Program Overview

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Biological Sciences

BSc (Hons) with Foundation Year

Overview

This is an excellent alternative route to degree-level study, with guaranteed entry onto your chosen undergraduate Science course when you complete your Foundation Year. Our excellent teaching staff, open-door policy and Personal Academic Tutoring scheme mean you’ll get all the support you need throughout your studies.

The Foundation Year has been carefully designed to build your confidence, develop your academic skills, and provide you with the subject knowledge you need to be successful in your undergraduate degree. The course has a strong practical focus, meaning you’ll also have regular access to our specialist facilities and equipment, supported by the University’s skilled technical staff. By the time you progress to degree-level study, you’ll be familiar with conducting field and laboratory work, and have a wider understanding of how science works in practice.

At Worcester, we foster a friendly and supportive learning environment. You’ll get to know your fellow students through regular group work opportunities, and as a member of our School of Science and the Environment, you’ll be eligible to join our Biology and Biomedical Science societies.

Course Content

Our Foundation Year has been specifically designed to support your transition to degree-level study. You’ll develop your knowledge and understanding of the biological and environmental sciences through four mandatory modules.

Year 1

• Mandatory modules
  • The Chemistry of Life
  • Earth, Life and Diversity
  • Essential Skills for Scientists
  • Science in Practice

Careers

Our Foundation Year programme is aimed at students who wish to study biological or environmental sciences at degree level but have non-standard entry qualifications. After successfully completing the Foundation Year, you can progress onto one of our undergraduate Science degrees:

• Biological Sciences (Biology)
• Biological Sciences (Biochemistry)
• Biological Sciences (Zoology)
• Biomedical Science
• Environmental Management and Sustainability
• Forensic and Applied Biology
• Forensic Science
• Geography
• Medical Sciences

Graduates across our Science courses have successfully gained jobs as:

• Research scientists
• Physician associates
• Secondary school teachers
• Laboratory technicians
• Biomedical scientists
• Water quality scientists
• Forensic scientists
• Data analysts

Many of our Foundation Year graduates have also chosen to pursue postgraduate study after completing their degree, including MPhil Plant Biology and PGCE Secondary Science: Biology.

Teaching and Assessment

You’ll be taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, fieldwork, and practical laboratory activities.

Throughout the Foundation Year, you’ll have opportunities to regularly test your knowledge and understanding through informal assessment methods, such as multiple-choice quizzes. Formal assessment methods include exams, written assignments, group and individual reports, and oral presentations.

Teaching and Assessment Contents

• Teaching
• Assessment
• Feedback
• Contact Time
• Independent Study
• Teaching Staff
• Programme Specification

The Foundation Year aims to provide a supportive learning environment that will enable you to develop your level of scientific knowledge and move towards increasing independence in your studies.

You will learn through a wide range of activities, including:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Group projects
• Laboratory practicals
• Computer-based activities
• Field trips and visits

Meet the Science Team

Meet some of the School of Science and the Environment staff that you will learn from.

Keith Unwin

Keith first became a Forensic scientist in 2000, shortly after graduating with honours in Applied Biology from Newcastle University. Since that time Keith has worked for two of the largest Forensic providers in the country. During his time as a court going Reporting officer, Keith has been involved in many high profile investigation and scenes. He has also been involved in the training of Forensic scientists and police officers in areas of scene examination and court reporting. In 2011 Keith became a lecturer at the University of Worcester alongside his role as a Forensic scientist.

Dr Emma Edwards

Dr Emma Edwards is a lecturer and admissions tutor for Biomedical Science. She has an interest in virology and immunology, but also teaches extensively on the foundation year for biological science. She has significant experience in community engagement, she has spoken at many public events about viruses and their impact and co-authored a book about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

Dr Laurence Trueman

As a registered nutritionist my interests centre on translational education; taking the scientific knowledge on how lifestyle and the modern environment impact on personal wellbeing and disseminating it to the general population through personal projects, but also via a large number of passionate and intelligent students who I have been lucky enough to teach during my time at the University of Worcester.

Entry Requirements

• GCSE grade C/4 or above in English Language or English Literature, or the equivalent qualifications.
• T Levels may be used to meet the entry tariff requirements for this course. Find out more about T levels as UCAS tariff points here.
• Applicants for these courses must have a good command of reading, writing and spoken English.

Fees

UK and EU Students

The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year for new and continuing students.

International Students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.

Student Case Studies

Find out more about some recent Biological Science with Foundation Year students.

Richard Gibbs

As a mature student, the prospect of Higher Education, and being back in a classroom with a cohort of bright young people, was certainly a daunting one. It had been over 16 years since I’d been in any educational environment and I was incredibly nervous, but it was the greatest decision I have ever made. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Biological Sciences with Foundation Year at Worcester and had a Biochemistry degree in my sights. The educational level of the Foundation Year was perfectly placed for someone who had been absent from learning for so long and, as well as covering the basics, it was informative and engaging.

The practical nature of the course teaches you the real-life skills of being a scientist, how a real working lab will act and behave, and how they expect you to act in return. The tutors are some of the most passionate, engaging, and underappreciated people I have had the privilege to learn from, everyone was happy to guide me. After experiencing the teaching method at the University of Worcester, I really couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Laura Hughes

"Wanting to retrain following redundancy, I enrolled on the Biological Sciences with Foundation Year programme as I had no prior experience, or education, relating to any of the sciences, but thought the course looked ‘interesting’.

The foundation year gave a good all round understanding of the fundamental principles of the Biological Sciences and prevented me from feeling disadvantaged by not having the relevant A levels. It was a great introduction to the wide variety of pathways I could choose to continue on to in my future degree. I decided I wanted to study the whole subject so chose to follow my foundation year with the Biology pathway. This has allowed me to combine modules covering plants, invertebrates, mammals, ecology, conservation, genetics and human anatomy to name but a few.

I have enjoyed the diversity of the course, particularly the mixture of practical lab-based lessons and classroom-based lectures. We have had some fantastic guest speakers who are passionate about their area of expertise and I have been able to attend numerous field trips allowing me to get 'hands on' with sampling and surveying. This course has given me a new appreciation for the world around me and will enable me to pass on that appreciation to others when I qualify as a secondary school teacher following completion of my degree, together with a PGCE qualification, that I intend to gain at Worcester due to my positive experience here."