We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
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.
All our students will undertake a Research Project during their final year either in one of our research laboratories or as a data-based projects for students to gain experience in analysing large biochemical and biomedical datasets. You also have the opportunity to carry out a year-long industrial placement between your second and final year.
You also have the opportunity to undertake an internship as part of the Reading Internship Scheme (RIS). RIS offers a wide variety of internships across a multitude of sectors, including research internships on campus or with external organisations. Internships run flexibly throughout the year – both part-time during the semester and full-time during the summer vacation.
We have secured ring-fenced industrial and summer placements to several prestigious providers such as Diamond Light Source (the UK’s national synchrotron), Public Health England, GSK, AstraZeneca and Covance. You can also choose to spend a year abroad.
Our Department has a dedicated member of staff in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.
For more information, please visit the School of Biological Sciences website.
Our new £60m Health and Life Sciences building is the home of the School of Biological Sciences. It offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café.
The building also houses the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring more than 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.
You'll have the opportunity to study your subject in a layered approach where you will focus on the molecular and cellular concepts of biochemistry in Part 1, followed by discussions of the organ and organism effects of these biochemical processes in Part 2. Finally, in Part 3 you will study topics at the forefront of biochemistry from cutting-edge research to human disease and structural biology. In addition to compulsory modules, you will be able to choose optional modules to tailor your degree to your interests.
The academic year is divided into 2 semesters, each with 12 weeks of teaching and 3 weeks of assessments. You will have approximately 12 contact hours each week with a significant amount in laboratory-based practicals. In your final year, you will have less taught contact hours, but will be expected to spend a minimum of 8 hours each week working on your research project.
Outside of the contact hours you’ll be expected to carry out independent study, including online learning, reading, and preparing coursework.
Our teaching is delivered by active researchers, ensuring everything you learn is up-to-date and relevant to employers. Teaching will be delivered through a combination of:
Each module is assessed by coursework, such as practical reports, online tests and essays, and end of semesters examinations.
The final-year research project is assessed with a poster presentation and a detailed written report.
