University of Reading
Biomedical Sciences with Foundation BSc (Hons)
University of Reading

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews for 65 graduates of Biomedical Sciences with Foundation BSc (Hons) at University of Reading for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in .

Overall student satisfaction
78 /100
65 total respondents
The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in biomedical sciences (non-specific)

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of 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 £23500 £29500
25-75 percentile range £21000 - £26000 £20000 - £28500 £22500 - £36500


Salary of all UK Graduates of biomedical sciences (non-specific)

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £24010 £27000 £35000
25-75 percentile range £20530 - £26990 £20500 - £34500 £27500 - £44500

Course Description

Study BSc Biomedical Sciences with Foundation and learn about the inner workings of the human body and take part in world-class research through this strongly practical course.

Are you keen to take our BSc Biomedical Sciences course but haven’t taken the necessary A level subjects? Our BSc Biomedical Sciences with Foundation is a four-year programme that includes a year of foundational study and leads directly into the three-year course.

Our BSc Biomedical Sciences course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science and was developed in partnership with practising NHS laboratory scientists. All of our lecturers are involved in research and you will be taught by experts in their fields.

You will learn about the systems that underpin all living organisms from a cellular, tissue, organ and whole body perspective. From this basis, you will study the diseases that affect each area and the mechanisms that the body uses to combat them. The flexible nature of the course will then allow you to pick specialist modules that match your interests. You will also have the chance to carry out a year-long industrial placement or a paid vacation studentship in order to gain valuable work and research experience.

The course has a strong practical basis, and you will learn key cellular, molecular and biochemical techniques, including live cell microscopy, and DNA and protein technology. During your final year will have the chance to spend 11 weeks working in a lab on a biomedical research project. Past projects have investigated coronary heart disease, gene therapy for muscular dystrophies, and the role of cell movement in the spread of cancer.

Our new £60m Health and Life Sciences building will open in 2020. As the new home of the School of Biological Sciences, it will offer state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café. The building will also house the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring over 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.

Placement

You will have the opportunity to carry out a year-long industrial placement between your third and final year. Student in previous years have worked at Diamond Light Source, Public Health England, GSK, and Covance. You can also choose to spend a year abroad, typically carrying out research in an academic laboratory.

You will have the opportunity to undertake paid vacation studentships funded by organisations such as the Wellcome Trust. These can take place over six weeks during the summer break, or be carried out part-time over a longer period. During studentships you will typically work on a set project and benefit from valuable training in techniques, experimental design and the interpretation of data.

Additionally, you can choose to take a work placement module.

Our department has a dedicated academic in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.

Careers

This degree is geared towards biomedical careers, and you could go on to work as a biomedical scientist within a hospital or pharmaceutical laboratory. Alternatively, you could work in academic laboratories, scientific publishing or clinical trials. You may also decide to study for higher research degrees or commence a medical, dentistry or veterinary degree course.

Accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).

What You Will Learn

Programme content: As a student of Biomedical Sciences with Foundation, BSc (Hons) you will study the following course modules.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

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 Biomedical Sciences with Foundation BSc (Hons) at University of Reading

40% Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
10% Administrative occupations
10% Sales occupations
10% Natural and social science professionals
5% Elementary occupations
5% Information Technology Professionals
5% Teaching Professionals
5% Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
5% Business and public service associate professionals

Grading & Study Time

Grading Distribution

Students of the course received the following grades

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Minimum Required UCAS Tariff

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course

Qualification requirements

Students taking Science subjects at A Level are encouraged to consider entry to the BSc without Foundation option.

Students taking Science subjects are encouraged to consider entry to the BSc without Foundation option.

Students taking Science subjects are encouraged to consider entry to the BSc without Foundation option.

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.  Eligible applicants would receive two offers,  our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects

Students taking Science subjects are encouraged to consider entry to the BSc without Foundation option.

Students taking Science subjects are encouraged to consider entry to the BSc without Foundation option.

Contextual offers for this programme are typically two grades beneath our standard entry requirement, e.g. DDD - BCC.

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6 We require a minimum score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
TOEFL (iBT) 88 We require a minimum score of 88 overall with no less than 17 in Listening and Writing, 18 in Reading and 20 in Speaking.
Cambridge English Advanced We require a grade B or a score of 176 overall with no element less than 162.
Cambridge English Proficiency We require a grade C or a score of 176 overall with no element less than 162.
PTE Academic 69 We require a minimum score of 69 overall with at least 59 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
Institution's Own Test Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP). We require a minimum score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
Trinity ISE We require a Merit in each element from ISE II. If you take ISE III or ISE IV, we require a Pass in each element.

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

Costs

Tuition Fees Biomedical Sciences with Foundation BSc (Hons)

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
EU £23700 year 1
International £23700 year 1

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, 2024

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:

  • Foundation

University Rankings

Positions of University of Reading in top UK and global rankings.

See all 29 university rankings of University of Reading

About University of Reading

The University of Reading is a publicly funded university in Reading, Berkshire, England. Reading has four major campuses; London Road and Whiteknights campus which are located in Reading itself, with Greenlands campus being found on the banks of the River Thames. The fourth campus is known as Iskandar Puteri, in Malaysia.

Student composition of University of Reading

Students by level of study Academic year 2020/21 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on 10 February 2022
undergraduates:
12230
postgraduates:
4090
Total:
16320
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Where is this programme taught

University of Reading
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Main Site - Room 208
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