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A Brief Guide to Intercalated Degrees

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A Brief Guide to Intercalated Degrees
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InformationShould I do an intercalated BSc?Intercalated Degrees on offerConclusionSee Also

Information

Welcome to this brief guide to intercalated degrees which has been put together to help you make your mind up about if you want to do an intercalated degree and to helpfully help you start your application. This guide will tell you a bit about the programs that are offered also provide you with the contact information and degree programs which are offered at the main medical schools that you can apply to as an external candidate. It is worth noting that this guide is unofficial and that while ever effort has been made to make sure that the information is correct some email address or information may be out of date.

Should I do an intercalated BSc?

There are both positives and negatives to doing a BSc as you have probably realised by now. It can be a very hard decision to make and while some people have known that it is what they wanted to do since before medical school others really do leave it as late as they can before deciding. For some people a BSc may be a daunting prospect where as others may see it as an exciting challenge. Bellow is a brief list of some of the pros and cons of doing an intercalated BSc, It might be worth making your own list before deciding if you think that it will help.

Positives

  • You get to study an area that you are interested in, in more detail and depth than is covered in the medical degree program, you will also in many of the courses have the opportunity to engage in a piece of original research. This can be great because so much has to be covered in so little time in a medical degree that the opportunity to study a particular area in depth doesnt arise unless you do an intercalated degree.
  • If you think that you might want to specialise in a particular field in medicine, say infectious diseases, or immunology, or neurology, an intercalated degree can be invaluable at setting you up with the basic theoretical knowledge and possibly research networks for your future MD or PHD which you will need to become a hospital consultant/senior academic in the speciality.
  • You get to take a year away from clinical medicine and be more like a regular student. Medicine is hard and an intercalated BSc can be a pleasant change. This isn’t to say that an intercalated degree is easy, but it is different and a lot more self directed and this can be a welcome break from clinical medicine.
  • You get to meet students on other course and make new friends. In some cases you may choose to go to a different university for a year so you have a whole new university.
  • It is not clear if having an intercalated BSc will give you a benefit when it comes to your future career. However when many medical schools are now have compulsory intercalation it is worth considering that it might be a factor in the future.
  • You may well have the time to get more involved in student activities if you do a BSc which means that you can rejoin the sports team or drama society that you may have had to give up or have always wanted too.
  • When it comes to applying for the Foundation Program, having an intercalated degree provides you with extra points.

Negatives

  • If you decide to take an intercalated degree you will be leaving the year that you have spent the first three years of medical school with to come down to the year below.
  • You will be spending another year in education before you graduate. A medical degree already takes a long time at five years by doing an intercalated BSc you are extending this course by a year. For many people they want to graduate sooner rather than later and this can be a big negative.
  • Unfortunately cost is a factor and by doing a BSc you are going to have to pay an extra year of tuition fees and have an extra year of student loan. This is not something to be taken lightly.
  • The workload of an intercalated degree is high, you are entering into the final year of a degree and you will have to do a lot of background reading to learn about the basics of the subject that you are studying. There will be a lot of reading and work for you to do so this is by no means an easy year.

Well there are just a few of the pros and cons of doing an intercalated BSc it is up to you to make the final decision but hopefully this will start you on your way.

Further reading:

Intercalated Degrees on offer

Many people decide to go to another university in the UK to undertake their BSc. In most cases this was because they wanted to undertake a degree program which wasn’t offered by their home University. Below is some information about some of the universities that offer Intercalated BSc’s which are open to external candidates although a comprehensive and permanently updated list of all UK courses is available at intercalate.co.uk.


Barts and the London

Barts and the London provide a variety of courses that external applicants can apply for. To apply you need to fill in their application form and include a letter from the dean or your academic tutor as well as a letter informing them that the medical school is happy for you to intercalate. You will also be asked to get the medical school to provide them with a list of the results that you have received.

The degree programs offered at Barts and the London are as follows

According to their website the application deadline will fall at some point in February. Interviews will take place so you should be prepared for that.

Further information:

  • An application form can be found here
  • More information about the program and admission criteria can be found here


Birmingham University

There are a number of intercalated BSc’s which can be taken at the university of Birmingham and are open to external applicants. There isn’t much information about them on their website but it is likely that you will need a letter stating that you have permission to intercalate, a reference and a transcript of your results all of which you can get from your medical school.

The courses that are offered at Birmingham are:

  • Cell and Molecular Pathology
  • Physiology
  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Biochemistry

Further information

  • More information regarding these programs can be found here
  • For further information the contact number is +441214143344.


University of Bristol

The university of Bristol offers intercalated degrees which are open to both internal and external application. There is no application form that can be downloaded from the website and very little information about the different degree courses that are offered. There is however a contact number that you can call for more information +441179287679.

The following are courses that Bristol has on their website as providing but there are definitely more available.

  • Anatomical Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioethics, Cellular & Molecular Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
  • Medical Humanities
  • Neuroscience

University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

  • Degree programme offered – BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science (intercalated)


Applications for this programme are welcomed from medical students who have already successfully completed their intermediate studies at any medical school in the UK. The programme of study involves physiology, psychology and biomechanics as well as an independent dissertation where you will be guided through the research process in a relevant area of your choosing.

“By undertaking this degree, you will integrate with students on the final year of the ‘BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science’ degree and have the opportunity to work in the challenging sports and exercise environment, within first class sports science laboratories and sports facilities”.

Further information:

  • Course information is provided here
  • A link to the School website is provided here


University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh provides a comprehensive list of BSc’s that they provide on their website as well as a downloadable application form. You are asked to provide all of your results that you have achieved through medical school write a personal statement and provide a reference. The deadline for applications is the 11th of April 2008.

The following are courses that are offered at Edinburgh

  • B Med. Sci Honours Biochemistry
  • B Med. Sci Honours Developmental Biology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Epidemiology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Experimental Pathology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Evolutionary Biology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Genetics
  • B Med. Sci Honours Immunology
  • B Med. Sci Honours International Public Health Policy
  • B Med. Sci Honours Medical Biology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Microbiology & Infection
  • B Med. Sci Honours Molecular Biology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Neuroscience
  • B Med. Sci Honours Pharmacology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Pharmacology with Industrial Experience
  • B Med. Sci Honours Physiology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Psychology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Reproductive Biology
  • B Med. Sci Honours Sports Science Medicine
  • B Med. Sci Honours Zoology

Further Information

  • More information about all of these courses can be found here
  • The application form can be found here


Imperial College London

Imperial offers a wide variety of courses that external applicants are able to apply to. There is very little information available on imperials website about how to apply but they do say this.

“Students from other UK medical schools may study for an intercalated BSc by joining the fourth year and following the same modules as Imperial College medical students. In order to be eligible students must have completed the equivalent of at least two years of basic medical science, meet the eligibility requirements to undertake the intercalated BSc (or its equivalent) at their own University medical school, and have a guaranteed place to continue their medical studies at their own university on completion of the year. Further details can be found in the Guide to Intercalated BSc Courses available from the Undergraduate Medicine Office.”

Some of the courses that Imperial have been known to offer are

  • Haematology
  • Immunobiology and pathology
  • Management
  • Medical Humanities

Further Information

To get more information please contact j.shiel@imperial.ac.uk


Keele University

Keele do not offer any BSc courses - even to their own students. They do, however, offer a range of masters level qualifications to both external and internal students (MPhil courses in clinical departments are reserved for Keele students only):

  • European Scientific Research Training (MRes)
  • Anatomical Sciences (MMedSci)
  • Healthcare Ethics (MMedSci)
  • Geriatric Medicine (MMedSci)
  • Leadership for Healthcare Professionals (MMedSci)
  • Medical Education
  • Primary Care Sciences (MPhil)
  • Molecular Parasitology & Vector Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cell and Tissue Engineering
  • Blood Science (MSc)
  • Medical Ethics and Law
  • Ethics of Cancer and Palliative Care


Extra information can be gained here

The external applicants application form can be accessed here


Kings College London

Kings provide a large number of very varied BSc’s that you can apply to as an external applicant. They ask for a letter of permission from your medical school, a reference from your academic tutor, a transcript of your results and a letter of recommendation from your clinical tutor. All the information that you need about the courses as well as the application form can be found on their website.

Kings offer the following intercalated degree programs:

  • Biochemistry
  • Biomaterials
  • Aerospace Physiology
  • Anatomy
  • Biomolecular Sciences
  • Clinical Healthcare Ethics & Law
  • Clinical and Molecular Endocrinology
  • Craniofacial Sciences
  • Developmental Neurobiology
  • Human Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases & Immunobiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Physiology
  • Radiological Sciences

Further information

  • More information about all of these degree courses can be found here
  • The external application form can be found here
  • With any further questions please contact [1]

University of Leeds

Leeds will consider external applicants if there are sufficient places available on the course once internal candidates have had their places allocated. The application form can be found on their website as well as information about the degree places that are available. They would like similar things to other universities a statement of results, reference and a personal statement.

Courses offered at Leeds are as follows:

Further Information

  • Further information about the courses offered at Leeds can be found here
  • The application form can be found here


University of Liverpool

It isn’t clear from the website of the university of Liverpool whether they allow external applicants to apply for their intercalated degree programs. However they do provide the following list of programs and the following contact number +441517945455.

Theses are the degree programs available to intercalators at Liverpool

  • BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
  • BSc (Hons) Genetic
  • BSc (Hons) Microbiology
  • BSc (Hons) Molecular Biology
  • BSc (Hons) Pharmacology
  • BSc (Hons) Physiology
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology
  • BSc (Hons) Tropical Disease Biology
  • BSc (Hons) Anatomy and Human Biology

University of Manchester

While providing information about their degree programs it isn’t obvious from checking the university of Manchester’s website whether external applicants are able to apply. They don’t provide any application form or information about entry requirements. However they do provide the following contact number so it might be worth checking: +441612757201.

The following are degree programs offered at Manchester:

  • Anatomical Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Cell Biology
  • Health Care Ethics and Law
  • History of Medicine
  • Medical Biochemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Pathology
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacology and Physiology
  • Physiology
  • Psychology
  • Masters in Research (Year 4 only)
  • Population Health Evidence - web-based learning (MSc, Year 4 only)

Further information

More information about these degree courses can be found here


University of Newcastle

The university of Newcastle offer a number of courses that are available to both internal and external applicants. It isn’t clear what you need to send them but it is likely to be along the same lines as other medical schools.

The programs offered are:

  • Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry with immunology
  • Biomedical sciences
  • Genetics
  • Medical Microbiology and immunology
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiological Sciences

Further Information

  • More information can be found here


University of Plymouth

BSc (Hons) Emergency Care

The University of Plymouth is the only provider of an intercalated degree in emergency care in the UK. We have been offering BSc (Hons) Emergency Care since 2000 and have taken intercalated students since 2005 and during that time our team have created a truly dynamic course that will test you, but will also lead to opportunities for development that are proving popular with both our students and the consultants we work with.

Students can expect:

  • Clinical experiences working in genuinely challenging environments; real life experiences for meaningful education
  • Team working; getting a true grip with working and studying with a multi-professional team and all the insight that brings
  • Management and Leadership; specific modules on management and leadership which will help you as you lead teams in the future
  • Research; opportunity to get to grips with skills that will be essential as you progress to becoming a Consultant.

Further Information

  • If you have any further questions about this course please contact the admissions team


Queens University Belfast

Queens’s website has some information about the programs that are offered and will accept external candidates. There is no information about the application procedure for external applicants so I would advice that you call them on 02890 277 2242 if you are interested in any of their programs.

The programs offered are:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Neuroscience

Further information

  • More information can be found here


University College London

UCL has a large number of programs which are available to both internal and external candidates. There is information on their website about the exact application procedure. External applicants will only be considered to programs where the places aren’t filled by internal candidates. The deadline for applications is normally in early March.

The following are programs which are offered at UCL:

  • Anatomy & Developmental Biology
  • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Sciences
  • History of Medicine
  • Human Genetics/Genetics
  • Immunology and Cell Pathology
  • Infection
  • International Health
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Medical Physics & Bioengineering
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Neuroscience
  • Orthopaedic Science
  • Pharmacology
  • Philosophy, Medicine & Society
  • Physiology
  • Physiology and Pharmacology
  • Primary Health Care
  • Psychology
  • Speech Science and Communication
  • Surgical Science
  • Woman's Health

Further Information

  • For more information on these courses look here
  • The prospectus for entry can be found here

Conclusion

That’s the end of this guide to intercalating I hope that you have found it useful and that you now feel better equipped to apply for your intercalated degree if you choose to do one

See Also

intercalate.co.uk - A useful resource if you want to browse through courses and institutions with relative ease.
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