Program Overview

This degree offers you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence before you advance to stage one of your honours degree.

Course description

Put your future as a professional biologist on a firm footing. Starting your studies with a foundation year is ideal if you are thinking about a change of career or exploring your interest in science.

• Choose the foundation year route to build the skills, confidence and knowledge you need for success: you can gain your full honours degree in four years
• Facilities include an Aquatic Research Facility, glasshouse, insectary, and specialist laboratories - take a virtual tour
• Immerse yourself in a subject which is constantly evolving to address important 21st-century challenges
• Gain a thorough grounding in traditional aspects of biology while discovering the latest research-led innovations
• Enhance your practical experience through exciting work placement and internship opportunities
• Get to grips with latest instrumentation and technology in our first-rate laboratories. Your studies won’t be confined to the laboratory as fieldwork is an essential part of the course. Our students have travelled to locations such as Twycross Zoo, Kew Gardens, Mallorca and the Maldives - the cost of mandatory trips is included in your course fee
• Draw on our extensive network of contacts and strong employer partnerships to broaden your professional outlook
• Many of our teaching team are active researchers whose work is shaping debates in areas such as coral reef diseases, animal ecology, cell biology and insect reproduction, so your learning will be informed by the very latest research and developments in biology.

Many of the solutions to major challenges facing the world have a biological basis. This course allows you to study across the human, plant and animal elements of biology, with the opportunity to tailor to your career ambitions and interests, so that you graduate with a broad understanding of how biology can be applied to multiple settings in the real world.

Your first year introduces you to key themes including ecology, evolution, genetics, and anatomy and physiology. As you progress, you’ll develop research skills and can choose optional modules on topics like microbiology, molecular biology and bio-innovation to reflect your career aspirations. You will have opportunities to spend time working in industry to strengthen your CV. You’ll also undertake an independent study into a theme of your choice and could apply on a competitive basis for an internship to contribute to the University’s scientific research.

Biology is a practical subject, so you will learn in the laboratory, field and classroom. Your studies will be enriched with fieldwork and placement opportunities – you could be travelling to Mallorca or the Maldives on study trips, or gaining experience through placements and projects with organisations such as Sea Life, Twycross Zoo, Derby Museums or Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. You’ll also have opportunities to apply for paid internships to add real world experience to your CV.

When you graduate, you’ll have the skills, knowledge and vision to work as a versatile, resourceful and forward-thinking biologist.