- Be eligible to apply for Associate Membership of the Royal Society of Biology when you graduate, which includes access to exclusive grants and awards
- industrial research
- academic research leading to a PhD
- biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
- science teaching
- the health service
- scientific writing and the media
- Pall Europe
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies
- MedPharm
- Celgene
Modules
Year 1 Core modules in this year include:
- Biodiversity & Evolution (20 credits)
- Experimental Biology (20 credits)
- Graduate Employability Skills (20 credits)
- Introduction to Cell Biology & Biochemistry (20 credits)
- Microbiology & Molecular Biology (20 credits)
- Perspectives in Biochemistry (20 credits)
- Cell Biology (20 credits)
- Enzymes and Metabolism (20 credits)
- Recombinant Dna and Protein Expression (20 credits)
- Research Skills (20 credits)
- Business for Biosciences (20 credits)
- Development, Stem Cells and Differentiation (20 credits)
- Introduction to Teaching (20 credits)
- Microbiology (20 credits)
- Gene Organisation and Expression (20 credits)
- Genomics in Molecular Medicine (20 credits)
- Protein Engineering (20 credits)
- Research Project (40 credits)
- Mechanisms of Development (20 credits)
- Microbiomes (20 credits)
Assessment method
You’ll be assessed through coursework, essays and write-ups, presentations, online exams, data analysis problems, research project, written exams, multiple choice tests. You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Royal Society of Biology
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)
We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 112 - 120 points
A level - BBB - BBC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM - DMM
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 25 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017) - H3, H3, H3, H3, H4 - H3, H3, H3, H3, H3
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - M
English language requirements
Test | Grade | Additional details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 6 | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5. |
PTE Academic | 54 | An overall score of 54 with a minimum of 51 in each skill. |
TOEFL (iBT) | 79 | 79 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing. |
Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162. | |
Trinity ISE | Pass | Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components |
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
EU | £9535 | Year 1 |
England | £9535 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
International | £19200 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth
PO1 2UP