MBiolSci Biological Sciences with Placement Year

From day one, you’ll get to use specialist labs, field stations, research equipment, and computing resources. You won’t just listen to lectures — you’ll be doing practical lab work, field studies, group-projects, and a full placement year. Sheffield makes sure students have modern tools, strong support, and real-world exposure so by the time you graduate you’ve built both theoretical understanding and practical skills.

Here are some specific experiential and facility-based opportunities you’ll have:

• Teaching laboratories: you’ll work in specialist labs (e.g. molecular, cellular, physiology labs) for practical sessions, doing experiments, using microscopes, handling biological samples. 

• Fieldwork: depending on your modules and route, you’ll carry out field-based training (e.g. in the Peak District) to learn biodiversity assessment, ecological measurement, species identification. 

• Digital & computing tools: you’ll conduct data analysis, modelling (e.g. gene networks, evolutionary models), use bioinformatics and statistical software in research and coursework. 

• Research project: final integrated master’s project (lab-based, field-based, computational, or science communication) gives you the chance to work closely with staff on original research. 

• Placement Year: in Year 3, you spend a whole year in industry, research institutions, or organisations—this gives hands-on work experience, professional exposure, and chances to build networks and practical skills in real contexts. 

• Special facilities: Sheffield has a newly refurbished anatomy lab, the Alfred Denny Museum of Zoology for teaching anatomy, biodiversity & evolution; controlled environment facility (for climate change, growth conditions etc.); high-end microscopy (for disease / cellular imaging etc.); equipment for genomics, proteomics, metabolomics; biological mass spectrometry; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) imaging. 

• Library & study support: 24/7 access to online library services; five library sites with over 1.3 million books and periodicals; study spaces & computer labs for doing writing, data work, research; support for digital collections and subject-expert help. 

Sheffield grads leave this degree ready for high-impact roles: you’ll be well placed for jobs like industrial researcher, conservation/ecological consultant, healthcare or clinical roles, or science communicator / policy adviser. The placement year and research project mean you graduate with both hands-on experience and deep biological knowledge, making you competitive for employers and postgraduate study alike.

Here’s how Sheffield supports that transition and what outcomes people typically see:

• University services that help: Sheffield’s Career Connect service offers one-to-one coaching for CVs, interviews, placement/seeking industry roles; students can also attend events and fairs with employers. 

• Employment stats / salary outcomes: While specific average salaries for this program aren’t listed in the sources I found, Sheffield highlights that many students receive graduate-level job offers following their placement year. 

• University-industry partnerships: Sheffield works closely with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for cancer & ageing research; other partners include organisations in conservation or biotech (via placements). 

• Long-term accreditation value: The Biological Sciences BSc degrees are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, giving credence to your skills for employers who recognise professional standards. 

• Graduation outcomes: Graduates go into roles in industry, healthcare, ecology / conservation bodies like DEFRA, Wildlife Trusts, also many continue into PhD or other postgraduate research; some use Sheffield-built transferable skills (communication, data analysis) in roles not strictly biology (e.g. marketing, HR). 

Further Academic Progression:

After finishing this MBiolSci, if you want to deepen your expertise you can:

• Apply for PhD programmes (in Sheffield or elsewhere) in areas like molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, or health sciences.

• Pursue Master’s degrees in specialised topics (for example genomics, conservation science, computational biology) if you want extra depth or pivot slightly.

• Consider professional qualifications or training if aiming for roles in healthcare or diagnostic work, or regulatory / consultancy work (some roles require or benefit from specific certifications).