Biomedical Science

This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview
Biomedical scientists help identify rare diseases, diagnose disease, research disease processes and monitor patients’ treatment.

This course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) – a mandatory requirement if you want to work in the NHS after graduation. It's also accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.

• Put your knowledge to the test in our labs and simulation facilities, which are kitted out with industry-leading microscopes, spectroscopy and chromatography equipment

• Get involved with internationally recognised biomedical research into fields like neuro-oncology (the study of brain and spinal cord cancers) at our Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences

• Take an optional work placement year at an Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) approved clinical training laboratory, which allows you to register as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) when you graduate

• Have the chance to take a summer research placement in Europe with an internationally-recognised biomedical research organisation

Accredited by:
This course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and the Royal Society of Biology.

Careers and opportunities
Whether it's processing tests for diseases such as coronavirus or providing diagnosis services to GPs, accident and emergency departments and other health services, registered Biomedical Scientists play a key role in public health.

In fact, more than 70% of NHS diagnoses are based on lab findings by biomedical scientists, so it's a profession that's always in high demand.

On this BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science degree, you’ll learn to diagnose, monitor and manage health conditions. You’ll learn from our outstanding team of biomedical scientists and researchers whose work is shaping the understanding of conditions, such as brain tumours.

HCPC registration
After you've graduated and completed 12 months of work-based learning within an Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) approved clinical training laboratory, you can register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and work as a Biomedical Scientist in the NHS and private settings.

Graduate roles and destinations
Roles recent graduates have gone on to do include:

• biomedical scientist

• clinical trial coordinator

• medical lab assistant

• science teacher

• dental nurse

• medical affairs executive

They've gone on to work for companies such as:

• Pall Europe

• Pfizer

• Roche

• Viapath

• Imperial College London

• Bristol Royal Infirmary

Placement year
After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements give you the opportunity to apply what you've learnt so far in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you attractive to employers after graduation.

If you do your placement in an IBMS-approved NHS pathology laboratory, you can complete the IBMS registration portfolio. This allows you to register with the HCPC as a Biomedical Scientist when you graduate.

Our students have completed clinical placements at the following hospitals:

• University Hospital Southampton

• Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth

• Royal Bournemouth Hospital

• Poole Hospital

• Salisbury District Hospital

Whichever route you choose, you'll receive support and guidance. Our specialist team of Science and Health Careers advisors can help you with finding a work placement and improving your employability skills.

Year 1

Core modules in this year include:

Case Discussions in Biomedical Science - 20 credits
Cells to Systems - 20 credits
Key Skills for Biomedical Scientists - 40 credits
Pathological Sciences 1 - 20 credits
Principles of Neuroscience and Pharmacology - 20 credits

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 2

Core modules in this year include:

Applied Human Physiology - 20 credits
Barriers to Disease Immunity and Immune Dysfunction - 20 credits
Biomedical toolbox - 20 credits
Pathological Sciences 2 - 20 credits
Research Methods - 20 credits

Optional modules in this year include:

Business for Biosciences - 20 credits
Development How Form and Function Changes - 20 credits
Modern Foreign Language (Institute-Wide Language Programme) - 20 credits
Nutrition and Exercise for Health - 20 credits

Year 3

Core modules in this year include:

Genetic Basis of Disease - 20 credits
Integrated Pathology - 20 credits
Pathological Sciences 3 - 20 credits

Optional modules in this year include:

Biomedical Research - 20 credits
Clinical Case Studies - 20 credits
Project - 40 credits
Research Based Work Experience - 40 credits
Work Based Learning - 20 credits

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

You’ll be assessed through essays, laboratory reports, workshops, presentations, group work and practical assessment classes.

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Biomedical Science, Institute of
• Royal Society of Biology