MBiol, BSc Biological Sciences (Integrated Masters)

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

Biological Sciences is an interdisciplinary program that provides you the opportunity to study the molecular and cellular aspects of life that underpin how cells respond to and influence their environment. Your course will focus on areas of biological sciences that underpin our understanding of life on earth and are fundamental to tackling global challenges such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, ageing, antibiotic resistance and emerging viruses. Biological Sciences is our most flexible and interdisciplinary degree, enabling you to build a broad knowledge base in your first year, with opportunities to tailor your studies and specialise in themes such as Molecular Medicine; Infection and Disease; or Genome Biology and Disease in subsequent years of the course.

In your first year you will learn about the fundamental processes and molecular basis of life, that underpin biological processes in all living organisms. Through further compulsory modules you will gain essential foundational knowledge in modern microbiology, genetics and immunology. The skills modules will build your practical, numeracy and problem-solving skills, and develop your understanding of the lecture material. By choosing from a range of optional modules will have the opportunity to add flexibility to these foundational areas of biological sciences.

In your second year you will build upon your year one core modules, but with a focus on advanced topics such as omics and big data biology and how diseases disrupt cellular structure and function. You will have the opportunity to focus your studies in one of three themes over the remaining years of the course:
Molecular medicine – focuses on the molecular and cellular basis of human diseases, such as cancer.
Infection and disease – focus on virology and bacteriology to understand current and emerging infections.
Genome biology and disease – includes bioinformatics and human genetics and aims to understand the role played by genes in human health.

Through more extended projects, the second-year skills modules provide the opportunity to utilise multiple experimental approaches and take greater responsibility for your work.
In year 3 you will select from a range of advanced lecture modules that align with your chosen theme and develop skills in the critical review of biological sciences research and the presentation of scientific findings to scientific and non-specialist audiences. In addition, you will begin to work with your research project supervisor to explore their research area and define a project in year four. This is supplemented with training in advanced research skills (both inside and outside of the laboratory environment), as you work as part of an interdisciplinary group to answer a research question.

In the final, masters, year of the programme you will commence your extended research project and become integrated into the group of your research supervisor. This will allow you to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during your degree, develop your research skills in greater depth and produce a report containing material of publishable quality that could contribute to a research publication. To further enhance your subject-matter knowledge and skills, you will be required to enrol on 30 credits of specialist Masters-level modules with options ranging from Advanced Biomolecular Technologies through to Medical Diagnostics.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL1110	Introductory Skills in the Molecular Biosciences	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)	PFP
BLGY1237	Introduction to Genetics	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
FOBS1135	The Basis of Life	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MICR1210	Introductory Skills in Microbiology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP
MICR1211	Introductory Microbiology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR1221	Introduction to Immunology	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BLGY1124	The Diversity of Life	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY1128	Living Planet	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BMSC1112	Short Introduction to human body systems	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Discovery Modules

Alternatively, candidates can select BLGY1124 or BMSC1112, and enrol on a 10 credit discovery module

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL2109	Intermediate skills in the molecular biosciences	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)	PFP
BIOL2114	Omics and Big Data Biology	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL2220	Intermediate skills in the Biological Sciences	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

For their remaining credits candidates must select one of the themes listed below. Candidates must select all the modules marked as compulsory for their chosen theme, and follow instructions for selecting the correct combination of optional modules.

Theme 1: Infection and disease

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MICR2121	Molecular Virology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MICR2211	Medical Microbiology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR2221	Medical Immunology	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates will be required to select 10 credits of the following optional modules in semester one

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BLGY2106	Parasitology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BMSC2125	Molecular Pharmacology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates will be required to select 10 credits of the following optional modules in semester two

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL2211	Human Diseases	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY2202	Bioinformatics for Biologists	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BMSC2126	The Imprinted Brain	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Alternatively, candidates can select a 10 credit Discovery module

Theme 2: Molecular Medicine

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL2221	Fundamentals in Cell and Cancer Biology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BMSC2125	Molecular Pharmacology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MICR2121	Molecular Virology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates will be required to select between 10 and 20 credits of the following optional modules in semester two

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL2211	Human Diseases	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY2202	Bioinformatics for Biologists	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY2266	Human Populations and Disease	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR2211	Medical Microbiology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR2221	Medical Immunology	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Alternatively, candidates can select 10 credits of options from the above and a 10 credit Discovery module

Theme 3: Genome Biology and Disease

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BLGY2266	Human Populations and Disease	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates will be required to select between 10 and 20 credits of the following optional modules in semester one

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BLGY2106	Parasitology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MICR2121	Molecular Virology	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Alternatively, candidates can select 10 credits of options from the above and a 10 credit Discovery module

Candidates will be required to select 20 credits of the following optional modules in semester two

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL2211	Human Diseases	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BIOL2221	Fundamentals in Cell and Cancer Biology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY2201	Introduction to Bioinformatics	10	Not running in 202526
MICR2211	Medical Microbiology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR2221	Medical Immunology	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates will be required to study 120 credits

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL3305	Advanced Skills in the Biosciences	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
BIOL3398	Research Tools and Applications	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
BIOL3399	Extended Research Project Preparation	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

For their remaining credits, candidates must select modules following the theme they chose in year two of the programme. Candidates must select all the modules marked as compulsory for their chosen theme, and follow instructions for selecting the correct combination of optional modules.

Theme 1: Infection and Disease
Candidates must select the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL3114	Advanced Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MICR3201	Advanced Topics in Microbiology 1	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR3202	Advanced Topics in Microbiology 2	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Theme 2: Molecular Medicine
Candidates must select the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL3114	Advanced Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL3215	Cancer Biology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR3202	Advanced Topics in Microbiology 2	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Theme 3: Genome biology and disease
Candidates must select the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BLGY3153	Advanced Topics in Human Genetics and Epigenetics	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MEDM3221	Reproductive Medical Science	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Theme 3: Genome biology and disease
Candidates must select 20 credits of the following options in semester two.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL3215	Cancer Biology	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MICR3202	Advanced Topics in Microbiology 2	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Year 4

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates will be required to study 120 credits

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL5382M	Extended Research Project	90	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Candidates to study 30 credits of optional modules from the following list:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
BIOL5147M	Advanced Immunology	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL5178M	High-Throughput Technologies	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BIOL5201M	Advanced Biomolecular Technologies	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BIOL5207M	Medical Diagnostics	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BIOL5209M	Treatment of Infectious Disease and Cancer	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Last updated: 23/07/2025 11:45:27

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