Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences

From your very first year, you’ll blend lectures, weekly three-hour practical classes, and one-to-two tutorials—with every session focused on anchoring theory in hands-on skills and real experimental thinking. From there, you’ll gradually shift into research-intensive work, choosing your own lab project and diving into the heartbeat of biomedical discovery.

This programme is built around supportive, tutorial-based learning—small groups of two to four students with expert tutors powering discussion, troubleshooting, and deeper exploration of experimental studies. You’ll be taught by world-leading academics and researchers—often those running their own labs—so you learn the science from the people making it.

Experiential Learning Includes:

• Weekly Practical Classes (Year 1 onwards): Three-hour lab sessions each week where you practice core techniques, develop lab-book habits, and connect theory with actual experiments.
• Tutorials & Interactive Seminars: Regular small-group tutorials (2–4 students) throughout each term, guiding experimental discussion and critical analysis; complemented by lectures and seminars with top researchers.
• Departmental Practical Options in Year 2: In your final second-year term you shift focus to experimental laboratory research, building on your practical foundations.
• Final-Year Research Project: The third year allows in-depth study through lectures, seminars, and tutorials in your chosen specialization (Neuroscience or Cell & Systems Biology), with opportunities to undertake independent or tutorial-led project work.
• Interdisciplinary Teaching Across Departments: You’ll learn from staff in Biochemistry, Experimental Psychology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics—getting both breadth and specialized lab exposure.
• State-of-the-Art Teaching Facilities: Lectures, practicals, and seminars take place at the Medical Sciences Teaching Centre (MSTC) and related departmental labs—spaces designed for modern scientific learning and experimentation.
• Research-Led Learning via Dunn School Options: Specialized options like Infection Biology, Cancer, and Molecular Pathology, delivered through practical classes, data-analysis sessions, flow-cytometry workshops, symposia, and hands-on techniques such as bacterial-killing assays—led by active researchers.

Oxford’s Biomedical Sciences B.A. is designed so you don’t just absorb knowledge—you practice it, question it, and shape it. You’ll grow into a scientist who thinks critically, learns by doing, and thrives in interdisciplinary environments.

Oxford Biomedical Sciences graduates typically move into impactful careers in research, industry, healthcare, and further academic study—supported by a degree from one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

• University Services That Support Your Career

  • The University Careers Service provides dedicated sessions: CV and interview workshops, access to career fairs with hundreds of employers, one-to-one advising, and numerous employability events each year.
  • Specifically for Biomedical Sciences students, second-year Careers Service presentations and advertised summer research placements and studentships are offered.

• Employment Stats & Salary Figures

  • Around two thirds of graduates go on to further study (higher degrees or clinical qualifications).
  • Data shows 85% of Biomedical Sciences graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation.
  • Median first-year salaries for related medical sciences graduates: approximately £25,200, rising to £39,100 by year five.
  • Across broader Oxford medical science programs, 15 months post-graduation, 99% are in highly skilled roles, with 0% unemployed.

• University–Industry Collaborations & Innovation Ecosystem

  • Oxford plays a central role in the Global Medical Excellence Cluster, a major UK-wide biomedical innovation network that connects leading universities, hospitals, and industry.
  • Through Oxford University Innovation, students can gain exposure to technology transfer, spin-outs, and entrepreneurial activities—Oxford files a patent on average every week and has helped launch over 70 spin-out companies.

• Accreditation & Long-Term Value

  • The degree offers a strong foundation in biomedical research and healthcare science but is not accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)—which means it doesn’t directly qualify you as a registered Biomedical Scientist in the NHS.
  • Still, Oxford’s global reputation, research intensity, and infrastructure—like the renowned Old Road Campus with top-tier medical research facilities—enhance the long-term prestige and value of your qualification.

• Graduation Outcomes

  • Graduates are well positioned for advanced research, pharmaceutical or biotech careers, graduate medical conversion pathways, consulting, and beyond.
  • Oxford degrees are highly respected by employers, and alumni frequently pursue leadership and interdisciplinary roles across sectors.

Further Academic Progression:
After graduation, many students continue with postgraduate study—pursuing MSc, DPhil/PhD, or accelerated graduate-entry medical programmes. Oxford’s biomedical sciences training positions you well for clinical qualification routes or research doctorates, particularly if you're drawn toward academia or want to deepen specialization in areas like neuroscience or cellular systems