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Human Biosciences

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
City South Campus, Edgbaston

Course summary

Human Biosciences is an exciting branch of modern science, involving many disciplines and cutting-edge technology. It is focused on human biology and health, providing a perfect springboard for a variety of careers within the growing life sciences sector.

Our degree is practice-led and designed to support you to develop a range of practical and analytical skills, with the opportunity to put them into practice during an optional professional placement year. Through the course, you will gain an insight into human life processes, both in health and disease.

What's covered in this course?

Our Human Biosciences course encompasses several disciplines, including human anatomy and physiology, human nutrition and metabolism, human molecular genetics, infection and immunity, pharmacology and toxicology and science communication. These subjects play a huge role in healthcare provision and medical research, as well as underpinning the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. With input from industry and healthcare science, this course has been designed to help you develop important practical and scientific skills sought after by employers.

To further support your employability, you will have the opportunity to complete a professional placement year in an industrial or research setting between years two and three of the course. In the final year you will also undertake an independent research project under the guidance of one of our expert academic staff.

During year one, you will learn alongside students on our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science course. During years two and three you will study a Human Biosciences-specific curriculum, covering a greater variety of subjects with more optional modules in your final year compared with the IBMS-accredited BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science. These include human nutrition and metabolism, communicating science, biomaterials and tissue engineering, proteomics, and pharmacology and toxicology. This gives you the opportunity to explore subjects which you may wish to build upon in your career, in roles in drug development and clinical trials, sales and marketing, or research, or through postgraduate level study for example in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, Dietetics, or Medical Engineering.

How to apply

Apply by
14 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:
1262
Institution code:
B25
Campus name:
City South Campus, Edgbaston
Campus Code:
E

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 112 points

A level - BBC

112 UCAS tariff points from three A Levels. Grades BBC (or equivalent). Required subjects: Biology or Chemistry at Grade B or above. Excluded subjects: General Studies; Critical Thinking; Extended Project.

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

112 UCAS tariff points. Extended Diploma: accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science. Diploma accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science at grade DM overall, in combination with one other A level/Level 3 equivalent . A diploma in other subjects can be accepted in combination with an A level in Biology or Chemistry at grade B or above, or a level 3 equivalent. Certificate accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science, alongside two A levels or Level 3 equivalents qualification in an accepted Science subject. Please note that Health and Social Care cannot be accepted as a Science qualification for the purpose of meeting our entry requirements.

Access to HE Diploma

Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3. Accepted subjects: Bioscience-related pathway

Scottish Higher

112 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCD) or two Advanced Highers (CD) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Biology or Chemistry at Higher level or above.

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

112 UCAS tariff points. Extended Diploma: accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science. Diploma accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science at grade DM overall, in combination with one other A level/Level 3 equivalent . A diploma in other subjects can be accepted in combination with an A level in Biology or Chemistry at grade B or above, or a level 3 equivalent. Certificate accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science, alongside two A levels or Level 3 equivalents qualification in an accepted Science subject. Please note that Health and Social Care cannot be accepted as a Science qualification for the purpose of meeting our entry requirements.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

112 UCAS tariff points. Extended Diploma: accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science. Diploma accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science at grade DM overall, in combination with one other A level/Level 3 equivalent . A diploma in other subjects can be accepted in combination with an A level in Biology or Chemistry at grade B or above, or a level 3 equivalent. Certificate accepted subjects: Applied Science or Biomedical Science, alongside two A levels or Level 3 equivalents qualification in an accepted Science subject. Please note that Health and Social Care cannot be accepted as a Science qualification for the purpose of meeting our entry requirements.

Scottish Advanced Higher

112 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCD) or two Advanced Highers (CD) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Biology or Chemistry at Higher level or above.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 28 points

Obtain a minimum of 28 points overall. Required subjects: Either Biology, or Chemistry at Higher level. For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at grade C/4 or above, grade 5 in Maths (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at grade C/4 or above, English Language (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For English A, this must be grade 4 or above; for English B, this must be grade 5

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

Minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects. Required subjects: Biology or Chemistry at Higher level.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

Applicants for this course need GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

T Level - M

Merit overall. Accepted subjects: Science.

Welsh Baccalaureate: 112 UCAS tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Required subjects: Either this qualification or an accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be Biology or Chemistry.

OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications: 112 UCAS tariff points. Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Applied Science Diploma - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Applied Science, Biology or Chemistry.

Applicants must normally have evidence of formal study within the last five years. However, we are sometimes able to waive this requirement if a candidate has a significant amount of professional experience in a relevant field, for example Biosciences.

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.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
EU£18570Year 1
International£18570Year 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

  • The Government is proposing to increase the cap on full-time regulated tuition fees to £9,535 from 2025/26 onwards and the University is planning on increasing fees to that maximum level once legislation is enacted. Part-time fees are charged pro-rata, where applicable.
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