Our degrees are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology and are driven by our cutting-edge research to create an exciting and rewarding learning environment. At Kent you will gain the scientific knowledge and practical skills to enable you to work at the forefront of biological progress. Our modules will help you to understand the complexity and diversity of bacteria, viruses, plant and animal cells, and how to apply this knowledge to a wide variety of applications including genetic engineering for health or agricultural purposes, species conservation, and new sustainable technologies to protect the environment.
To ensure that you will have the best possible start in your future career, we will also help you to develop a wide range of communication and employability skills. Our subject specialists are here to provide expert advice on the different careers and placement opportunities available.
In your first year, you are introduced to a broad survey of the various biological disciplines, including biochemistry, biodiversity, cell and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, human physiology, and field study work. You also take a skills course to gain more expertise in laboratory practical work, and the analysis and presentation of biological data.
In your second year, you develop your knowledge of gene regulation, cell biology, microbiology, animal and plant physiology, and human health and disease. The modules at this stage go into greater depth and subjects can include animal form and function, plant physiology and adaptation, gene expression, infection and immunity, microbial physiology and skills for bioscientists 2.
During the summer vacation after your second year, there are opportunities to work in one of our research labs on an eight-week Summer Studentship. The School attracts a large research income (about £4.5 million per year) and is ranked 7th in the UK for research intensity (outperforming 19 of the 24 Russell Group universities).
In your final year, the range of optional modules increases to allow you to specialise in subjects that interest you, such as neuroscience, virology, immunology, bioinformatics, cell signaling, aging, cancer, primate biology or climate change and conservation. You also complete an eight-week research project, which may be laboratory, business, computing or communication based.
On our related programme, Biology with a Sandwich Year, you spend a year working between Stages 2 and 3. You can also study or work abroad as part of your degree on our Biology with a Year Abroad programme.
We recently spent £2 million on our laboratories to ensure that you develop your practical skills in a world-class environment. We give you extensive practical training and you spend up to three days a week in the laboratory during your final year project.
You can join BioSoc, a student-run society. Previous activities have included research talks and social events.
We also encourage our students to attend outside conferences and events. In 2015, Kent students competed with 280 teams and won the gold medal at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Giant Jamboree in the USA.
Our school collaborates with research groups in industry and academia throughout the UK and Europe. It also has excellent links with local employers, such as:
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.
BBC including Biology or Human Biology grade B or Double Award Applied Science at grade BB including the practical endorsement of any science qualifications taken.
Mathematics grade C
The University 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.
Distinction, Distinction, Merit in Applied Science or Biomedical Science. Please contact us for advice if you are taking a different BTEC subject.
34 points overall or 15 points at HL including Biology 5 at HL or 6 at SL and Mathematics 4 at HL or SL
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average including 60% in Skills for Bioscientists, Fundamentals of Human Biology and Life Sciences (plus 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at 4/C or equivalent).
Please contact the School for more information at study-bio@kent.ac.uk.
International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 3 years full-time
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
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.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarshipsKent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
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.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
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, 29% of your time is spent in an activity lead by an academic; the rest of your time is for independent study.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
The programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
You gain transferable skills in the following:
Biological Sciences at Kent was ranked 24th out of 103 institutions in The Complete University Guide 2021. It was also ranked 5th for graduate prospects.
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
Recent graduates have also worked in a wide range of non-scientific careers including teaching, marketing, sales, banking, accountancy, the police force and social work.
The School of Biosciences runs employability events with talks from alumni outlining their career paths since graduation.
The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:
You graduate with an excellent grounding in scientific knowledge and extensive laboratory experience. In addition, you also develop the key transferable skills sought by employers, such as:
You can also gain new skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
All of our Biology degrees are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), and our four-year Biology with a Sandwich Year programme has Advanced Accreditation. Students graduating from Society of Biology recognised courses are eligible for Associate Membership and are entitled to two years’ Associate Membership at half price.
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the 2022 entry course pages.
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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