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4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program
University of ManchesterThis four-year degree is more than just a course—it’s a journey that combines the science of life with hands-on experience. Along the way, you’ll build a strong foundation in biology while gaining the chance to test your skills in the real world through a professional placement year. Whether you’re fascinated by genetics, biodiversity, or molecular biology, this degree prepares you to make an impact in research, healthcare, or industry.
Curriculum Structure
Year 1
You’ll start with the building blocks of biology, covering topics such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, From Molecules to Cells, Introduction to Laboratory Science, Biodiversity, and Genes, Evolution & Development. To bring your studies to life, you can also choose optional field courses in marine biology or animal behaviour. By the end of the year, you’ll be confident in the lab, skilled with data, and grounded in the fundamentals of ecology and genetics.
Year 2
Your second year takes you deeper. Core modules like Organismal Biology and Science Communication sharpen both your scientific knowledge and the way you share it. You’ll also develop practical research skills, setting you up for your placement and final-year project. This is the year where theory meets practice, and you’ll begin to see where your passions might lead you.
Year 3 (Placement Year)
This is where your degree takes a big leap forward. You’ll spend a year working in a professional environment—whether that’s with global pharmaceutical companies like Boehringer Ingelheim, hospitals such as Wythenshawe, or even overseas at the University of Concepción in Chile. You’ll gain experience, confidence, and connections that make you stand out to future employers.
Year 4
Returning to university with new insights, you’ll tackle advanced biology through two honours-level modules. The highlight of your final year is an independent research project, worth a quarter of your overall grade, where you’ll carry out real research and make your own scientific contribution. Assessments combine essay-based and data-driven exams, reflecting both your critical thinking and analytical skills.
Focus Areas
Building strong foundations in biology
Developing confidence in scientific communication
Applying your knowledge in professional settings
Leading your own independent research
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the degree, you’ll be able to:
Design and carry out experiments with precision
Bring industry-relevant experience to future roles
Communicate science clearly and effectively
Deliver a meaningful research project with impact
Professional Alignment
This course is Advanced Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology. That means you’ll be fast-tracked toward professional recognition, including MRSB membership and eventual Chartered Biologist/Scientist status—an edge that employers and research institutions value highly.
Reputation & Employability
At Manchester, you’re joining a university ranked in the top 30 worldwide (QS) and one of the UK’s most targeted by graduate employers. It’s a degree that doesn’t just give you knowledge—it opens doors.
When you study this four-year degree, you’re not just learning biology—you’re stepping into it. With a built-in placement year and a host of hands-on opportunities, you’ll move beyond lectures and labs to gain the kind of experience that sets you apart in science, industry, and beyond.
Here’s how your learning becomes an immersive journey:
Year-Long Professional Placement
In your third year, you’ll spend 12 months working with leading organisations such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Mayo Clinic, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, or Chiang Mai University. Placements cover everything from biotech and conservation to science communication and education, with some roles even offering a salary. This is where you apply what you’ve learned, discover your strengths, and build valuable professional connections.
Field Courses in Unique Ecosystems
Step outside the classroom and into living laboratories. Optional field courses take you into ecosystems across the UK and beyond, where you’ll study biodiversity and animal behaviour in real time—deepening your understanding while building unforgettable experiences.
Ethics & Sustainability in Action
Through projects like the Ethical Grand Challenges and the University Living Lab, you’ll collaborate with local communities and industry partners to tackle pressing issues in sustainability, climate, and social responsibility. You won’t just study solutions—you’ll help create them.
Research-Led Laboratory Learning
From your second year onwards, your time in the lab goes beyond basic training. Guided by active researchers, you’ll learn to design, conduct, and analyse experiments that mirror the challenges and opportunities faced in modern science.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Broaden your horizons with elective modules from the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning. Whether you want to explore science policy, business, or the arts, you can tailor your degree to reflect your personal interests and career ambitions.
Graduates of this four-year programme don’t just leave with a degree—they leave with confidence, experience, and a clear sense of direction. Whether your next step is research, industry, or something entirely different, you’ll be ready to take it on.
Exceptional Employability Through Real Work Experience
Your built-in placement year gives you more than just insight—it gives you proven experience. Employers value this, which is why many graduates move straight into scientific research and development (often at postgraduate level). Others branch into teaching, ecology, biotechnology, conservation, marketing, management, finance, or public service roles. You’ll graduate with options.
Career Support & Inspiring Pathways
From day one, you’ll have access to Manchester’s award-winning Careers Service, offering guidance on CVs, interview skills, internships, and career planning. Our graduates have gone on to remarkable paths—from founding a biodiversity NGO, to becoming a Vice President at Pfizer Vaccines R&D, to working in science communication roles around the world. Their stories show how far this degree can take you.
Shaped Around Employer Needs
Your placement year ensures you graduate with first-hand industry experience, making you stand out to employers. Whether you see your future in biotech, conservation, education, the public sector, or science communication, you’ll be entering the job market already one step ahead.
Accreditation Advantage
This programme is Advanced Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology. That means you can apply for Member (MRSB) status just two years after graduating, and achieve Chartered Biologist or Scientist status a full year earlier than most. It’s recognition that strengthens your CV and your professional standing.
Graduate Earnings & Prospects
Manchester bioscience graduates typically earn a median of £24,000 within 15 months, rising to £28,800 after three years and around £32,800 after five years. Combine that with the international reputation of Manchester, and you’re set up for success both in the UK and globally.
Further Study & Academic Progression
If you want to continue your studies, you’ll be excellently prepared for master’s programmes, PhDs, or professional pathways in medicine, research, environmental policy, or science communication. With your specialist training and real-world placement experience, you’ll be ready for whatever comes next.
Higher Secondary School Certificates at the end of CBSE/ISC Standard XII with a minimum of 80-95% overall.International Baccalaureate 35-36 points overall with 6, 6, 5 to 6, 6, 6 at Higher Level including two science subjects, normally Biology and Chemistry.At least 80% overall, with 80% in Biology or Chemistry, plus another science subject.GCSE Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 4 or C in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and MathematicsEnglish Language Proficiency Required: IELTS 6.5, with no sub-test below 6.5; or equivalent language qualifications.Apply through UCAS, and note that this four-year program includes a mandatory industrial or professional placement year, adding valuable experience.We require grades AAA-AAB, including two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics (the Core Sciences ). You must have a minimum of grades AA in at least two Core Sciences.Applicants predicted/who have achieved a B in their third A level will receive an offer of AAB, while those predicted/who have achieved an A or A* will be eligible for an offer of AAA.Contextual offer Contextual offer: AAB-ABB (including specific subjects). Typical WP++ Contextual offer: ABB-ABC (including specific subjects).AS-level results are not considered as part of the standard admissions process at The University of Manchester.3 A-levels (at scores such as A*, A, B); and GCSE English and Mathematics/Science (at scores such as A or 7, B or 6, C or 4).for USA : SAT I with a score of 1290. ACT with a minimum score of 27. High School diploma with a minimum of 3.0 and grade 12 classes at the grade equivalency of a GCSE exam (for example, A in Mathematics in grade 12 is equivalent to 7 in GCSE in Mathematics).BiotechnologistEconomistPolicy AdvisorPolitical AnalystForensic ScientistBiomedical ScientistEnvironmental ConsultantScience CommunicatorPublic Health AnalystPharmaceutical Researcher
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