Program Overview

---

Biology BSc (Honours) 2025 entry

Biology involves the study of life at all levels of organisation, from the molecular biology of virus replication to the study of animals and plants in their natural habitats. Biology also touches on many aspects of contemporary life, from drug design and investigating the molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease, to the migration and conservation of marine mammals.

Overview

• UCAS code: C100
• Start date: September 2025
• End date: September 2029
• Duration: Four years full time
• School: School of Biology

Entry Requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

SQA Highers

• Standard entry grades: AAAB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: AABB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
• Gateway entry grades: Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

GCE A-Levels

• Standard entry grades: AAB, including Biology and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: ABB, including Biology and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

IB points

• Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL5 in one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

General Entry Requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

SQA qualifications

• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

GCSE qualifications

• GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing Science
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied Biology (or Human Biology) at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level or equivalent. Preference will be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications over and above the stated minimum requirements.

Alternative study options

Direct entry to second year

Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.

Integrated Masters

It is possible to take Biology as a five-year Integrated Masters course, allowing you to graduate with a Master of Science.

Gateway programmes

Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades but meet the University's contextual criteria may be interested in the Gateway to Science programme.

Study abroad

Biology students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to apply to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad website.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Course details

The BSc in Biology is a four-year course run by the School of Biology. Biology at St Andrews provides students with a rich learning environment, with world-leading biologists spanning molecular through to whole-organism biology. Access to high-tech equipment, dedicated teaching laboratories and our wide range of biological expertise in both the laboratory and the field, facilitates both learning and also the development of the intellectual and practical skillsets of a modern biologist.

Teaching

• Teaching format: lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes, field work, research projects
• Assessment: coursework, written examinations
• Support: research-led teaching team, postgraduate research students, Student Services team

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in biology alongside modules in at least one other subject.

Typically, you will take core biology modules during your first two years and advanced modules during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).

First year

• Biology 1: provides an introduction to molecular and cellular biology. It covers cell diversity and the origins of life, evolution, cellular structures and fundamental processes.
• Biology 2: provides an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth and addresses key elements of organismal, behavioural and ecological aspects of life.

Second year

• Research Methods in Biology: develops essential academic and transferable skills, with major emphasis on problem solving. This is achieved through a combination of interactive lectures, independent data-handling workshops and group work on a mini research project.
• You also take up to seven of the modules listed below:
  • Applied Molecular Biology: examines case studies to provide examples of how molecular biology techniques are applied in research to address real-life questions and problems.
  • Biochemistry: a number of central metabolic pathways and their control are studied in detail, alongside examples of their importance in disease and recent metabolomic studies.
  • Cell Biology: introduces the concept of ‘a cell’, moving on to discuss different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
  • Cell Systems: explores how cells interact with one another to form complex tissues and organisms.
  • Ecology: introduces essential concepts in population and community ecology and how they relate to biodiversity.
  • Evolutionary Biology: gives an overview of the history and major principles of modern evolutionary biology.
  • Animal Behaviour: covers the four ways in which we explain behaviour in a range of animals, including examples from all major taxa and from all habitats.
  • Invertebrate Zoology: surveys the major invertebrate groups, emphasising the diversity of body plans while demonstrating how the common functional requirements such as feeding, reproduction, respiration and excretion are achieved.
  • Molecular Biology: provides an introduction to modern molecular biology, covering fundamental biological processes such as transcription, translation, and DNA replication and repair.
  • The Oceans: introduces basic concepts in biological and physical oceanography, and provides an understanding of how physical processes such as circulation patterns, waves and tides affect plants and animals living in the different ocean biomes.
  • Vertebrate Zoology: explores the diversity of vertebrate animals, providing a detailed look at the defining characteristics of the body plans and lifestyles of the key vertebrate groups.

Third year

• Modules that have been offered in previous years include:
  • Advanced Biochemistry
  • Animal Behaviour: A Quantitative Approach
  • Evolution
  • Genes, Cells and Development
  • Protein Structure and Function
  • Quantitative Ecology

Fourth year

• You will study your chosen subject area at a deeper scientific level and will also have the opportunity to select from a wide range of small-group specialised modules.
• These modules are taught by academics at the forefront of their discipline.
• You will also undertake a substantial final-year research project. This research project is designed to develop skills in experimental design and problem-solving, the evaluation and interpretation of data, and communication skills.

Research areas

• The Scottish Oceans Institute houses a modern aquarium and laboratories for molecular, developmental and physiological studies of marine systems.
• The Centre for Biological Diversity has excellent facilities for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary research on small animals (including birds and insects) and on plants.
• The Biomedical Sciences Research Complex offers large multi-group laboratories which are focused on structural biology, molecular microbiology, virology, chemical biology, cell biology, and molecular medicine.

Field trips

• From first year to Honours, students studying biology will also have the opportunity to go on field trips to gather data.
• Those who have a particular interest in ecology or marine biology will be perfectly located in St Andrews on the shores of the east coast.
• In Honours years, students can explore further afield, such as the Red Sea and Antarctica, visited by recent courses.

Fees

• Scotland: £1,820
• England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £9,535
• EU and overseas: £31,670

Additional costs

• All students need to cover the costs of a laboratory coat and dissection kit.

Accommodation fees

• Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Funding and scholarships

• The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Joint Honours degrees

You can also take Biology as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.

• UCAS code C761: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Chemistry
• UCAS code F899: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Computer Science
• UCAS code CFC6: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Earth Sciences
• UCAS code CL11: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Economics
• UCAS code CF18: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Geography
• UCAS code CG11: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Mathematics
• UCAS code CV16: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Philosophy
• UCAS code CC18: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Psychology
• UCAS code CG13: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Statistics
• UCAS code F896: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Sustainable Development

"With" degrees

You can take Biology as part of a "with" Honours degree in which the majority of the course deals with the first name subject. St Andrews offers the following "with" degrees in Biology:

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with Arabic - UCAS code CT16
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with French - UCAS code CCR1
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Psychology with Biology - UCAS code C8C1
• Biology with French (With Integrated Year Abroad) - UCAS code C1R1

"With" degrees taken with French are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'.

Careers

Biology graduates are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies.

Biology graduates have gone on to find success in a wide variety of careers including:

• professional biologists in biological research, conservation, higher education, and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries
• researchers and advisers in government
• journalists
• advisers, researchers and managers in the National Health Service
• teachers
• forensic scientists
• management consultants
• marketing and advertising experts

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.