Biology
Anglia Ruskin University
UCAS Code: C100 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Anglia Ruskin University
UCAS Code: C100 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C, or grade 4, or above, including English and Maths.
UCAS Tariff
We accept A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, OCR, Access to HE and most other qualifications within the UCAS Tariff. Must include a grade C or above in Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science at A level or equivalent level.
About this course
Study the science of life – a varied and exciting discipline that takes you from the molecular to whole organisms and entire ecosystems.
- Cover all life on earth, from microorganisms to plants, animals and humans, and from genes to whole ecosystems.
- Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed and developed with employers to give you exposure to ‘real world’ problem-solving.
- Build a strong foundation in laboratory, data science, bioinformatic, and field skills.
- Tailor your degree to your ambitions and interests and choose from a range of specialisms, all underpinned by sustainability.
- Study in Cambridge, the centre of new and emerging technologies in the life sciences, and take advantage of local opportunities in biological data science, bioinformatics and more.
- Gain experience on internships with our research-active staff, or and apply for placements with a range of employers.
Biology is the study of life. Life on earth is fascinating, astonishing, diverse and beautiful, and the course aims to provide you with a broad knowledge of the wide variety of living organisms. Your knowledge will encompass how organisms evolve, their physiology, and how they function within the environment.
However, all life is currently under threat; with man-made (anthropogenic) change affecting the earth and all its systems. The biological sciences offer us a wide range of tools which can be used to alleviate these effects and preserve our natural environment, both for the benefit of plants, animals and humans, and for their current and future generations.
This degree in Biology offers a multidisciplinary approach, preparing you to evaluate aspects of all life on earth, and provide solutions to ensure a sustainable future.
You'll have the opportunity to select pathways within the course aligned to your specific interests, including but not limited to:
- Cell/molecular/laboratory
- Genetics/evolution/bioinformatics
- Plants/microbes/biotechnology
- Whole organisms (animals/humans)/environment/field skills
Principles of sustainability underpin much of the teaching throughout the course.
You'll have the opportunity to engage with field trips in the local area and further afield. Additional self-funded field trips are also available.
Modules
Year 1:
Principles of Biology (30 credits)
Quantitative Techniques and Tools for Biologists (30 credits)
Introduction to Genetics and Genomics (15 credits)
Physiology of Organisms (30 credits)
Ecology and Sustainability (15 credits)
Continuing Professional Development - Level 4
Year 2 Core Modules:
Principles of Genetics (15 credits)
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Preparation for Research (15 credits)
Continuing Professional Development
Year 2 Optional Modules:
Vertebrate Biology (15 credits)
Invertebrate Biology (15 credits)
Plants and Microbial Sciences (15 credits)
Laboratory Techniques in DNA Manipulation (15 credits)
Laboratory Techniques for Bioinformatics (15 credits)
Field Skills in Biology (15 credits)
Animal Health and Disease (15 credits)
GIS and Spatial Ecology (15 credits)
Proteomics and Molecular Structures (15 credits)
Year 3 Core Modules:
Undergraduate Project (30 credits)
Developmental Biology and Genetics (15 credits)
Policy, Globalisation, and Economics of Sustainability (15 credits)
Year 3 Optional Modules:
Biogeography (15 credits)
Comparative Ecophysiology (15 credits)
Human-Animal Interactions (15 credits)
Microbial Pathogenicity (15 credits)
Molecular Cell Biology (15 credits)
Current Advances in Bioinformatics (15 credits)
Current Advances in Plant and Microbial Sciences (15 credits)
Current Advances in Evolution and Biodiversity (15 credits)
Systems Biology (15 credits)
Assessment methods
Throughout the course, we’ll use a range of assessment methods to measure your progress. Besides exams, these include essays, practical reports, computer-based assessments, presentations, debates, classroom- or laboratory-based tests, and reviews of scientific papers.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Cambridge Campus
School of Life Sciences
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.
Biology (non-specific)
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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.
Biology (non-specific)
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
The recession was tough on biology graduates, and although the jobs market has improved for them - a lot - it's still not back to where it was a few years ago. If you want a career in biology research — and a lot of biology students do - you'll need to take a doctorate, so give some thought as to where you might do it and how you might fund it (the government still funds doctorates for good students). A lot of graduates also take 1 year Masters courses to specialise in this wide and deep subject - most students take a standard biology course for their first degree and then specialise in subjects like ecology, conservation or marine biology later. Hospitals, universities, biotech firms, zoos and nature reserves and clinical and scientific testing are common industries of employment for biology graduates.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Biology (non-specific)
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£24k
£26k
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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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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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:
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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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