BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science

• 104 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Your Level 3 subjects must include biology (or equivalent); for instance, A-level Biology or BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science.
• You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English, Mathematics and Science.
• Please note that Health and Social Care is not usually acceptable as a biology-related subject.
• You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
• If English isn't your first language, you'll need IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band (or equivalent) to meet the HCPC and IBMS's English language requirements. Please visit the HCPC's Certificate of English language proficiency web page for more information and details of the other English language tests they accept.
• If you later wish to transfer to our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science with placement year course and are successful in your transfer application, you'll need to meet further conditions to secure your placement. We'll discuss these with you during levels HE4 and HE5 of the course. Each organisation offering placements will have specific conditions you must meet before attending their placement. The exact requirements will vary depending on the nature of the organisation and placement. For example, the conditions for an NHS placement will include: (1) As the placement involves regulated activity, you'll need to get an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). (2) You'll be required to pass occupational health screening satisfactorily. (3) You'll need to demonstrate that you're of good health and good character before transfer and on an ongoing basis throughout your studies and career. This list is not exhaustive.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

If you're interested in improving human health but seek an alternative to working directly with patients, the University of Bolton's BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science is ideal. Whether your motivation is to diagnose disease or develop new medicines, vaccines and treatments, this degree offers you an exciting combination of career-focused skills and knowledge. As well as exploring the human biology aspects of biomedical science, the course covers essential biotechnological principles and advancements relevant to the medical technology, biomedical technology and pharmaceutical job markets.

Understanding how to use laboratory equipment is crucial for careers in biomedical science and related fields, so this is an important focus of our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science degree. As a graduate of our course, you’ll possess knowledge of a wide range of laboratory techniques and experience using high-specification instrumentation. Your practical expertise will be underpinned by your sound understanding of the theories and principles of anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, haematology and physiology. You'll have experience planning, conducting and evaluating experiments, complying with health and safety regulations, and researching and interpreting scientific literature.

In addition to academic and scientific knowledge, this degree offers you the opportunity to develop an impressive range of employability skills. We'll support and challenge you to develop skills in analysis and problem-solving, data analysis, evaluation and interpretation, IT, numeracy and statistics, oral and written communication, project management, teamwork, organisation and time management. These abilities are highly valued in the industry and transferrable to a wide range of areas beyond biomedical science.

As a graduate of this BSc degree, you'll be able to define your pathway to a rewarding career in biomedical science and be qualified to pursue exciting opportunities in research and academia if you wish.

What can I do with this qualification?

You're likely to wish to pursue registration as a biomedical scientist to work in NHS clinical pathology laboratories. This BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). This degree is designed to meet the academic components required for registration as a biomedical scientist by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Once you graduate from an IBMS-accredited degree, you'll need to undertake a period of clinical laboratory training in an IBMS-approved laboratory and complete the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio. Should you be successful in this, the IBMS will then issue you an IBMS Certificate of Competence to show you're eligible to apply to the HCPC for registration as a biomedical scientist. Alternatively, if your degree is not IBMS accredited, you can ask the IBMS to assess your degree, where they will identify any educational shortfall. You'll then be able to apply to universities that offer IBMS-approved degrees to study additional modules to fulfil the academic requirements for HCPC registration before you seek the clinical laboratory training described above.

As a graduate of our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science degree, you'll possess a highly transferable skill set adaptable to a vast range of careers and work environments in the public, private and third sectors. Your in-depth knowledge of human biology and laboratory techniques will support you in seeking work immediately as a clinical trials assistant, healthcare technical officer, medical laboratory assistant, laboratory technician, or research assistant. You'll be well placed to apply for roles in medical and veterinary research laboratories, perhaps developing novel therapeutic strategies or diagnostic tests. You might also seek work in research and development, quality assurance and sales in the food and drink, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Biomedical science graduates may also help develop health policy in government departments, become science writers and editors for publishing companies or the specialist press or work in crime scene investigation for the police.

Alternatively, you may use your degree as a springboard to higher-level study in medicine or postgraduate qualifications. If you're attracted to a career in medicine, you may be interested in becoming a physician associate (PA). Physician associates work under the direct supervision of a doctor and carry out many similar tasks, including patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. The University of Bolton's MSc Physician Associate Studies course is open to BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science graduates who achieve at least a lower second class (2.2) honours degree and takes only two years to complete. A wide range of other postgraduate options will also be open to you, including teaching, social work, graduate entry law, accountancy, physiotherapy and genetic counselling, to name a few.

Alternative career options

Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into various other careers, bearing in mind that these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:

• Teaching and education
• Medical administration
• Health service management
• Science writing
• Health promotion
• Medicine
• Nursing
• Research and development
• Medical sales
• Intellectual property
• Financial analysis
• Genetics
• Health education
• Public relations

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

For 2023-2024 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2023-2024 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

Face-to-face contact with our expert team is highly interactive, and we pride ourselves on offering personalised support and attention. Our strong preference for small group teaching means your tutors quickly get to know you as an individual. This ensures we can respond to your questions, identify your learning style and support your learning more effectively.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods to help you achieve your potential. Lectures introduce course content, while seminars are a valuable way to explore subjects in greater detail. Tutorials allow you to ask questions about the topics we cover and discuss your learning approaches and strategies for success. Practical laboratory sessions help you learn to apply academic theory to scientific problems and develop practical skills in research methods and scientific techniques. Mini-research projects embedded in practical classes encourage your curiosity and help build your critical thinking skills. Also, guided computer-based workshops help you gain the data analysis skills and knowledge you'll need for your final year research project and develop crucial skills in bioinformatics. Overall, we take a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face sessions with online work as appropriate.

Self-directed and independent study is essential if you want to reach your potential in this hugely rewarding and constantly evolving subject. We’ll expect you to devote significant time to activities such as background reading, preparing for seminars and assignments, writing essays and revising for exams.

Summative assessments contribute to your final module marks and include in-class tests, essays, seminar presentations, laboratory reports, independent project work, and exams. These assessments are your chance to confirm your knowledge and understanding and demonstrate your critical and evaluation skills.

Meanwhile, you'll benefit from ongoing formative assessments throughout your degree. These don't contribute to module marks or final grades but focus on supporting your progress, helping you build on your strengths and overcome challenges. They're also an excellent way to help you identify and pursue the independent learning strategies that best suit your needs and preferences.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Investigating Science and Personal Development
• Introduction to Biochemistry
• Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Introduction to Biomedical Science
• Molecular Genetics
• Medical Biochemistry
• Medical Microbiology
• Research Science in Practice
• Cellular Pathology
• Biological Basis of Disease and Therapeutics
• Project
• Professional Practice
• Blood Science
• Clinical Immunology

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.