Heriot-Watt University
Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology) BSc (Hons)
Heriot-Watt University

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews of 50 graduates of Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology) BSc (Hons) and other courses in Biosciences at Heriot-Watt University for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Biosciences.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Biosciences

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Biosciences at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25000 £22500 £24500
25-75 percentile range £23500 - £28000 £17000 - £28000 £19000 - £32000


Salary of all UK Graduates of Biosciences

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £24966 £22375 £26273
25-75 percentile range £20975 - £27992 £16894 - £27526 £20699 - £33736

Course Description

Cell and Molecular Biology (Biochemistry) is the basic science underpinning our understanding of all life processes. In this course, we cover cell and molecular biological aspects of animals and plants, and provide the broad understanding necessary for a career in the biomedical/pharmaceutical, food and biotechnological industries as well as providing a sound foundation for further research.

Year 1

Introduces Biology largely as Human Biology with accompanying courses in Applied and Environmental Biology. Additional subjects include Mathematics for Scientists and Chemistry, as required for an understanding of future courses in Biochemistry and Physiology.

Year 2

Concentrates on broad topics in Biology, especially Whole Organism Biology of Animals, Plants and Microorganisms; Cell Structure and Biochemistry; and Nutrition and Health.

Year 3

Introduces more advanced Cell and Molecular Biology and a detailed functional analysis of Biological Macromolecules.

Year 4

Students choose from courses covering Genomics; Molecular Toxicology; Cell Biology and Cancer; Plant Cell Biochemistry; and Immunology. As with all our Honours degrees, you will pursue a research project as the practical component of the final year.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology) BSc (Hons) at Heriot-Watt University

25% Sales occupations
15% Animal care and control services
10% Managers, directors and senior officials
10% Elementary occupations
10% Therapy professionals
5% Veterinary nurses
5% Administrative occupations
5% Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation
5% Sports and fitness occupations
5% Caring personal services

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course

Qualification requirements

Including a relevant subject/science @ C or above (80 UCAS tariff points)

HNC in Care and Administrative Practice or Applied Science with B required in graded unit for entry to Year 1 Sufficient science and discursive subjects and a strong academic profile to be competitive. English and Maths at least at National 5 Grade B.

HND Legal Services: AAA in Graded Units. Other relevant HND qualifications will be considered on an individual basis; please contact us for advice.

Scottish Higher qualifications are considered on an individual basis

Including one in a relevant subject/science (80 UCAS tariff points)

31-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.

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

Suitable science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Human Biology, Mathematics and Physics. We operate contextual admissions defined by our Fair Access Policy which may mean entry requirements are flexible. We accept a wide range of other qualifications from the UK, Europe and International countries. Please contact the Admissions Officer for the programme for further information on the entry requirements for these.

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology), BSc (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology) BSc (Hons)

England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £1820 year 1
EU £22264 year 1
International £22264 year 1

Additional fee information

2024/25 tuition fees are subject to confirmation

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

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.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)
  • year 2
  • year 3

University Rankings

Positions of Heriot-Watt University in top UK and global rankings.

See all 27 university rankings of Heriot-Watt University

About Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University is a prominent research education institution located in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Recognised globally for their research contributions in Engineering and Science in particular, this university enjoys a formidable reputation among education ranking listings such as Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Despite the university’s campus not being centrally located in the city, students almost unanimously agree that there is more than enough fun to be had on-site, thanks to a proactive Student Union that is constantly working to create spaces and resources for clubs.

List of 102 Bachelor and Master Courses from Heriot-Watt University - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Edinburgh Campus
map marker Show on map

Similar courses

Program University Student satis­faction Unem­ployed Drop­out Tuition (UK) Tuition (Inter­national) UCAS Tariff City
Biology with Arabic BSc (Hons) University of St Andrews - - - £9250 £30160 - St Andrews On campus Full-time
Medical Biosciences with Management BSc (Hons) Imperial College of Science - - - £9250 £37900 - London On campus Full-time
Biological Sciences with Foundation Year BSc (Hons) The University of Sheffield - - - £9250 £29110 - Sheffield On campus Full-time
Biological Science (Wildlife Health Science) BSc (Hons) Royal Veterinary College University of London 86% 5% 5% £9250 £22670 147 London On campus Full-time
Biology with French BSc (Hons) University of St Andrews - - - £9250 £30160 - St Andrews On campus Full-time
Biology with Foundation Year BSc (Hons) University of Derby - - - £9250 £14900 - Derby On campus Full-time
Biological Sciences with Spanish for Science BSc (Hons) Imperial College of Science - - - £9250 £41650 - London On campus Full-time
Biology BSc (Hons) Aberystwyth University - - - £9000 £18830 - Aberystwyth On campus Full-time
Biological Sciences with Management BSc (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 78% 0% 1% £9250 £34800 198 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Biological Sciences (Evolutionary Biology) BSc (Hons) The University of Edinburgh - - - £9250 £34800 - Edinburgh On campus Full-time