University of Portsmouth
Biochemistry BSc (Hons)
University of Portsmouth

Course modalities offered

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews for 25 graduates of Biochemistry BSc (Hons) at University of Portsmouth for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry.

Overall student satisfaction
91 /100
25 total respondents
The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry 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 £24000 £22500 £27000
25-75 percentile range £21500 - £28000 £19500 - £27500 £24000 - £36000


Salary of all UK Graduates of Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25986 £23450 £28950
25-75 percentile range £21993 - £30000 £18456 - £28917 £22344 - £35829

Course Description

Overview

Discover life at its most fundamental level.

On this BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), you’ll learn how biochemists fight disease, edit genomes, understand human and animal development and apply synthetic biology to current problems in biotechnology.

By exploring the latest scientific theory through lab training, you'll gain the skills and expertise to become a professional biochemist and apply for Associate Membership of the RSB on graduation.

Accredited by:

This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.

Course highlights

  • Experiment with the latest biochemistry techniques, such as protein purification and real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), both vital processes in the development of vaccines and medical testing
  • Study genes and clone DNA in our molecular biology research labs, globally regarded as some of the best available at a university
  • Learn from academics involved in trailblazing research at our Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Enzyme Innovation
  • Get involved with the European Xenopus Resource Centre, one of the largest frog resource facilities in the world
  • Have the opportunity to study abroad on a summer research placement at a European university
  • Be eligible to apply for Associate Membership of the Royal Society of Biology when you graduate, which includes access to exclusive grants and awards

Careers and opportunities

Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry within living things – everything from humans and animals, to plants and cells. It combines biology, chemistry and physiology to develop new approaches within many scientific fields, including healthcare and medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and the environment.

This means there is a huge range of sectors you can go into with a Biochemistry degree, and there will always be a high demand for your skills.

Once you complete your BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, you’ll be ready for a career in scientific research, forensic science or pharmaceuticals. With specialist modules like Business for Biosciences and Genes and Development, you’ll have many opportunities to discover your niche.

In the UK in 2021, you could expect to earn an average of £26,500 as a newly-graduated biochemist and an average of up to £60,000 with more experience.

What can you do with a Biochemistry degree?

There are many career paths a BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree can lead you to. Previous students have gone on to do valuable work in fields such as:

  • industrial research
  • academic research leading to a PhD
  • biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
  • science teaching
  • the health service
  • scientific writing and the media

Graduate destinations

Organisations our graduates have gone on to work in include:

  • Pall Europe
  • Oxford Nanopore Technologies
  • MedPharm
  • Celgene

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement of membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

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 Biochemistry BSc (Hons) at University of Portsmouth

25% Administrative occupations
20% Secretarial and related occupations
10% Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
10% Business and public service associate professionals
10% Artistic, literary and media occupations
10% Sales occupations
10% Information Technology Professionals
10% Elementary occupations

You’ll be assessed through coursework, essays and write-ups, presentations, online exams, data analysis problems, research project, written exams, multiple choice tests. 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.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

PTE Academic 54

An overall score of 54 with a minimum of 51 in each skill.

TOEFL (iBT) 79

79 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.

Cambridge English Advanced

Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.

Cambridge English Proficiency

Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.

Trinity ISE

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components

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

Costs

Tuition Fees Biochemistry BSc (Hons)

EU £9250 year 1
England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
International £20200 year 1

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship

Placement Year and Year abroad:

UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £925 |

EU – £925 (including Transition Scholarship)|

International (Non-EU) – £2,000

Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice.

Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation

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 University of Portsmouth in top UK and global rankings.

See all 31 university rankings of University of Portsmouth

About University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth is located on the United Kingdom’s only island city, Portsmouth. This public university, which was previously known as Portsmouth Polytechnic, forms part of the University Alliance, an organisation whose aim is to promote growth and innovation in the UK by putting an emphasis on links with business and industry.

List of 234 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Portsmouth - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Portsmouth

undergraduates:
18085
postgraduates:
5005
Total:
23090
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Where is this programme taught

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