Plant Biology (with integrated year in industry),BSc

This five-year course includes an integrated foundation year, after which the syllabus follows that of the standard four-year course, BSc Plant Biology (with integrated year in industry) (C202).

BSc Plant Biology will provide you with real-life opportunities to challenge your knowledge and think creatively. You will benefit from many fieldwork opportunities looking at both environmental and agricultural scenarios.

At Aberystwyth you will be studying in an area rich in a variety of stunning landscapes, providing excellent fieldwork opportunities in natural and semi-natural habitats and ecosystems including the Cardigan Bay coastline, freshwater environments, woodlands, heaths, moorland and alpine habitats. Many nature reserves are within easy reach, including Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons National Parks.

Our world-class facilities include botany gardens with a wide range of temperate and tropical plants, an extensive range of growth rooms and glasshouses, a museum of historic botanical specimens, and plant genetic resources collections and databases. We are also home to the National Plant Phenomics Centre, giving you the possibility of engaging with our world-leading plant breeding programmes.

The year in industry is taken in your fourth year in the UK or overseas, is supervised and assessed, and will count towards your degree grade. During your year in industry, you will pay a discounted tuition fee.

Aberystwyth also has its very own and unique ‘Phyte Club’ where students from across the University assemble weekly to botanise at our Botanical Garden, in horticultural glasshouses and the field.

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

UCAS Tariff 48

A Levels Available to those who are studying for, or who have completed Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A-Levels or BTEC diploma) in subject areas other than biological science, and to mature-aged candidates who have the required GCSEs, experience and motivation.

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
(minimum grade C/4): English or Welsh, Mathematics and Science

BTEC National Diploma:
Available to those who are studying for, or who have completed the Extended Level 3 BTEC diploma in subject areas other than biological science, or who have taken a BTEC certificate or diploma in any subject, and to mature-aged candidates who have the required GCSE subjects, experience and motivation.

International Baccalaureate:
Available to those who are studying for, or who have completed an international baccalaureate in subject areas other than higher level biological science, and to mature-aged candidates who have the required GCSE subjects (or equivalent), experience and motivation.

European Baccalaureate:
Available to those who are studying for, or who have completed the European Baccalaureate in subject areas other than 4p biological science and to mature-aged candidates who have the required GCSE subjects (or equivalent), experience and motivation.

English Language Requirements See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements (https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/study-with-us/international/english-requirements/ug-english-requirements/) for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes (https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/international-english/courses/te/) are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Other Requirements Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

Career opportunities for Plant Scientists are truly excellent, with many jobs and few trained scientists in this area, and we are perfectly placed to help you exploit UK and international links. Our graduates are working in conservation management, industrial and government-funded plant research institutes and the scientific civil service.

How will my degree prepare me for the future?

Employability is embedded in our teaching. Our students leave Aberystwyth University with:

• research and data analysis skills
• enhanced mathematical and computational skills
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
• a thorough grounding in information technology skills
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement.

Completing a year in industry will allow you to:

• apply the learning from your course to the work environment
• make valuable industry contacts
• develop practical skills related to your area of study
• enrich your final year of studies with an enhanced appreciation of its applicability to your career
• greatly enhance your CV and increase your prospects of success in the job market.