Biological Sciences BSc Honours

Why choose Biological Sciences BSc at Middlesex?

Biological Sciences encompasses and unites concepts, techniques and data from many allied sciences to provide a broader understanding of Life’s processes and interactions. This degree is perfect if you have a strong scientific interest and wish to develop your knowledge and practical skills and pursue a career in life sciences.

You will have access to outstanding laboratory facilities (e.g. molecular and microbiology labs) throughout your studies.

And you'll develop your skills working with experienced teaching staff within a research-led teaching environment.

You will also develop your fieldwork skills with residential field trips and expeditions into London.

What you will gain

Throughout your degree, you will gain biological and transferable skills necessary for a career in the Biological Sciences.

You will be equipped to carry out individual research projects. Such research helps you develop into an independent life science professional with bioscience, organisational and project management skills.

You will have the option to specialise your degree, depending on the modules you take in year 2 and 3. You will be able to graduate with either BSc Biological Sciences, BSc Biological Sciences (Molecular Biology) or BSc Biological Sciences (Environmental Biology). Please see the module section to see which modules link to each route.

What you will learn

This course gives you a solid foundation in the underlying principles of biology and develops your practical skills through laboratory-based experiments and problem-based learning.

You will use industry analysis facilities and tech. You will be led in your learning by research-active academics who will help you develop your final-year research project.

You will also have the opportunity to grow your learning and field experience by:

• Joining field trips in areas of outstanding conservation importance and evolutionary interest
• Collaborating and contributing to research team activities on volunteering schemes.

Careers

How can the Biological Sciences BSc Honours support your career?

The biological sciences are very broad. This is reflected in the career options for our biological sciences graduates, which are diverse and, to a large extent, depend on the specialisation route taken by the. Possible public and private sector careers can be found in the biotech, genomics and pharmaceutical industry, academic research institutes, (ecological/environmental) consultancies and non-government organisations. Graduates can go on to work in the education sector or find a job in the growing field of communicating and popularising science. Some graduates may choose to progress to postgraduate study. 

Biological sciences graduates go on to a diverse range of careers. Over the last couple of years a significant number of graduates went for further academic study (MSc, MRes and PhD) at Middlesex University or other highly ranked national (e.g. Imperial College, UCL, Queen Mary, Oxford, Cambridge) and foreign Universities (e.g. University of Amsterdam; Leiden University). Others found positions at research institutions, charities (e.g. Cancer Research UK), public bodies (e.g. National Rail), government organisations (e.g. DEFRA) and (biotech) companies (e.g. Novogene). These examples show that graduates of the Biological Sciences are well prepared for a career in the broad field of life sciences.

Transferable skills

You'll gain knowledge and skills that are useful in a range of career opportunities in the life sciences or prepare you for further study (biotech, consultancy, education related).

MDXworks

Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.

Work placements

There are two opportunities to gain relevant work experience. You may take a one-year long placement of 120 credits or a 30-credit work experience module. Both provide excellent opportunities to gain employability skills, transferable skills and experience of working in science. This may be in an industrial, research laboratory or hospital-based environment for example. We can support you to find and secure internships and work experiences that you can do outside the scheduled programme, e.g. over the summer between years two and three.

The 30 credit Work Experience module is available as an optional module in year three. You will be supported by the programme team and the university's employability team to prepare for and secure a placement. The module enables work of about 120-160 hours, usually as a minimum of 15 workdays in a relevant organisation.

The Thick Sandwich Year with a 120-credit placement (BIO3003) can be taken by students who have successfully completed year two. There are no university fees for the placement year. You will be supported by the programme team and the university's employability team to prepare for and secure a placement. You will be visited in your placement at least twice and supported by an in-placement mentor, the placement office and a member of the programme team. Both mentor and student will have a guide handbook to explain the requirements and students will keep an ongoing reflective diary of their experiences and also produce a critical appraisal of the organisation they work in.

Students who successfully complete the 120-credit placement module will be awarded a Diploma in Industrial Studies or Diploma in Employability Studies, depending on the nature of the placement.

Global network

You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.