BSc (Hons) Biology

From genes to ecosystems, Biology at Keele explores the fascinating intricacies of life in its broadest sense, whilst offering opportunities to specialise in topics aligned to your interests, from animal behaviour to human genetics. With access to our 600-acre diverse campus, state-of-the-art David Attenborough Laboratories, and integrated employability modules, you will graduate with the academic, practical and professional skills required for careers as diverse as ecological consultancy to pharmaceutical sales. Course Overview: At Keele, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies and interconnections of life on Earth and the challenges it faces due to human activity, by studying biology from the smallest building blocks of life, to entire sprawling ecosystems. From year two, you can choose to study topics across the biosciences or focus on key specialisms aligned to your career goals. In your final year, you will have the opportunity to unleash your creativity by undertaking a substantial piece of meaningful research on a topic that excites and challenges you. On your adventure through your biology degree, you will have regular access to our state-of-the-art David Attenborough Laboratories and our large and diverse campus to develop practical bioscience skills. Our campus offers a range of woodlands, grasslands, lakes and streams for you to hone your biodiversity surveying skills in a familiar environment before exploring field sites beyond the campus. A key feature of this course is our structured programme of academic and professional development workshops. From communicating effectively to diverse audiences to interview techniques and CV writing, we will provide you with tools, skills and the connections to develop a strong foundation of employability skills for your future career. Accreditation and professional recognition: This courseis 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. Work placements: In an increasingly competitive job market, employers are seeking to recruit individuals who have high-level knowledge, skills and an understanding of the workplace. Choosing a work placement year between your second and third year, is a fantastic way to gain industry experience. It can provide a valuable insight into what working in a specific area of business is like, gives you the chance to familiarise yourself with the professional working environment and develop professional networks, and provides the opportunity to apply the theory you’ve learnt on your degree course. If you don't think you can commit to a full year on placement, our Work Placement and Professional Training module has built-in flexibility on when and how you complete your placement, enabling you to balance your time in industry around existing demands. We also offer work placements based in schools and colleges, specifically for students interested in entering the teaching profession. Your Future Career: 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 you will acquire include: Communication - through report writing and presentations, Data management and analysis, Online and in-person literacy skills, Problem-solving and creative thinking, Research, Teamworking. Careers that a graduate of this course could pursue include: Environmental consultant, Ecologist, Marine biologist, Medical publishing, Microbiologist, Pharmaceutical sales, Postgraduate study, Teaching. Duration of study: 3 years 4 years with international or placement year.