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Study level:
Undergraduate

Course summary

94% of our research overall in Biological Sciences was assessed to be world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)

About the course

What are the mechanisms of life?

Studying Biochemistry at Sussex, you’ll explore this question. Taught by leading biochemists and chemists, you’ll:

  • study life at the molecular scale

  • explore the chemical processes underpinning the activities of cells and organisms

  • discover what happens when things go wrong, leading to diseases such as cancer

  • find out how biochemistry can help us develop new therapeutics.

From Year 1, you’ll be in the lab gaining hands-on practical skills, recording, analysing and interpreting data from your experiments. You’ll learn about current theories in the field, communicating complex topics and working as part of a team.

The course is informed by the latest research. It’s flexible so you can tailor your degree to your interests and career aspirations. You’ll be inspired by modules in areas such as medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, cell signalling and neuroscience. You’ll be supported by a friendly community of scientists in the School of Life Sciences. Our student mentoring programme can also provide you with academic support should you need it.

When you graduate, you’ll have skills in:

  • purifying and analysing key biomolecules such as nucleic acids and enzymes

  • exploring genomics data

  • carrying out your own research project.

With such skills, a variety of careers are open to you, in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, or within forensics. Your data-handling and analytical skills mean you could develop a career both inside and outside of science.

MSci or BSc?

We also offer this course with an industrial placement year, or as a four-year MSci.

About Sussex

Our courses, research, culture and campus aim to stimulate, excite and challenge. From scientific discovery to global policy, from student welfare to career development, Sussex innovates and takes a lead. And today, in every part of society and across the world, you'll find someone from Sussex making an original and valuable contribution.

Location

Study on our beautiful, green campus on the edge of the South Downs National Park and just minutes from the vibrant seaside city of Brighton & Hove. We’re near to Gatwick airport and just over an hour from London.

Modules

See the modules you will study by year by going to the ‘visit our course page’ link at the bottom of the page.

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
C700
Institution code:
S90
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

A level - ABB

A-levels must include Biology and Chemistry. You will also need to pass the separate science practical assessment. If you are not able to take the science practical assessment, applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two Science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDD

The BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma will need to be in Applied Science and will need to include specific modules - please see the University website for more information. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two Science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).

Access to HE Diploma

Pass Diploma with at least 39 level 3 credits at Merit or above including 24 credits at Distinction. The Access to HE Diploma will need to be in Science and contain substantial amounts of Level 3 credits in both Biology and Chemistry. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two Science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).

Scottish Higher - ABBBB

Highers must include both Biology and Chemistry. Ideally, you will also have an Advanced Higher in Chemistry (grade B). You will also need Scottish National 5 in Mathematics and two sciences at grade B.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points

This score should be from the full IB Diploma. Higher Levels must include both Biology and Chemistry, with a grade of at least 5.

Extended Project

We take the EPQ into account when considering your application and it can be useful in the summer when your results are released if you have narrowly missed the conditions of your offer. We do not routinely include the EPQ in the conditions of your offer but we sometimes offer alternative conditions that include the EPQ. If you wish to discuss this further please contact Admissions at ug.applicants@sussex.ac.uk

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6Including at least 5.5 in each component. We accept IELTS One Skills Retake. We do not accept IELTS Online.
PTE Academic59Including at least 59 in all four skills. We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.
TOEFL (iBT)80TOEFL (iBT), including at least 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking, 17 in Writing. We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

Please see our English language requirements. http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/international-qualifications/english-language-requirements

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

At Sussex, we recognise that not everybody has the same support to help them get to higher education. At Sussex it’s important to us to have a diverse, inclusive university community with a range of voices and experiences. Contextual offers are one of the ways we remove the barriers to higher education ensuring that we have fair access to all regardless of background. A contextual offer is a reduced grade offer which is given to students who meet certain eligibility criteria.

Learn more on the University of Sussex website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Data from:
This course and 4 other molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry courses
Date range:
2022-2024

Offer rate for UK school & college leavers

99% Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.

How do you compare?

See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
Channel Islands£9535Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9535Year 1
EU£26250Year 1
International£26250Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Note that your fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis as the Government reviews the fee levels.

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