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Are you interested in a career in the health services, in a pharmaceutical company or in medical research? Would you like to explore the biochemical processes that occur in the human body, and particularly diseases like cancer or the response to infection? Are you intrigued to learn how medicines are discovered and how they work?
Overview
The School of Biosciences provides a stimulating, supportive research-led environment for teaching and learning, encouraging you to achieve your full academic and personal potential. We have excellent links with the local NHS trust, and with the pharmaceutical industry, and professionals from both of these important sectors teach on our programme.
Our Biomedical Science degree is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). This option contains an additional year to the standard three year programme where you will work in industry or the NHS. This four year sandwich degree is also accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (advance accreditation) and will enable you to gain considerable further technical and professional experience.
Think Kent video series
Echoing the tale of the Trojan Horse, National Teaching Fellow, Dr Dan Lloyd, explains how antibodies are being used as vehicles to target toxic molecules and radioisotopes to cancer cells exclusively, therefore resulting in more specific therapies and potentially minimising side effects.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2015, 96% of students in the School of Biosciences were satisfied with the overall quality of their course. Furthermore, at a subject level, the School of Biosciences is ranked in the top 20% in The Guardian University Guide 2016, and in the top 25% in The Complete University Guide 2016.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Year in industry
Biomedical Science offers the possibility of doing a one-year placement away from the University between Stages 2 and 3. Sandwich placements provide an excellent opportunity to gain relevant work experience, usually in the pharmaceutical industry or a research institute. These placements can be in the UK or abroad. You are paid by your employer and produce an independent research project.
On a sandwich placement you acquire additional skills and gain first-hand experience of a particular type of work, which will help to inform your career decisions at the end of your degree. Students have worked at companies including: GlaxoSmithKline MedImmune, Lonza, BASF, Eli Lilly and Bayer Crop Science.
Progression: To progress to stage 2 you must achieve an overall average of 65% in Stage 1 unless you applied before July and met the conditions of the entry offer made. If the 65% requirement is not met, you will be transferred to the equivalent 3-year programme which is identical except for the year spent away from the University.
Visit the School of Biosciences web pages for more information about the sandwich option, including comments from past students.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching includes lectures, laboratory classes, workshops, problem-solving sessions and tutorials. You have an Academic Adviser who you meet with at regular intervals to discuss your progress, and most importantly, to identify ways in which you can improve your work further so that you reach your full potential.
Most modules are assessed by a combination of continuous assessment and end-of-year exams. Exams take place at the end of the academic year and count for 50% or more of the module mark. Stage 1 assessments do not contribute to the final degree classification, but all stage 2 and 3 assessments do, meaning that your final degree award is an average of many different components. On average, 26% of your time is spent in an activity led by an academic; the rest of your time is for independent study.
The Sandwich Year is assessed by a presentation and a written report and contributes 10% to the overall mark.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- instil a sense of enthusiasm for biomedical science, confront the scientific, moral plus ethical questions and engage in critical assessment of the subject material
- provide an understanding of scientific investigation of human health and disease
- provide a stimulating, research-active environment in which students are supported and motivated to achieve their academic and personal potential
- educate students in the theoretical and practical aspects of biomedical science
- facilitate the learning experience through various teaching and assessment methods
- give students the experience of undertaking an independent research project
- prepare students for further study, or training, and employment in science and non-science based careers, by developing transferable and cognitive skills
- develop the qualities needed for employment in situations requiring the exercise of professionalism, independent thought, personal responsibility and decision making in complex and unpredictable circumstances
- provide access to as wide a range of students as practicable
- provide an opportunity to gain experience as a biomedical scientist working in a professional environment such as hospital, government and industrial research laboratories
- to develop employment skills, including an understanding of how you relate to the structure and function of an organisation, via the sandwich year.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- the structure, function and control of the human body
- the main metabolic pathways used in biological systems in catabolism and anabolism, understanding biological reactions in chemical terms
- the variety of mechanisms by which metabolic pathways can be controlled and the way that they can be co-ordinated with changes in the physiological environment
- the genetic organisation of various types of organism and the way in which genes can be expressed and their expression controlled
- molecular genetic techniques and the causes and consequences of alterations of genetic material
- the structure and function of the main classes of macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids and polysaccharides
- the immune response in health and disease
- the structure, physiology, biochemistry, classification and control of microorganisms
- the main principles of cell and molecular biology, biochemistry and microbiology
- the microscopic examination of cells (cytology) and tissues (histology) for indicators of disease
- the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of analytes to aid the diagnosis, screening and monitoring of health and disease (clinical biochemistry).
- immunological disease/disorders
- the different elements that constitute blood in normal and diseased states (haematology)
- the identification of blood group antigens and antibodies (immunohaematology and transfusion science)
- pathogenic microorganisms
- the main methods for communicating information on biomedical sciences
- the way that a professional biomedical scientist can contribute to the organisation in which they work.
Intellectual skills
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
- understand the scope of teaching methods and study skills relevant to the biomedical sciences degree programme
- understand the concepts and principles in outcomes recognising and applying biomedical specific theories, paradigms, concepts or principles. For example, the relationship between biochemical activity and disease
- acquire the skills for analysis, synthesis, summary and presentation of biomedical information.
- demonstrate competence in solving extended biomedical problems involving advanced data manipulation and comprehension using biomedical specific and transferable skills
- integrate scientific evidence, to formulate and test hypotheses
- structure, develop and defend complex scientific arguments
- plan, execute and interpret data from a short research project
- recognise the moral and ethical issues of biomedical investigations and appreciate the need for ethical standards and professional codes of conduct.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
- to handle, biological material and chemicals in a safe way, thus being able to assess any potential hazards associated with biomedical experimentation
- perform risk assessments prior to the execution of an experimental protocol
- to use basic and advanced experimental equipment in executing the core practical techniques used by biomedical scientists
- to find information on biomedical topics from a wide range of information resources and maintain an effective information retrieval strategy
- plan, execute and assess the results from experiments using acquired subject-specific knowledge
- identify the best method for presenting and reporting on biomedical investigations using written, data manipulation/presentation and computer skills.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- the ability to receive and respond to a variety of sources of information
- communicate effectively to a variety of audiences using a range of formats and approaches
- problem-solve by a variety of methods, especially numerical, including the use of computers
- use the internet and other electronic sources critically as a means of communication and as a source of information
- interpersonal and teamwork skills that allow you to identify individual and collective goals, and recognise and respect the views and opinions of others
- self-management and organisational skills and the capacity to support life-long learning
- awareness of information sources for assessing and planning future career development
- function effectively in a working environment.
Careers
The employment record of our students is excellent. We ensure that our students get extensive laboratory experience, working both independently and as part of a team, which gives them the confidence they need to excel in the workplace. We have established excellent links with employers including those in our regional NHS Trusts. The Sandwich Year option will further enhance your employability by providing you with a period of professional practice within a research environment.
Our recent graduates have gone on to careers including: healthcare in the NHS; medical research based in academic, government, industrial and medical labs; biotechnology; teaching; industry and commerce; scientific publishing and marketing; information technology. Many are doing postgraduate study (MSc or PhD) and some apply for postgraduate entry into Medical School.
For more information on the services Kent provides you to improve your career prospects visit www.kent.ac.uk/employability.
Professional recognition
Our Biomedical Science degree programme is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and the Royal Society of Biology (RSB).
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB including Biology or Human Biology grade B |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade C |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to pass the Access to Higher Education Diploma with 36 level 3 credits at distinction and 9 at merit, and to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits in particular subjects at distinction or merit grade. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis. Typical offers when made are Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 points at HL including Biology 5 at HL or 6 at SL and Mathematics 4 at HL or SL |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
UK/EU/International students on an approved Year Abroad for the full 2016/17 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Those on an approved Year in Industry pay an annual fee of £865 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.