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Why choose the School of Life Sciences
This course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), allowing you to complete the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio needed to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a biomedical scientist.
Between 2016 and 2022, six of our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science students won the annual Microbiology Society undergraduate microbiology prize.
85% of our full-time UK biosciences graduates are in highly skilled employment or graduate further study, 15 months after graduating (source: HESA Graduate Outcomes for 2020/21, pub 2023).
About the course
Biomedical scientists play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge when it comes to diagnosing, preventing, and curing disease. This degree sets you up to make a significant contribution to scientific progression in the field through applied learning, practical experience and employment-focused skill development. You start with the foundation sciences that underpin much of modern medicine before exploring rapidly advancing areas such as biotechnology and vaccine development.
Course accreditation
This course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS). On graduation, you can apply for NHS trainee biomedical scientist positions where you will develop your skills further to obtain the Health and Care Professions Council’s (HCPC) portfolio accreditation to register as a biomedical scientist who meets the industry’s strict requirements.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Recently built STEM building with specialist labs, bespoke teaching spaces and group study hubs
- High-spec cell culture lab and analytical science suite
- HPLC, FTIR and GC-MS machines alongside facilities for qPCR and protein purification, for cutting-edge biotech experiments
Industry links
Our Life Sciences Liaison Board works with industry professionals across the pharma-biotech, health and food sectors, including Glaxo Smith Kline, Life Science Group and GrowPura. Our collaboration within the sector help you establish links and gain valuable work experience.
Student experience
Our focus on real-world applications and practical-based learning prepares you for fulfilling employment in this specialist field.
Learn from our research-active academics, highly qualified individuals contributing to progress in sectors such as cancer pathways and medicine development.
Expand your career prospects by developing widely transferable workplace skills, from statistical techniques and scientific communication to independent research and critical thinking.
Get involved in interactive masterclasses and workshops from leading experts including Rothamsted Research; Glaxo Smith Kline; MSD Merck; and the UK Health Security Agency.
Gain additional lab-work experience via the Student Skills Lab scheme where you can try out techniques for real-world applications, under the guidance of recent graduates.
Take part in field trips to prominent industry and R&D settings.
Build your network of professional contacts at our annual STEM Careers Expo.
Keep up to date with the latest developments in the field thanks to our strong links to industry partners.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
What will you study?
Studying our Biomedical Science BSc (Hons) course will equip you with in-depth knowledge, technical and transferable skills related to modern medicine. In your first year, you will explore the basic biochemical principles and be introduced to the study of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in Microbiology and Biochemistry and Cell Biology. You will participate in laboratory work using light microscopes to discover cell structures and understand how this is fundamental to human life. To equip you with the research and practical skills for these units, Skills in Biomedical Science will teach you to how to record, analyse and report experimental data. Furthermore, you will explore the basic concepts of Chemistry that provides the fundamental basis for all biosciences. In addition, you will investigate the structure and function of the human body in Human Anatomy and Physiology, and separately gain an insight into the basics of genetics, from chromosome function to genetic inheritance, in Molecular Genetics.
In your second year of study, you will develop a further understanding of the core concepts learnt in your first year. In both Genetics and Human Metabolism, you will learn to identify the biochemical and cellular basis of processes that support human life, while also examining functioning of the human body in health and during disease in the Medical Physiology. This relates to Immunology, where you will study the fundamentals of the immune system and its importance in human health and disease, while linking this with Medical Microbiology to investigate the role of microorganisms in human infectious diseases. On a cellular level, you will learn to identify indicators of disease through analysing cells and tissues in Cellular Pathology and Haematology & Transfusion Science, focusing on diagnosis and treatment of blood diseases.
In your final year, a more integrated approach to subjects is applied that is fundamental to both medicine and biosciences. In Biology of Disease, you will investigate the pathophysiological processes that underlie specific diseases recognising clinical signs and symptoms, while also examining the function and dysfunction of body systems in Clinical Biochemistry. Linking back to previous years, you will take a practice-based approach to understand the applications of molecular techniques for genetic testing in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology. With the same approach, Applications of Microbiology and Applications of Immunology will allow you to integrate your knowledge gained from previous units to consider surveillance, control and prevention of human diseases. You will also undertake a Biomedical Science Research Project that will give you the opportunity to plan, design and execute a piece of research into a topic of your interest that is relevant to your field of study. You will work to answer a research question based on research and laboratory work using the skills you gained throughout the course. To help you with this, the Skills in Science unit will equip you with the research and professional skills for a career in science.
How will you be assessed?
The assessment strategies of this course conform to those of the Benchmarking statement for Biomedical Science. The course includes formative and summative assessment to determine achievement of learning outcomes. Assessments cover key Biomedical Science content and permit the development of a range of subject-specific and transferrable skills. Our assessment strategy is progressive building students' ability to handle complex tasks through a variety of means. The Biomedical Science Award supports the fields philosophy of key skill development and assessment. Skills based units are included at all levels of the award. Assessment is designed so students will progressively obtain important academic communication skills starting with diagnostic testing a formative writing exercise and short lab/data reports and an essay at Level 4 to longer lab reports or portfolios of clinical reports and case studies at Level 5. These different activities will introduce and develop the writing referencing and planning/construction skills needed to complete Level 6 assessments. Oral communication skills are developed from Level 5 through Level 6 in talks and poster presentations.
There will be formative opportunities for all assessments with 100% weighting to support students in acquiring the necessary skills to complete the summative assessments The assessment strategy also reflects the skill development shown in the level descriptors of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). Thus at level 4 in the Biomedical Science course emphasis is placed upon knowledge of underlying concepts and principles; ability to interpret these within a specific context; and ability to present and interpret qualitative and quantitative data. To support this level 4 assessment is predominantly based around short tasks which develop ability to present and analyse data from various sources to explain basic underlying principles in writing and finally around short answer and/or multiple choice question exams which test knowledge of underlying principles and their application within a specific context.
Careers
Our Biomedical Science BSc (Hons) degree provides an excellent base to pursue a career in hospital laboratories pharmaceutical industries and/or postgraduate entry into higher biomedical biological science or graduate-entry Medicine/Dentistry. You will develop knowledge of and technical research and analytical skills in biomedical disciplines including genetics microbiology immunology and biochemistry. This will open up career opportunities in pharmaceutical companies laboratories teaching scientific publishing public health quality assurance the food and drink industry and scientific sales/marketing.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK 2024/25
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Merit Scholarship
We offer a Merit Scholarship to UK students, worth £2,400* over three academic years, which is awarded to those who can demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, through scoring 120 UCAS tariff points or more.
Bedfordshire Bursary
If you aren’t eligible for the Merit Scholarship, this Bursary is there to help UK students with aspects of student living such as course costs. The Bursary will give you £1,000* over three academic years, or £1,300* if you are taking your course over four academic years (including those with a Foundation Year).
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2024/25 is £15,500 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK 2024/25
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Merit Scholarship
We offer a Merit Scholarship to UK students, worth £2,400* over three academic years, which is awarded to those who can demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, through scoring 120 UCAS tariff points or more.
Bedfordshire Bursary
If you aren’t eligible for the Merit Scholarship, this Bursary is there to help UK students with aspects of student living such as course costs. The Bursary will give you £1,000* over three academic years, or £1,300* if you are taking your course over four academic years (including those with a Foundation Year).
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2024/25 is £15,500 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
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