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Biology

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

Including Biology and normally another science-related subject from: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Geography, Psychology, Environmental Science or Geology. General Studies is excluded. Chemistry is preferred at A or AS level, but not essential. For Biology, Chemistry and Physics A levels, we require a pass in the practical element. GCSE Mathematics minimum grade B or 6 if not offered at A or AS level.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15,P:0

30 level 3 credits at Distinction including 15 credits in biological sciences, and 15 level 3 credits at Merit or above. Chemistry and mathematics or quantitative methods units are desirable.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,M2,M2

D3,M2,M2 in Principal Subjects including Biology and normally another science subject from: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Geography, Psychology. Chemistry is preferred but not essential. GCSE Mathematics minimum grade B or 6 if not offered at a higher level.

We welcome applications from students offering an Extended Project and value the skills of research and independent learning that it is designed to develop. If you offer an Extended Project, it will be taken into account as part of your application profile, but we will not usually include it in offer conditions for this degree programme.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

34 points normally including Higher Level Biology at grade 6 or above. Chemistry is preferred at Higher Level but not essential. Mathematics or Mathematical Studies and Chemistry required at Standard Level grade 5 if not offered at Higher Level.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H2,H2,H3,H3

H1H2H2H3H3 at Higher level, including Biology and another science subject from: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Geography. Chemistry is preferred but not essential. Ordinary Level Mathematics required at grade O2 if not offered at Higher Level

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

DDD

Applied Science Extended Diploma preferred. DDD Other subjects considered but must contain 360 GLH of theoretical Biology/Chemistry units. Extended Certificate in Applied Science does not replace A level Biology GCSE Mathematics minimum grade B or 6 required.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

To include Biology and normally another science-related subject from: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Geography, Psychology. Mathematics required at National 5, minimum grade B (or grade 2 Standard Grade or Intermediate 2 equivalent) if not offered at Higher Grade. Scottish qualifications can be taken in more than one sitting. Combinations of Higher and Advanced Higher accepted

Scottish Higher

A,A,B,B,B

AABBB at Higher Grade including two science subjects including Biology and a further Science subject. Advanced Higher Biology preferred. Acceptable science subjects are: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Geography, Psychology. Higher Grade Chemistry desirable. Mathematics required at National 5, minimum grade B (or grade 2 Standard Grade or Intermediate 2 equivalent) if not offered at Higher Grade. Scottish qualifications can be taken in more than one sitting.

UCAS Tariff

128-152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Biology

This wide-ranging degree examines everything from micro-organisms to mammals, and biomolecules to the biosphere. You will study core biology modules, choose from specialist topics such as molecular biology, genomics and development, plant-animal interactions and biodiversity and conservation, and develop practical skills in lab and field-based sessions.

The Uni


Course location:

Main Site (Newcastle)

Department:

School of Natural and Environmentlal Sciences (Biology)

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What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

60%
Biology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Biology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

68%
Staff make the subject interesting
80%
Staff are good at explaining things
70%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
58%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

80%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
42%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
42%
Male students
58%
Female students
85%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Biology (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£16,000
low
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
45%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Other elementary services occupations
10%
Science, engineering and production technicians
8%
Natural and social science professionals

The recession was tough on biology graduates, and although the jobs market has improved for them - a lot - it's still not back to where it was a few years ago. If you want a career in biology research — and a lot of biology students do - you'll need to take a doctorate, so give some thought as to where you might do it and how you might fund it (the government still funds doctorates for good students). A lot of graduates also take 1 year Masters courses to specialise in this wide and deep subject - most students take a standard biology course for their first degree and then specialise in subjects like ecology, conservation or marine biology later. Hospitals, universities, biotech firms, zoos and nature reserves and clinical and scientific testing are common industries of employment for biology graduates.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Biology (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£24k

£24k

£28k

£28k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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