Course summary

Your studies on Birkbeck’s BSc Biomedicine will be at the interface between molecular, cell and integrative biology and evolving disease therapies. You will discover how biomedical research plays a pivotal role in the transfer of advances in basic science into effective practices that promote human health as well as into treatments for human diseases. Learning with internationally recognised researchers, study on this biomedicine degree will provide you with an academic grounding in the science that underpins modern medicine, with the opportunity to explore biomedical research. You will develop a sound knowledge of scientific principles across a range of disciplines, including biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, drugs and drug discovery, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology and physiology, and will understand their applications. Your practical laboratory experience will be a key element of your degree. In tandem with your scientific understanding, you will develop practical and analytical skills that will support an evidence-based, critical approach to scientific discovery. You will also practise creativity and team-building that drive scientific innovation. You will develop the technical, intellectual and social skills needed for careers in research, medicine, teaching, and the wider application of scientific knowledge in the modern workplace. If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. The course is accredited* by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting in part the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol). *Interim accreditation subject to final review. Highlights

• Birkbeck provides state-of-the-art, specialist laboratories and facilities for studying biological sciences in the heart of academic London.

• In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), in a joint submission with UCL, Biological Sciences at Birkbeck were ranked 11th in the UK.

• You will be taught by internationally distinguished experts who work with governments and institutions around the globe to extend the boundaries of knowledge.

• Working in close collaboration with the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, a joint institute between Birkbeck and UCL, we are recognised for the excellence and international impact of our research.

• You will receive training in practical skills and lab work, including microscopy, DNA manipulation and protein handling. In your final year, you will also have the opportunity to gain the skills to work independently in a lab environment when all students attend a week-long daytime, practical course as part of the final year project module.

• This course has Royal Society of Biology interim accreditation, subject to final review, following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degrees contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates with accredited degrees meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.

• biomedical scientist

• healthcare scientist

• medical research scientist

• microbiologist.