Frequently asked questions

Biochemistry is all about life at the molecular level. Biochemists are interested in the following sorts of questions, which are addressed throughout our degree courses:

• What are the structures and functions of individual biomolecules?
• How are these biomolecules made in the cell?
• How are these biomolecules controlled and coordinated?
• How and why do biomolecules interact?
• How is genetic information expressed in the cell?
• How do cells grow, move and reproduce?

The answers to these questions touch upon many areas of human health and disease, but are also relevant to biotechnology.

Biochemistry is a broad subject, and great training for a diverse range of exciting careers. Many of our students pursue a postgraduate qualification such as a PhD course, teacher training, postgraduate medicine, postgraduate law and so on.

Our graduates are well-suited to entering the bioeconomy - which employs 5 million people in the UK alone - and includes things like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food science, nutrition, healthcare, and biotechnology. This sector spans everything from large multinational companies to small biotech startups.

Our students also go into graduate jobs in the public sector: the UK civil service, the NHS, science communication and more.

Finally, a number of our graduates go into business and the city, for example in management consultancy, accounting, patent law, data science, and software engineering. These latter careers exploit the transferable skills development that is a hallmark of our degrees.

No, we do not require A-level maths. Our course is focused more on handling data rather than formal mathematics.

We would consider this application in exactly the same way as all our other applications. Your chances of being offered a place are not affected. 

No. The biological concepts you need for Biochemistry are generally easy to pick up during your first year at University. You may, however, need to do some additional reading. We suggest that "The Chemistry of Life" by Rose & Mileusnic (ISBN 0140272739) is a good introduction to the subject.

Yes. We consider applicants for our different programmes as a single pool of students for the purposes of admissions. You only need to apply to one programme and it is easy to transfer between them once you are admitted.

A gap year can be valuable and rewarding, and that extra life experience can help you develop as an independent learner. It would be sensible to retain your A-level Chemistry notes and materials and to revisit them before starting your degree.

What is the difference between Biochemistry (C700), Biochemistry with Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (C790) and Biochemistry with Medical Biochemistry (C720)?

We consider applicants for these programmes as a single pool of students with common entry requirements. Our teaching is balanced between core and optional units, and these different UCAS codes reflect which optional units students will choose. For example, if you study Biochemistry with Medical Biochemistry then you will select optional units that focus on human health and disease. It is easy to move between these UCAS codes once you are admitted.

We run a Year in Industry programme which is the major opportunity for international work and study. If you are interested in pursuing a placement year, please apply to one of the three-year BSc programmes. You can then apply for Year in Industry placements in the UK or overseas in Year 2 of the degree. Full information and support will be provided at the time.

Tutorials revolve around small group teaching, and most students remain in the same tutor group throughout their degree. Academic tutorials tend to be focused on problem solving and critical thinking and allow for detailed and individualised feedback on things like essay writing. Personal tutorials focus more on personal development planning, skills development and careers.