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BSc BIOCHEMISTRY C700

View all

Full Time: 3 years, with the option to include a placement year

Learn about the molecular foundations of life itself with our BSc Biochemistry course.

Molecules are at the centre of all life from the smallest virus to the largest animal. Biochemists seek to understand how molecular processes control life at various levels; how do molecules make cells work, how do these cells coordinate in an organ and finally, how do these organs signal and work together for life to function? Biochemistry is at the forefront of understanding how molecules control and affect life, and an appreciation of these concepts allows biochemists to answer life’s fundamental questions and contribute to resolving critical biological problems such as designing drugs to treat cancer or even bacteria that can clean up an oil spill.

Through your lectures at Reading you will explore and discuss these biochemical concepts accumulating in an in-depth understanding of the subject. You will have the opportunity to study your subject in a layered approach where you will focus on the molecular and cellular concepts of biochemistry in Year 1, followed by discussions of the organ and organism effects of these biochemical processes in Year 2. Finally, in Year 3 you will study topics at the forefront of biochemistry from cutting-edge research to human disease and structural biology. During Year 3, you will also take part in an 11-week research project where you will draw on all your skills and knowledge to tackle a biochemical research question. We achieved an overall student satisfaction score of 93% in the National Student Survey 2019 in BSc Biochemistry.

Our new £60m Health and Life Sciences building will open in 2020. As the new home of the School of Biological Sciences, it will offer state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café. The building will also house the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring over 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.

 

Placement

You will have the opportunity to carry out a year-long industrial placement between your second and final year. There is also the opportunity to undertake a 3-8 week summer placement between either Part 1 and 2 or Part 2 and 3. Students in previous years have worked on industrial and summer placements at Diamond Light Source (the UK’s national synchrotron), Public Health England, GSK, AstraZeneca and Covance. You can also choose to spend a year abroad.

You will also have the opportunity to undertake paid vacation studentships funded by external organisations such as the Wellcome Trust and the Biochemical Society. Additionally, the University of Reading offers the UROP scheme (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme) that also offers paid studentships at the University. These studentships take place over a period of 6-10 weeks during the summer break. During studentships you will normally work on a set project and benefit from valuable training in techniques, experimental design and the interpretation of data.

Our Department has a dedicated member of staff in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.

Typical offer A Level BBB | IB 30 pts overall

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we will guarantee you a place if you achieve one grade lower than the published offer.

Typical offer

BBB, including grade B in A level Biology and Chemistry

OR

to qualify for an Academic Excellence Scheme offer:

  • GCSE minimum requirement: six A* and three A (including grade A (7) in Biology or another science)
  • Example profile: A*A*A*A*A*A*AAAB

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall including 5 in both Biology and Chemistry, both at higher level

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD (modules taken must be comparable to subject specific requirement)

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

  • Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

  • Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

What will you study?

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Year 1

Core modules include:

  • Metabolic and Practical Biochemistry
  • Building Blocks of Life
  • Laboratory and Study Skills for Biomedicine
  • Key Skills in Biomedicine
  • Introductory Microbiology
  • Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry

    Either
  • Further Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry for Biologists or
  • Physical Processes for Biologists

Optional modules include:

  • Bacteriology and Virology
  • Pathology and Histology
  • Human Physiology
  • Introduction to Neuroscience
  • Summer Placement
  • Institution-Wide Language Programme
Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 2

Core modules include:

  • Pharmacology and Toxicology
  • Key Skills in Biomedicine 2
  • Cells and Immunity
  • Molecular Genetics
  • Protein Structure and Function
  • Physiological Biochemistry
  • Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Optional modules include:

  • Endocrinology
  • Human Development, Organogenesis and Anatomy
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Biomedicine
  • Venoms and Poisons
  • The Bacterial Cell
  • Summer Placement
Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Year 3

Core module:

  • Research Project

Optional modules include:

  • Medical Genetics
  • Cancer and Cell Communication
  • Selected Topics in Endocrinology and Endocrine Disease
  • Bacterial Pathogens
  • Viral Pathogens
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Mechanisms for Microbial Function
  • Mammalian Reproduction
  • Neurobiology
  • Systems Biology
  • Seminars in Biology
Please note that all modules are subject to change.

How much will it cost?

New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year

New international students: £20,315 per year

* UK and EU fee changes

UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

**EU students

For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

* UK and EU Fee Changes

Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.

The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.

For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.

Additional costs

These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

What career can you have?

This course will prepare you for a range of science-related careers, including research, laboratory work, science sales and management, science communication and patenting.

Recent employers include the Medical Research Council, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Boots, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the University itself.

Overall, 92% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after completing their degree (DLHE survey, 2016/17.)

About the Department


Visit the School of Biological Sciences website

Contextual offers


We make contextual offers for all our courses.

Take the next step


How to apply

Come to an Open Day

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Related Courses

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  • BSc Microbiology C500
    Full Time: 3 Years
  • BSc Chemistry F100
    Full Time: 3 Years
  • MChem Chemistry F103
    Full Time: 4 Years
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    Full Time: 4 Years
More
View all Biological Sciences degree courses courses

Ready for more?

How to apply
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