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    Biochemistry - BSc (Hons)

    Understand how life and the systems within it exist at a molecular level to make exciting advances in medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. Our accredited Biochemistry BSc delivers the subject-specific, research and laboratory skills for you to choose a pathway through the biosciences with confidence.

    Year of entry

    Course type

    • Single Honours

    Location

    Subject area / School

    UCAS code

    • C701

    Duration of study

    • 3 years / 4 years with international or placement year
    Enquire about this course Book an open day Chat to students

    Why study Biochemistry at Keele University?

    This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology
    Focus on the application of biochemistry to human health and disease
    Top 10 in England for Biochemistry (National Student Survey, 2021)
    Research-led teaching
    Develop your practical skills in our state-of-the-art Laboratories

    Course overview

    Course overview

    From unlocking the secrets of the human body to the individually tailored molecular therapies of the future, biochemistry is the study of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. This is the foundation for understanding all biological processes, including the development and progression of diverse pathologies, across species. It has become the foundation for understanding all biological processes and can provide explanations for the causes of many diseases in humans, animals and plants. Our Biochemistry BSc focuses on the application of biochemistry to human health and disease. The programme develops across five core themes: macromolecular structure-function, metabolism and its control, genetics, cell biology and the applications of chemistry in the study of these.

    Year one

    In your first year you will study a variety of core modules that will provide you with a broad and varied grounding in modern biochemistry. You will explore the structure and function of biological molecules and metabolic processes, core chemical concepts and their application to the biological sciences and molecular cell biology. To equip you with the scientific core skills needed for a career in the biosciences, you will undertake frequent laboratory classes to develop your practical, analytical, observational and interpretive skills.

    Professional skills

    Our core first year module 'professional skills for biochemists' will develop team-working, communication, safe laboratory practice, enquiry and analytical skills. You will work on an innovative mini-project, where you will design, market and test an assay kit and work as a group investigating the real life applications of biochemistry in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease. This module supports broader skills development alongside the core laboratory programme in the "core practical skills" module and taught material in other modules in the course.

    Year two

    Building on the knowledge and practical experience acquired in year one, you will continue to expand your skillset by examining the application of biochemistry to topics such as gene and protein engineering and drug design. You will further develop skills in communicating to range of target audiences including producing a product information leaflet on an allocated drug or medication detailing key information on the structure, function and biological activity. You will also expand your practical and analytical skills in a Practical Skills in Bioscience module, including core molecular biology and immunological techniques, as well as in experimental design through conducting a mini-research project, supporting transition to your final year research projects.

    Year three

    In the final year you will undertake an independent experimental research project, which could include lab-based research projects, systematic reviews, bioinformatics, pedagogic research, or outreach work, or based on research carried out on placement. During the project you will develop higher-level research skills in the acquisition and analysis of data, and in evaluating outcomes in context to wide body of supporting literature. In addition to your research project you will also under take a number of core modules in areas including medical glycobiology and biotechnology, whilst selecting from a range of optional modules, depending on your personal interests. This may include modules focusing on parasitology, cancer biology, and structural biology.

    You will also further develop communication skills in this final year in a variety of formats, such as experimental project reports, literature reviews, research posters, Wikipedia-style web pages and even collating your own mini-journal. The year concludes with our undergraduate student research conference where you will showcase the outcomes of your research project.

    Gain practical experience in industry

    In an increasingly competitive job market, employers are seeking to recruit employees who have high-level knowledge, skills and an understanding of the workplace. From a year working in industry and paid internships to summer secondment research placements, our programme offers many opportunities for you to become familiar with the professional working environment, develop professional contacts and apply the skills and theories you have learnt.

    Study abroad

    In between years two and three of your studies you can choose to spend either a semester or a year studying abroad. This exciting opportunity enable you to understand your field from different cultural perspectives and to establish international networks. It also shows you have the personal attributes to embrace new experiences which can enhance your employability.
    We offer exchange opportunities with a wide variety of partner institutions.

    Support

    We offer a multi layered support structure to help you meet your academic and personal needs. Our open-door policy enables you to engage with us directly, meaning you can seek support, gain feedback or discuss any matters on a regular basis. You will benefit from the support of Keele's Student Experience and Support team and a academic mentor. 

    Practical support

    During practical workshops you will have the support from a variety of academic staff. In addition to your lead lecturer you will benefit from the guidance of:

    • Lead demonstrators
    • Postgraduate student demonstrators
    • Laboratory technicians

    Practical sessions may also be supported with core skills videos and laboratory simulations, helping you prepare for sessions in advance and revisit some of core concepts outside of the laboratory environment. Additional workshops will develop your skills in data analysis and presentation.

    Related Courses

    Biochemistry is also available as a Combined Honours degree. It can be studied in the following combinations:

    Next Steps

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    Accreditation and professional recognition

    This 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). 

    Graduates from accredited degree programmes are equipped with well-rounded knowledge and skill sets, making them highly employable both within and beyond their chosen field.

    Royal Society of Biology accreditation logo, 2022

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    Additional opportunities

    Foundation year Learn a language Placement year International year Study abroad GCP Elective Pathways Explore more

    There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
    Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

    Entry requirements

    Keele strives to be a place where learning, living and working is a positive experience for our entire community, and we're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of 'alternative offer' schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

    The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

    Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom and International students.

    A LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

    • ABB
    • To include Chemistry plus 1 other Science A level at grade B (unless you have at least Grade C in A/S level Chemistry).
    • If you have grade C or above in AS Level Chemistry, 2 additional science subjects are required. Science subjects include:
      • Applied Science
      • Biology
      • Chemistry
      • Computer Science
      • Electronics
      • Engineering
      • Environmental Science
      • Food Science/Technology
      • Further Maths
      • Geography
      • Geology
      • Human Biology
      • Maths
      • Physics
      • Psychology
      • Sports Science
      • Statistics

    GCSE REQUIREMENTS

    • Maths at C (or 4)
    • English Language/Literature at C (or 4)

    BTEC 

    • DDM in a science based subject.
    • You must take sufficient science credits, please contact us for advice.

    INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE 

    • H6, H5, H5 or 32 points overall. Must include H5 Chemistry and H5 in another Science OR standard level 5 Chemistry and H5 in 2 further Sciences. 

    ACCESS TO HE DIPLOMA 

    • Obtain Access to HE Diploma with 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit.
    • You must take sufficient science credits, please contact us for advice.

    If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

    Preparation programmes for international students

    International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

    These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

    Next Steps

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    Robert, Biochemistry and Human Biology

    "The course enabled me to gain a broad perspective of different aspects of Human Biology. From studying cells and biological molecules to learning about organ systems. After completing my degree I was accepted onto AstraZeneca's Innovative Medicines and Early Development graduate programme. "

    Robert, Biochemistry and Human Biology

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    Fees and funding

    Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.

    Our Student Financial Support team offers confidential advice and guidance to help you to manage your money, so that you can make the most of your time at Keele. We can help you to resolve issues with your Student Finance, create a budget, and help you to explore your options if you’re facing financial hardship. We are also able to ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible, such as bursaries and scholarships.

    For more information visit our undergraduate fees and funding section.

    Next Steps

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    Learn from our campus - our own 'living laboratory'

    Fieldwork is embedded into core modules throughout your studies to help you acquire key skills in surveying, organism distributions and the identification of specimens. Our unique 600-acre campus offers a fantastic experimentation environment to perform fieldwork, test new ideas and discover solutions to real-world problems.

    It's also a great way to foster connections with academics and peers and apply your learning to real-world situations. From our lake system, grasslands and woodlands to local zoos and nature reserves, you will have the opportunity to study in an authentic environment whilst practicing sustainably. There is also an opportunity to study tropical biology on a field course in Malaysia. This is an optional course with additional costs and it takes place in the summer between years two and three.

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    Modules

    Next Steps

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    Your future career

    96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (HESA, 2017)

    You will graduate with a strong set of transferable skills suited to a range of roles in the science, education and health sectors. You may also wish to further your knowledge by progressing to postgraduate study.

    Key skills include:

    • Data management and analysis
    • Research
    • Communication - through report writing and presentations
    • Problem-solving and creative thinking
    • Teamworking

    Our diverse laboratory programme will also develop your skills in a wide range of modern preparative and analytical biochemical techniques. You will acquire competency in core molecular and micro biology techniques, including PCR and gene cloning, as well as research and diagnostic methods utilising antibodies.

    Careers and routes directly related to this degree include:

    • Analytical chemist
    • Toxicologist
    • Pharmacologist
    • Physician associate
    • Forensic scientist
    • Science teacher
    • Postgraduate study
    • Research and development

    Enhance your employability

    Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offer a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability. From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.

    Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

    Next Steps

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    Teaching, learning and assessment

    Teaching and learning quality

    Diversity, flexibility and inclusivity are at the heart of our teaching. The student voice helps us to shape what we do and we include students and local employers in our decision-making process. Student representatives are elected from each year group on the programme, who hold regular meetings with their cohort and report back to the school through a student-staff voice committee, held at least once per semester. Our Biochemistry programme at Keele has consistently ranked top 10 for overall student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2019-2021) and this is testament to our high-quality teaching and the ways in which we listen to student feedback and implement change for the better.

    Teaching structure

    We offer a hybrid delivery of teaching - online learning and in-person practicals. Our core content is designed for online consumption and this aims to provide you with the space and flexibility to digest at your own pace and to ask questions anonymously. To complement your core virtual learning, laboratory practicals, tutorials, seminars and workshops will take place on-campus.

    Methods of teaching include:

    • Laboratory practicals
    • Online lectures
    • Live, campus-based seminars, tutorials and workshops

    Assessment

    From designing and marketing a commercial assay kit to creating patient information leaflets - the assessment methods utilised within our programme aim to give you experience of work-related activities you will likely undertake in graduate roles.

    Methods of assessment include:

    • Essays
    • Portfolio or literature reviews
    • Laboratory or fieldwork reports or research projects
    • Scientific posters
    • Patient information leaflets
    • Blogs or oral presentations
    • User guides for commercial assay kits
    • Journal entries
    • Wikipedia page creation
    • Online end-of-module open-book exams
    • Online tests
    • Final year independent research project
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    Central Science Laboratories

    Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

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    Facilities

    State-of-the-art science laboratories

    The David Attenborough Laboratories have significantly expanded the School of Life Sciences’ teaching and research areas, and provide two additional state-of-the-art teaching laboratories with space for 120 students between them and two additional research laboratories.

    Equipment and methods you will become familiar with during practical laboratory work include:

    • Preparative and analytical methods in biochemistry, including enzyme kinetics and metabolite quantification
    • Core microbiology techniques
    • Molecular biology methods such as polymerase chain reaction
    • Immunological techniques for antigen-antibody identification and characterisation

    The research laboratories will make a significant contribution to the Global Health Initiative at Keele, and will be home to researchers working on neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease, spinal injury, oncology, viral infections and carbohydrate biochemistry. You may also carry out some of your practical laboratory work in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratory (CSL) building - which is part of the biggest single investment in learning and teaching in the University’s history.

    Research

    Our staff are actively engaged in diverse research areas, including the scholarship of learning and teaching. You will benefit from studying modules that have been informed by the research and active work academics are undertaking in their field of expertise. We actively encourage students to explore our research themes, as there may be opportunities to work alongside us on secondment.

    Areas of expertise within the School include:

    • Molecular biology and ecology of parasites and vectors in tropical diseases
    • Sustainability in crops and control of crop pests
    • Glycobiology and immunology
    • Structural biology
    • Molecular cell biology of apoptosis and its dysregulation
    • Cancer
    • Autoimmune disease
    • X-ray crystallography
    • Neurobiology and neuroplasticity
    • Neurodegeneration and regeneration
    • Auditory neuroscience and deafness

    Find out more about research in the School of Life Sciences.

    Foundation year

    Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

    This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

    Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

    The information within this page is for students wishing to start their studies in September. If you would like to start this course in January, please visit our January pages for further details.

    Course Content

    Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills which will be invaluable in your academic studies and beyond. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

    This Foundation Year is a two-semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree. For example, the Foundations of Life Sciences module will look at basic cell biology in terms of structure and function and go on to examine how cells obtain their energy and raw materials. It considers how organisms interact and analyses the effects of climate change on ecosystems. Meanwhile, the Advancing Chemistry module aims to increase your knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of chemistry in a theoretical context, while also demonstrating the application of concepts in a practical environment. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.

    Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage. 

    Course Structure

    The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

    Semester One Modules

    FYO-00185 Practical and Academic Skills in Science 15 credits
    FYO-00211 Foundations of Numerical and Quantitative Methods for Scientists 15 credits
    FYO-00189 Foundations of Chemistry 15 credits
    FYO-00197 Foundations of Life Sciences 15 credits

    Semester Two  Modules

    FYO-00199 Advancing Life Sciences 30 credits
    FYO-00191 Advancing Chemistry 30 credits

    ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

    The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.

    • Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
    • Relevant work experience

      AND

    • GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
    • IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

    AND

    • GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above 

    How to Apply 

    Students will need to apply for BSc (Hons) Biochemistry with Foundation Year (UCAS code C703) through UCAS at www.ucas.com.

    Direct Entry Students

    If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

    Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.
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