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Biological Sciences with a Placement Year

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,B

including Biology or Human Biology. Where applicable Science A Levels awarded by an English Exam board require a pass in the practical element. Critical Thinking and General Studies are not accepted.

Access to HE Diploma

D:36,M:9

including 12 Level 3 credits in Biology.

Principal subjects and A-level combinations are considered - please contact us.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

33

including Higher Level 5 in Biology.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

in Applied Science, Applied Science (Medical Science) or Animal Management. Excludes BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services, BTEC Business Administration and BTEC Forensic Science.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,B,C

including Biology or Human Biology.

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,A,A

including A in Biology or Human Biology.

Obtain an overall Pass including an A in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable subjects are: Science.

UCAS Tariff

136-165

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biology

**Overview**
We’re world leaders in biological research, so by studying with us you’ll benefit from exposure to our cutting-edge research in molecular, cellular and whole organism biology.

You’ll have the chance to get to grips with the application of science within major global challenges such as environmental management, food security, biotechnology and human health. And with the hands-on experience you’ll have gained, you’ll be one step closer to becoming a pioneer in your chosen field. You will benefit from our enviable position as an integral partner of the Norwich Research Park, which is also home to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and independent, world-renowned research institutes such as the John Innes Centre, the Sainsbury Laboratory, the Earlham Institute, and the Quadram Institute.

In the most recent Times Higher Education REF Analysis (2021), we were ranked 17th overall for research quality in Biological Science.

This four-year degree programme follows the structure of our BSc Biological Sciences, while giving you the opportunity to spend your third year on a work placement from anywhere across the breadth of biology.

A placement year makes an invaluable addition to your scientific knowledge and skills, increasing your employability and giving you the chance to put your first two years of learning into practice.

**About This Course**
On this course, you’ll follow the same programme as our BSc Biological Sciences students, but you will spend your third year on a work placement relevant to your interests. You’ll be able to undertake a placement that could cover any aspect from across the field of biology. For example, our students have worked in large pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline, small biotechnology companies such as Phico Therapeutics, research institutes like the John Innes Centre, educational placements with the Field Studies Council or conservation placements like those taking place in the Norfolk Broads.

Your placement can be in the UK or abroad, with recent students travelling to Europe, Australia and North America. During your placement you’ll gain experience and insight that’s highly valued by future employers, putting you one step ahead of other graduates.

Upon returning in your final year, you’ll have the chance to further develop your skills with an independent research project in a unique area of science. You could even see your research published. 

**Disclaimer**

Course details are subject to change. You should always confirm the details on the provider's website: **www.uea.ac.uk**

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
International
£26,100
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of East Anglia UEA

Department:

School of Biological Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

86%
Biology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Biology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
75%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

74%
Library resources
81%
IT resources
98%
Course specific equipment and facilities
74%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

96%
UK students
4%
International students
45%
Male students
55%
Female students
87%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Biology (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,500
med
Average annual salary
93%
low
Employed or in further education
59%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

13%
Other elementary services occupations
8%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
8%
Science, engineering and production technicians

The recession was tough on biology graduates, and although the jobs market has improved for them - a lot - it's still not back to where it was a few years ago. If you want a career in biology research — and a lot of biology students do - you'll need to take a doctorate, so give some thought as to where you might do it and how you might fund it (the government still funds doctorates for good students). A lot of graduates also take 1 year Masters courses to specialise in this wide and deep subject - most students take a standard biology course for their first degree and then specialise in subjects like ecology, conservation or marine biology later. Hospitals, universities, biotech firms, zoos and nature reserves and clinical and scientific testing are common industries of employment for biology graduates.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Biology (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£20k

£20k

£25k

£25k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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