Biochemistry with Professional Training Year (BSc)

Why study this course

Biochemistry is the study of the molecular basis of life. It is a subject that has a rich history of scientific discoveries, from enzymology and metabolic pathways to the discovery of genes and the structure of DNA. Today the subject embraces important new areas, such as genomics and genome editing, synthetic biology and protein engineering.

Through this course, you will learn how biochemistry and biomolecular sciences contribute to advances in all biological disciplines, including medicine and biotechnology. You will receive extensive hands-on training in laboratory techniques, and gain practical experience of widely transferable skills in computing, statistics, data analysis and presentation.

As part of this course you will spend your third year on placement at an academic, clinical or industrial research laboratory, or other approved establishment. This offers a great opportunity to gain first-hand professional research experience, and it has been shown to greatly enhance your subsequent employment prospects.

Many placements are in the UK, but in recent years we have had an increasing number of students taking up placements in international locations, including Southeast Asia, South Africa, Germany, Italy, Australia, Madagascar, and the USA.

Your degree title remains flexible up until your final year, allowing you to either continue with BSc Biochemistry or switch to another of our bioscience courses. Your final degree title will depend on module selection, and your Personal Tutor will guide you through the options available to you. You may also have the option of switching to our MBiochem integrated master’s degree, which forms an excellent basis for a future career in scientific research.

Our Biochemistry degree provides an excellent foundation for careers within all areas of biological and molecular sciences, and offers strong training for research scientists. Our graduates have gone on to a range of exciting and fulfilling careers in both scientific and non-scientific related fields, including biotechnology research and development, scientific publishing, pharmaceutical industries, molecular biology, journalism, teaching and veterinary science. Many also choose to further their studies by pursuing a master’s degree or PhD.

Distinctive features

• Enjoy a flexible course structure that enables you to tailor your degree to match your interests and aspirations.
• Enhance your career prospects and gain professional research experience with a sandwich year placement.
• Experience the excitement of learning in active research environment, with teaching staff who are leading researchers in their field.
• Make use of the latest equipment, techniques and facilities in your project work.
• Develop your field research skills with one of our popular project-based field courses. Opt for one of our UK-based courses or choose to travel further afield to locations such as Tobago or Borneo.
• The School of Biosciences offers access to a wide range of exciting training opportunities with a field centre in Borneo, and strong involvement in Cardiff University research institutes, including the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute and the Medicines Discovery Institute.

You may also be interested in the following degree programmes:

• MBiochem Biochemistry (integrated master’s degree) with Professional Training Year

• BSc Biomedical Sciences with Professional Training Year

• Bsc Biological Sciences with Professional Training Year (including option for Genetics)

• BSc Biochemistry

Careers and placements

Career prospects

Our Biochemistry qualification provides an excellent foundation for careers within all areas of biological and molecular sciences. It offers strong training for research scientists and a significant proportion of our BSc Biochemistry graduates go on to study PhD or master’s degrees. Many others have successful careers in science-related fields such as biotechnology research and development, medical or scientific publishing, pharmaceutical industries, and molecular biology, amongst many others.

Through your degree you will also develop transferable skills that are attractive to a wide range of employers in more general areas of industry, commerce, public service, administration and management. A degree in Biochemistry can also act as a stepping stone to further training in professional areas including teaching, medicine, dentistry, nursing, veterinary science and accounting.

In 2016/17, 93% of the School’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating. Experience has shown that students who have completed a Professional Training Year are particularly well-placed to obtain degree-related employment at the end of their studies.

Placements

This course includes a Professional Training Year (PTY) which gives you the opportunity to spend a period of 9-12 months in an academic, clinical or industrial research laboratory, or other approved establishment, in order to gain first-hand research experience.

Many placements are in the UK, but we have also had several placements in other locations in Europe, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Germany, Italy and the USA.
Finding a placement is a competitive process and success cannot be guaranteed. The process will primarily be driven by you since most placements depend on application and selection by the partner company or organisation. However, we provide advice and support, and to date we have been successful in placing the vast majority of our PTY students.

Should a placement not be available, or should you change your mind, you can switch from the four-year degree with PTY to a three year BSc degree. Alternatively, after the second year and subject to academic progress and space availability, you may apply to change to the integrated Master’s MBiochem degree.