Medical Sciences BSc Honours - University of W

Tuition Fee

GBP 15,400

Per year

Start Date

2024-09-01

Medium of studying

On campus

Duration

48 months

Program Facts

About Program

About University

Admission Requirements

Video

Contact School

Program Facts

Program Details

Degree

Bachelors

Major

Discipline

Education | Medicine & Health | Science

Minor

Education type

On campus

Timing

Full time

Course Language

English

Tuition Fee

Average International Tuition Fee

GBP 15,400

Intakes

Program start date	Application deadline
2024-09-01	-

About Program

Program Overview

Course summary

Our Medical Sciences BSc Honours is a standalone three-year Bachelor’s degree which also acts as a pre-clinical 'feeder' course offering graduates a transfer directly into the third year of the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MD) degree at our overseas partner, the University of Malta.

The University of Malta has a long history of medical education with their MD programme being recognised in the UK for over 100 years. All teaching at the University of Malta is in English and the university has a diverse, international student body with students from over 90 different countries.

Transfer to the MD programme at the University of Malta is conditional on the successful completion of the Medical Sciences BSc Honours with a minimum classification of lower second-class honours (2:2). Graduates wishing to progress must also have attended the anatomy and Medical Maltese Summer School and passed the Certificate in Medical Maltese Proficiency. Further details about Malta, the University of Malta and their MD programme can be found on the Studying Medicine at the University of Malta page.

The Medical Sciences BSc Honours comprises a detailed study of the human body in health and disease, with emphasis on the diagnosis and understanding of disease states and the mechanisms involved. It prepares you for a range of life science careers, but also fully equips you for transfer to the University of Malta MD programme. Teaching on the course is through a variety of methods and includes tutorials, lectures and seminars, practical laboratory work and group activities along with the use of learning technology and electronic resources. Assessment is through a combination of exams and coursework, including essays, practical work, group work, presentations and reports.

This course also offers, at additional cost (see the Fees and Funding section below), a Human Anatomy Summer School based at the University of Malta, and a Medical Maltese language programme, both of which are compulsory for students planning to progress to the MD degree on completion of the BSc. More details of these can be found on the Studying Medicine at the University of Malta page.

Top reasons to study with us

A pathway into medicine – Our course offers you, on graduation, a transfer into the third year of the MD degree at the University of Malta
Summer school and language programme – Our course offers, at additional cost, a Human Anatomy Summer School based at the University of Malta, and a Medical Maltese language programme
Keep your career path open – If you decide not to progress on to the MD programme at the end of the course, the Medical Sciences BSc also equips you for a variety of careers in the life sciences

Course structure

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Year 1
In Year 1 you will study the important fundamental sciences underlying modern medicine including human anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and cell biology along with the basics of pharmacology and drug discovery, all supported with a critical skills module. You will build on this in Years 2 and 3 to develop your understanding of normal human physiology and disease processes. Subjects of study include: Biochemistry Cell Biology Functional Anatomy Fundamentals of Pharmacology Human Physiology Professional Development in Science (PRoDS) Credit Level 4

Year 1

In Year 1 you will study the important fundamental sciences underlying modern medicine including human anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and cell biology along with the basics of pharmacology and drug discovery, all supported with a critical skills module. You will build on this in Years 2 and 3 to develop your understanding of normal human physiology and disease processes.

Subjects of study include:

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Functional Anatomy
Fundamentals of Pharmacology
Human Physiology
Professional Development in Science (PRoDS)

Credit Level 4

Year 2
Year 2 focuses on the integration of body systems, the roles and responses of those systems to external factors and the underlying influence of genetics on individual heath. There is also a module focusing on research methods to prepare you for your final year research project. Subjects of study include: Infection and Immunity Medical Genetics and Genomics Medical Physiology Metabolic Biochemistry Physiological Networks Research Methods Summer school attendance is required between Years 2 and 3 for students intending to progress to the University of Malta MD programme. Credit Level 5

Year 2

Year 2 focuses on the integration of body systems, the roles and responses of those systems to external factors and the underlying influence of genetics on individual heath. There is also a module focusing on research methods to prepare you for your final year research project.

Subjects of study include:

Infection and Immunity
Medical Genetics and Genomics
Medical Physiology
Metabolic Biochemistry
Physiological Networks
Research Methods

Summer school attendance is required between Years 2 and 3 for students intending to progress to the University of Malta MD programme.

Credit Level 5

Placement Year
Professional experience or study abroad year Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Medical Sciences with Professional Experience. Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Medical Sciences with International Experience.

Placement Year

Professional experience or study abroad year

Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Medical Sciences with Professional Experience.

Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Medical Sciences with International Experience.

Year 3
Year 3 builds on the theme of body system integration, homeostasis and the adaptation of individual systems and the human body as a whole to the external environment. Alongside this you will explore the pathology, investigation and treatment of selected disease states including cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and those resulting from abnormal immune responses. You will also undertake a research project, which will enable you to develop the skills, ethos and understanding for medical research including an appreciation of research ethics and governance. Subjects of study include: Applied Medical Sciences Cancer Biology Clinical Immunology and Immunohaematology Human Physiological Adaptations Final Year Project in Life Sciences Credit Level 6

Year 3

Year 3 builds on the theme of body system integration, homeostasis and the adaptation of individual systems and the human body as a whole to the external environment. Alongside this you will explore the pathology, investigation and treatment of selected disease states including cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and those resulting from abnormal immune responses. You will also undertake a research project, which will enable you to develop the skills, ethos and understanding for medical research including an appreciation of research ethics and governance.

Subjects of study include:

Applied Medical Sciences
Cancer Biology
Clinical Immunology and Immunohaematology
Human Physiological Adaptations
Final Year Project in Life Sciences

Credit Level 6

Professional Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting in part the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.

Program Outline

Careers

This course has been designed to prepare students for progression on to the MD programme at our overseas partner, the University of Malta, with the ultimate goal of a career in medicine and potential specialisation in one of the many medical disciplines. It is expected that the vast majority of students enrolling on the Medical Sciences BSc Honours will follow this career pathway.

Kickstart your career in medicine

On graduation, you have the option of a transfer into the third year of the MD degree at the University of Malta.

Work experience opportunities

You'll be encouraged to undertake practice-based work experience, and studying in central London, you'll be perfectly placed to access placements within biomedical laboratories and elsewhere.

Employers around the world

The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.

Progression on to the MD qualification and a career in medicine

An MD qualification from the University of Malta entitles graduates to apply for Provisional Registration with Licence to Practice from the UK General Medical Council (GMC) without the requirement to take the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test. Once graduates are registered with the GMC they are then eligible to apply for the UK Foundation Programme. They may also be able to apply for the Malta Foundation Programme which is regulated by the Malta Public Service Commission.

The Foundation Programme is the next phase of a doctor’s training after the completion of a medical degree at university and precedes specialist training in medicine or surgery. The Foundation Programme comprises a two year series of rotations in different specialities within hospitals or in the community and after successful completion of the first year, you will be able to apply for full registration with the GMC.

As a result of the accreditation of the Malta MD Degree by AMSE and ASIIN, University of Malta medical graduates have more opportunities for mobility and lifelong learning at an international level. For further information, see the Studying Medicine at the University of Malta page.

Alternative career paths

If you decide not to progress on to the MD programme at the end of your studies at the University of Westminster, there are a variety of other career paths open to Medical Sciences BSc (Hons) graduates including:

Clinical trials
Government departments
Other institutions (eg Medical Research Council)
Pharmaceutical companies
Scientific/pharmaceutical/diagnostics sales
Scientific research
Scientific writing/publishing
Technical support roles in scientific/pharmaceutical/diagnostics industry
Teaching
University laboratories (possibly as part of a PhD)

You may also choose to continue your studies to obtain a postgraduate qualification, eg an MSc, MRes or PhD.

International Opportunities

Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.

Opportunities could include:

Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
Attending an international summer school or field trip
Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad

International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.

Course Leaders

Join us on our exciting new degree and pursue a recognised pathway into medicine!"

Dr Ian Locke

Assistant Head of School

After completing a degree in Biomedical Sciences, and a PhD focusing on wound healing at the University of Portsmouth, Ian moved to University College London (UCL) Medical School in 1994 as a post-doctoral researcher in the Centre for Rheumatology and the Department of Molecular Pathology working on autoimmune rheumatic diseases and the regulation of gene expression by transcription factors.

Ian moved to the University of Westminster in 1999 as a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science and set up a research lab focused on the role of cell death in connective tissue disease and repair, and in particular in degenerative rheumatic diseases such as osteoarthritis and related conditions. Ian's main specialism is immunology, which he teaches to a variety of students at all levels.

See full profile

Dr Vincenzo Torraca

Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

Vincenzo is a member of the VALIDATE Network, the British Infection Association, the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology and the International Society for Infectious Diseases, as well as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His research focuses on host-pathogen interactions and antimicrobial resistance for globally relevant pathogens, such as Enterobacteria and Mycobacteria.

Vincenzo was previously an Assistant Professor and Wellcome ISSF Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a Marie Curie Research Fellow at Imperial College London and a Marie Curie PhD Fellow at Leiden University. He was awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (LSHTM), a PhD in Microbiology & Immunology (Leiden University), a MSc in Molecular & Cellular Biology (Salerno University) and a BSc in Molecular & Computational Biology (Salerno University).

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Our Medical Sciences BSc offers graduates the possibility to start a medical career and train internationally by transferring to the University of Malta.

Course Team

Dr Bradley Elliott - Senior Lecturer in Physiology
Dr Sarah Coleman - Senior Lecturer
Oliver Haworth - Senior Lecturer
Dr Christopher Biggs - Senior Lecturer
Dr Paul Curley - Senior Lecturer
Dr Lorna Tinworth - Senior Lecturer
Dr Ian Locke - Assistant Head of School
Dr Andrew Dalby - Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics and Research Methods
Rumy Begum - Senior Lecturer
Dr Ian Harmer - Senior Lecturer
Dr Alastair Barr - Senior Lecturer
Dr Miriam Dwek - College Director - Research & KE
Professor Mohammed Gulrez Zariwala - Professor

Why study this course?

Fantastic London location

You'll be based in the heart of central London, just a five-minute walk from Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.

A pathway into medicine

Our course acts as a pre-clinical 'feeder' course offering graduates a transfer into the third year of the MD degree at the University of Malta.

Inspiring facilities

Our Cavendish Campus offers state-of-the-art science and psychology labs and refurbished computer suites.

Teaching and Assessment

Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable. Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.

How you'll be taught

Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:

Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision

How you'll be assessed

Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.

Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:

Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
Written exams: end of semester exams
Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation