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Human Biology: University of Birmingham

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Degree 
BSc/MSci
Address
Human Biology: University of Birmingham, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Subject
Biology
Duration 
3 years for C103, 4 years for C104 and C106
Telephone 
+44 (0)121 414 3344
Fax 
+44(0)121 414 3971
Website 
http://www.biosciences.bham.ac.uk



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Courses available

  • Human Biology BSc
    UCAS code: C103
  • Human Biology MSci
    UCAS code: C106
  • Human Biology with Professional Placement BSc
    UCAS code: C104

We are all fascinated by how our bodies work. Recent exciting developments such as the sequencing of the human genome have given us a whole new perspective on human biology. Over the next decade we will all be seeing the impact of these developments in our daily lives, especially in areas such as medicine and health.

Our Human Biology programme draws on our research expertise in this area, as well as on links with the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. The flexible modular structure allows you, in later years, to tailor your programme of study to your individual interests and goals. The course combines practical work and theory, allowing you to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge.

When you join our Human Biology programme you will become part of the School of Biosciences. Our excellence in both teaching and research is recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency and the Research Assessment Exercise. We have internationally recognised research groups working in fields from human fertility to cancer research and infectious disease.

First year

The first year will cover a broad spectrum of topics and skills essential to your training as a biologist. In addition to studying areas such as cell biology, physiology, development and genetics along with the other bioscience students, you will study topics such as metabolism and human nutrition in a specialist human biochemistry module.

Second year

Your core material includes gene technology and evolutionary biology. We offer you a choice of optional modules, including: Genes and Genomes; Microbes and Man; Topics in Medical Biosciences; and Molecular Cell Biology. You also choose between Sport and Exercise Sciences modules in Behavioural Medicine or Sensation and Movement.

Third year

The flexibility of the programme is maintained into the final year, where you study five specialist modules. These modules arise from current areas of research in the department and reflect exciting developments in the field of human biology and medicine. You can choose from modules including: Current Issues in Biomedical Sciences; Bacterial and Viral Disease Mechanisms; Human Reproductive Biology; Molecular and Cellular Basis of Human Disease Processes; Cellular Neurobiology; Human Evolution; and Developmental Genetics.

Central to your final-year studies is your research project, which makes up one-sixth of the year. We offer you the opportunity to join one of our 60 research groups, providing the fascinating opportunity to experience research at first hand and to contribute to current research projects in the department.

Masters year

The undergraduate Masters programme is a natural progression from the research-led teaching you will experience in your first three years. If you join our MSci course you will follow much the same programme as the students on the BSc for your first three years. Half of your Masters year will be devoted to a research project; this is a fantastic opportunity to join one of the research labs in the School of Biosciences and make a contribution to the ongoing research. The rest of your time will be devoted to honing your research skills with modules which will expose you to the latest developments in human biology, as well as learning more about how to plan and carry out research and present your findings effectively.

Professional placement

The four-year Human Biology with Professional Placement degree programme offers you a valuable opportunity to apply your knowledge in the workplace and to jump-start your professional career. Your one-year placement will typically be in industry or medical research, working for one of a wide range of companies, and governmental and non-profit organisations.

If you are considering either one of our four-year options you should apply through UCAS for your preferred four-year option at the outset. You will still retain the flexibility of switching your registration during the second year to one of our three-year degree courses. For reasons of funding, however, applicants to three-year courses may not be allowed to switch to a longer (four-year) option once accepted on to a three-year course.

The Masters and Professional Placement courses have a higher offer than our three-year degree programmes. However, they have a built-in insurance offer: candidates firmly accepting as their first choice an offer for one of these courses are guaranteed a place on the corresponding BSc course if they meet the standard offer for the course.

Teaching and assessment

The opportunity to interact with staff and fellow students, and to question, discuss and explore your subject, is an important part of the course. You will be able to accomplish this in individual and small group tutorials, discussion groups, and problem solving classes. In lectures, staff with specialist knowledge will be teaching you key concepts, which you will follow up with your own reading. Laboratory-based practical work is an integral part of our degree programme: in the first year, you will learn many basic practical skills and have the chance to apply them in a range of investigations; later you will gain experience of important research skills.

As well as formal examinations, each summer you will do a wide range of assessments including essays or reports, data handling or interpretation exercises, poster presentations, seminar presentations, group work and lab reports.

Career opportunities

A degree in Human Biology qualifies you to work in a wide range of fields including medical research, clinical trials or in a diagnostic laboratory. You could work in management or administration, particularly in the areas of health and human resources. A growing number of our graduates proceed to graduate-entry programmes in medical schools across the country. (See Birmingham’s Graduate Entry Course in Medicine.)

Entry requirements

  • Number of A levels required: 3
  • Typical offer: AAB–BBB
  • Required subjects and grades:
    A levels:     Biology or Human Biology and one other subject from Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Mathematics, Geography, Geology or Sports Science
    GCSE:     Chemistry grade B (or Double Integrated Science) and Mathematics grade C if not offered at A or AS level
  • General Studies: not accepted, but a good performance may be taken into account if you fail to meet the conditions of the offer
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma: 32–34 points including Biology and one other science at HL; Chemistry is normally required at HL or SL

Other qualifications are considered – see the entry requirements section for full details

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