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    Biochemistry (Placement Year)
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    Lancaster University

    Biochemistry (Placement Year)

    Lancaster University

    Lancaster University

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    United Kingdom, Lancaster

    University RankQS Ranking
    141

    Key Facts

    Program Level

    Bachelor

    Study Type

    Full Time

    Delivery

    On Campus

    Course Code

    C707

    Campuses

    Main Site

    Program Language

    English

    Start & Deadlines

    Next Intake DeadlinesOctober-2026
    Apply to this program

    Go to the official application for the university

    Duration 4 year(s)
    Tuition Fee
    GBP 30,770  / year
    Next Intake October-2026

    Biochemistry (Placement Year)

    About

    With a degree in biochemistry, you’ll study small things that make a big impact.

    By understanding life at the molecular level you can play a role in addressing major global challenges, like developing treatments for disease, improving forensics in police investigations, or tackling hunger through improving crop yields.

    Unlock the secrets of life

    Biochemistry unites biology and chemistry to understand the cellular, molecular and chemical interactions within living systems.

    This knowledge of living organisms will provide you with a deep understanding of how life works. Indeed, biochemists have been at the forefront of making breakthrough discoveries across medicine, agriculture and biotechnology that have changed our world.

    This four-year BSc with a placement year is taught by experts from our Biomedical and Life Sciences and Chemistry departments. Your placement year will allow you to gain workplace experience, helping you to stand out with potential employers.

    You will delve into biochemistry in the context of health and disease and study topics in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics, which are at the heart of modern medical and health research. You will also study fundamental themes in chemistry.

    You will be taught by our academics whose vast biochemistry research experience includes the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of various cancers; the biochemistry of organisms that thrive in extreme environments; and biomedical imaging agents to probe drug activity in cells.

    Together with your year placement year, your degree is an ideal basis for a host of careers across the biomedical, research, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors, offering you the scientific knowledge, practical lab skills and career-ready mindset to succeed. Plus, you will pay just 20 per cent of the standard tuition fee during your placement year.

    And, because you will build your skills and competence in experimental design, data recording, analysis and presentation, effective project management, teamwork and communication, you will have highly transferable skills valued by employers both within the sciences and in broader fields such as marketing, finance and management.

    Your journey through biochemistry

    Our academics have carefully designed this course to provide you with a structured, progressive training in biochemistry.

    • In Year 1, you will study a range of core topics designed to provide you with a broad overview of biology and chemistry, including molecules of life, cell biology and organic chemistry that will build on your pre-university knowledge.
    • In Year 2, you may choose to continue to study chemistry options or complement your biochemistry studies by focussing on bioscience-related topics, such as pharmacology or drug design and development.
    • You will spend Year 3 on a work placement in industry, building your professional toolkit and gaining valuable insights into a career in biochemistry. You will return to Lancaster to complete your fourth year with renewed confidence and drive to achieve your goals.
    • In Year 4, you will have greater choice in the modules you study and may explore themes such as molecular medicine or cell signalling.

    You will also put your learning into practice with your own, independent research project. This is your opportunity to make a unique contribution to increasing scientific knowledge in an area of biochemistry that fascinates you.

    A hands-on degree

    Our state-of-the-art life science teaching laboratories will be at the heart of your degree. They are where you will put the knowledge you have acquired from lectures and tutorials into practice and get to know your course-mates and academics.

    You will gain hands-on experience (depending upon your specialisation) of using equipment and facilities such as:

    • our bioimaging facility
    • protein purification and characterisation facilities
    • cell sorters
    • confocal microscopes
    • flow cytometers
    • PCR thermocyclers
    • cell culture facilities

    In addition to laboratory practical classes and workshops, you will learn through lectures, workshops, tutorials, laboratory reports, essays and case studies, presentations, tests and exams. You will also benefit from digital resources through our online learning environment which will support your independent learning.

    Altogether your classroom learning and practical experience means you will graduate well-prepared for a successful career in biochemistry or in other scientific and non-scientific fields.

    BSc Advertising and Digital Marketing will provide you with real-world hands-on experience in advertising and digital marketing. The focused curriculum will enable you to develop a mix of creative and analytical skills for success in advertising, marketing communications, social media and digital marketing.

    Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    Entry requirements

    These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.

    Qualifications and typical requirements accordion

    AAB. This should include Biology and Chemistry.

    Considered on a case-by-case basis. Our typical entry requirement would be 36 Level 3 credits at Distinction plus 9 Level 3 credits at Merit, but you would need to meet the subject requirements.

    We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A level, or equivalent qualification, as long as any subject requirements are met.

    DDD, considered alongside A level Chemistry grade B, and to include sufficient Biology content. We require Distinctions in the majority of relevant science units.

    Our typical requirement would be A level grade B plus BTEC(s) at DD, or A levels at grade AB plus BTEC at D. This would need to include A level Chemistry, and either A level Biology, or sufficient Biology content in the BTEC(s).

    35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects including 6 in HL Biology and 6 in HL Chemistry

    We are happy to admit applicants on the basis of five Highers, but where we require a specific subject at A level, we will typically require an Advanced Higher in that subject. If you do not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone, we will consider a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects. Please contact the Admissions team for more information.

    Not accepted

    Help from our Admissions team

    If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.

    We also have more details on our website about:

    International foundation programmes

    Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

    Contextual admissions

    Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

    English Program Requirements

    For majority of our undergraduate courses you must meet our standard English language requirements, but there are a few courses which have different requirements.

    The requirements for Medicine and Surgery vary significantly from our standard requirements and you can find more details on this page.

    Some of our Science, Mathematics and Social Work courses also have different English language requirements. The English language requirements for these can be found on the entry requirements tab in the course information.

    Career

    Careers

    A degree in biochemistry will unlock a host of careers in biomedicine, research, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.

    Many biochemistry graduates work in scientific research and development in pharmaceutical and bioscience companies and institutes. Others go on to careers in diagnostics, molecular biology or food biotechnology. Your degree will also be ideal if you aspire to further postgraduate study and a career in research.

    You may consider roles such as:

    • Analytical Chemist
    • Biotechnologist
    • Clinical Research Associate
    • Clinical Scientist
    • Forensic Scientist
    • Medicinal Chemist
    • Nanotechnologist
    • Research Scientist
    • Scientific Laboratory Technician

    You may also consider the following careers after further training

    • Pharmacologist
    • Physician Associate
    • NHS Scientist

    A degree in biochemistry provides a good foundation if you aspire to further postgraduate study and a career in research, or a graduate-entry degree in medicine.

    It is also an ideal basis for applying for a highly-sought-after place on the NHS Scientist Training Programme. For more details on entry requirements, please visit the NHS website.

    Your transferable skills and analytical training will also open up potential careers in other fields such as management, teaching, marketing and finance.

    Your placement year will help to further set you apart in the jobs market. As well as enhancing your CV with practical work experience in a biochemistry -related role, your placement year will help you to build a valuable network of professional contacts.

    Altogether, you will graduate with a scientific understanding of biochemistry, as well as the mindset, confidence and workplace experience to excel in the competitive world of employment.

    Graduate destinations

    Our biochemistry graduates have gone on to exciting roles which include:

    • Analytical Technician
    • Molecular Laboratory Scientist
    • Operations Analyst
    • Product Delivery Scientist
    • Research and Development Scientist
    • Science Technician
    • Healthcare Scientist

    You can also apply for a paid summer internship in our department, helping you to gain additional research experience. Past interns have worked on research topics including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology and tropical infectious diseases.

    Employability at Lancaster: preparing you for the world of work

    Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring that you gain a highly reputable degree. We are also committed to ensuring that you graduate with relevant life and work-based skills.

    Because professional skills are embedded throughout our curriculum, you will develop wider expertise valued by employers including communication, teamworking and negotiation skills, project management and problem-solving skills, ethical and environmental awareness.

    We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award, which offers you the opportunity to complete activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development.

    Visit our employability section for full details.

    Fee Information

    Additional fees and funding information accordion

    Additional costs for this course

    It is recommended, but not compulsory, that students join the Biochemical Society. The cost for this will be approximately £20.

    There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

    Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

    College fees

    Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

    For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.

    Computer equipment and internet access

    To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.

    The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

    Study abroad courses

    In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.

    Placement and industry year courses

    In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.

    The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.

    Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.

    We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:

    • Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
    • Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee

    International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will also be charged in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:

    • Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard international tuition fee during the Study Abroad year
    • Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard international tuition fee during the Placement year

    Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.

    Tuition Fee

    GBP 30,770 

    Application Fee

    GBP  
    Lancaster University

    Biochemistry (Placement Year)

    Lancaster University

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    United Kingdom,

    Lancaster

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