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Biomedical Sciences

Entry Year: 2024

3 study options

Biomedical Sciences BSc (Hons)

Key information

Degree
BSc (Hons)
Duration
3 years
Start
September 2024
UCAS code
B990
Institution code
Q50
Typical A-Level offer
Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Biology. A second science subject at A-Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
Full entry requirements (including contextual admissions)
Home fees
£9,250
Overseas fees
£28,350
Funding information
Paying your fees

Biological Sciences with Foundation BSc (Hons)

Key information

Degree
BSc (Hons)
Duration
4 years
Start
September 2024
UCAS code
CCX2
Institution code
Q50
Home fees
£9,250
Overseas fees
£23,350
Funding information
Paying your fees

Biomedical Sciences with Year Abroad BSc (Hons)

Key information

Degree
BSc (Hons)
Duration
4 years
Start
September 2024
UCAS code
B99Y
Institution code
Q50
Home fees
£9,250
Overseas fees
£28,350
Funding information
Paying your fees

Year abroad cost

Finances for studying abroad on exchange

View details

Overview

Unlock the secrets of the cells, organs and systems in the human body to diagnose illness, treat disease and save lives.

The biomedical sciences hold the answers to understanding health and disease. Answers that impact individuals, economies and society as a whole. Studying with us, youll explore the basics of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. At the same time, well teach you about molecular biology, immunology, genetics and more. 

But your learning will go beyond the lecture theatre. Youll spend hours in our modern labs, getting hands-on experience with scientific tools. And you can apply for a placement year where you could sharpen your practical skills in the pharmaceutical industry or join a team in an NHS laboratory. 

Put your skills into practice 

Everywhere you go youll hear insightful conversations about research and practice. Learn from biomedical and biological sciences experts in interactive lectures. Discover the latest insights into psychology and education. And benefit from clinical staff sharing their experiences. 

The skills you develop will be key when you carry out your final year project and become a researcher in your own right. In your final year, you can also study specialist areas, including cancer biology, personalised medicine, stem cells and regenerative medicine. 

Many of our graduates progress onto medicine, dentistry or research-based careers, and the programme is designed with this in mind.  

Structure

You can complete your Biomedical Sciences degree in three or four years. If you choose to study abroad, this will take place in Year 3, and the Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4.

Year 0

Foundation

Semester 1

Compulsory

  • Communication in Science and Technology 

Year-long modules

Compulsory

  • Science and Engineering Success
  • Foundations of Chemical Science
  • Foundations of Physical Science
  • Foundations of Engineering
  • Foundations of Biological Science
  • Mathematics A

 

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 1

  • Biomedical Physiology I - Exchange, Movement and Integration
  • Biomolecules of Life
  • Cells
  • Essential Skills for Biomedical Scientists
  • Human Anatomy
  • Genetics
  • The Microbial World and Humans
  • Tissue Biology

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 2

Compulsory

  • Basic Immunology
  • Biomedical Pharmacology
  • Biomedical Physiology II - Cardiovascular and Respiratory
  • Case-based Biomedical Sciences
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Essential Biochemistry for Human Life
  • Human Molecular Biology

Choose one from

  • Comparative and Integrative Physiology 
  • Human Genetic Disorders
  • Health Psychology
  • Research Design and Analysis

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 3

Compulsory

  • Cellular Pathology and Blood Science

Choose one from

  • Biomedical Sciences Research Project
  • Project: Engaging the Public with Science
  • Structured Research Project in the Life Sciences

Choose five from

  • Advanced Human Genetic Disorders
  • Advanced Immunology
  • Biomedical neuroscience
  • Cancer Biology
  • Research design & analysis
  • Drug Design
  • Endocrine Physiology and Biochemistry
  • Health Psychology
  • Molecular Basis of Personalised Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Stem Cells and regenerative medicine

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Study options

Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.

Year in industry

Our Biomedical Sciences BSc with Year in Industry is available to transfer onto providing you achieve a satisfactory academic result in Year 1 and meet other academic requirements*. If you choose to transfer to this programme, you will spend a year working in an industrial placement in your penultimate year as part of your degree. During your second year you will identify and apply for an industrial placement opportunity, with one on one support provided by academic staff.

This unique experience will benefit your prospects for graduate employment, an industrial placement is an excellent opportunity to develop real world skills and put your learning into context. Students can apply for industrial placement positions in a range of relevant workplaces, such as in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry or an NHS laboratory.

Please note Year in Industry opportunities are highly competitive. If you are unable to obtain a placement, you'll transfer back onto our BSc programme and complete your third year at Queen Mary.

*To take part in the year in industry, students will have to achieve a Year 2 average module mark of at least 60% with no failed modules across Years 1 and 2.

Year abroad

Go global and study abroad as part of your degree – apply for our Biomedical Sciences BSc with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).

Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Queen Mary and what the progression requirements are. Learn more about financing your year abroad here.

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Testimonial

Studying Biomedical Sciences was the perfect fit for me at the time, since it gave me the chance to deepen my knowledge of Human Biology and at the same time I found many chances to volunteer and gain work experience in hospitals. I am now studying Medicine at Queen Mary University of London's Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

Carola Bigogno, Biomedical Sciences (2018)

Teaching

Teaching and learning

We use a mixture of teaching styles - lectures, tutorials, classroom activities and laboratory work.

Outside of classes, you’ll need to spend 20 to 25 hours per week preparing, writing up and reading.

 

Assessment

Each module is assessed by written examinations and coursework (practical reports, essays, problem sheets, online exercises and tests).

Final-year students undertake a project, assessed with a detailed written report and oral presentation.

Resources and facilities

The School offers excellent on-campus resources to aid your studies, including:

  • newly refurbished lecture theatres
  • up-to-date IT facilities
  • modern, well-equipped labs.

View tour of Fogg Building

View tour of Blizard Building

Entry requirements

A-LevelGrades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Biology. A second science subject at A-Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
IBInternational Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 35 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Biology at Higher Level. A second science subject at Higher Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
BTECBTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.
Access HEAccess qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.
GCSEMinimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4.
Contextualised admissions

Our standard contextual offer: Grades BBB including Biology and one further science subject from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.

Our enhanced contextual offer (for care experienced students, refugee/asylum seekers or students who have completed Realising Opportunities or Access to Queen Mary): Grades BBC including B in Biology and B in one further science subject from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.

More information on how this information is used for a contextual offer can be found on our contextualised admissions page.

A-LevelGrades CCC at A-Level. This must include A-Level Biology or Chemistry. A second science subject at A-Level from either Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
IBInternational Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 26 points overall, including 4,4,4 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Biology or Chemistry at Higher Level. A second science subject at Higher Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
BTECSee our detailed subject and grade requirements
Access HEWe consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a science discipline e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 15 credits must be at Distinction, 15 credits at Merit and 15 credits at Pass or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis, and we may request an interview. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not make offers of study purely on the basis of meeting grade requirements.
GCSEMinimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4.
Contextualised admissionsWe consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.
A-LevelGrades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Biology. A second science subject at A-Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
IBInternational Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 35 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Biology at Higher Level. A second science subject at Higher Level of Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology is also required.
BTECBTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.
Access HEAccess qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.
GCSEMinimum five GCSE passes including English and Maths at grade C or 4.
EPQAlternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification. For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Contextualised admissionsOur standard contextual offer: Grades BBB including Biology and one further science subject from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.

Our enhanced contextual offer (for care experienced students, refugee/asylum seekers or students who have completed Realising Opportunities or Access to Queen Mary): Grades BBC including B in Biology and B in one further science subject from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Psychology at A-Level. Excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking.

More information on how this information is used for a contextual offer can be found on our contextualised admissions page.

Non-UK students

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.

If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.

English language

Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.

You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.

Further information

See our general undergraduate entry requirements.

Candidates MUST be aged 18 or over by the start of the programme. If applicants are under 18 at the start of the course, they can request deferred entry if they will meet the age requirement the following year.

Funding

Loans and grants

UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.

Scholarships and bursaries

Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.

Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.

Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.

Support from Queen Mary

We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.

Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:

  • additional sources of funding
  • planning your budget and cutting costs
  • part-time and vacation work
  • money for lone parents.

Careers

Medicine or dentistry

Our Biomedical Sciences programme provides an ideal background for studying medicine or dentistry.

The 19 highest-ranked students from our Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience and Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics programmes are guaranteed an interview for the five-year A100 Medicine MBBS degree at Queen Mary University of London. For the top seven ranked students, there is a guaranteed interview for the five year A200 BDS dentistry programme. Students are selected at the end of the second year on the basis of an aggregate of academic ranking (50%) and UCAT score (50%) and start the programme after they have completed their final year. Of these students, the top five will also be considered for the four-year A101 MBBS Graduate Entry Programme.

Other careers

Biomedical science graduates are in demand in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries. Many students move into clinical and laboratory work, postgraduate research and science communication. Others transfer their skills into sectors such as marketing and finance.

93 per cent of our graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduation (HESA GOS 2017/18).

Recent Biomedical Sciences graduates have been hired by:

  • EY (formerly Ernst & Young)
  • Great Ormond Street Hospital
  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
  • PwC.

Career support

The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences has a careers consultant, who can offer specialist advice and organise subject-specific events. We also have a dedicated internships coordinator.

The Queen Mary careers team can also offer:

  • specialist advice on choosing a career path
  • support with finding work experience, internships and graduate jobs
  • feedback on CVs, cover letters and application forms
  • interview coaching.

Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.

Data for these courses

Biomedical Sciences - BSc (Hons)

Biological Sciences with Foundation - BSc (Hons)

Biomedical Sciences with Year Abroad - BSc (Hons)

The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats)

About the School

The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences is a large and dynamic school with strong links to industry. We offer a stimulating and supportive learning experience.

You’ll experience inspirational teaching from high-calibre staff who are leaders in their field. According to the Research Excellence Framework 2021, 91 per cent of our Biological Sciences research is either world-leading or internationally excellent. You’ll stay up to date with weekly departmental seminars on new research findings.

Thanks to our close teaching and research links, students have special opportunities for original investigative work with the Natural History Museum, ZSL London Zoo, Forest Enterprise, and University of London’s Marine Biological Station at Millport in Scotland.

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