Biochemistry with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

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This is a four-year version of our BSc (Hons) Biochemistry course with an integrated foundation year. Solve some of the most interesting and important health problems in the world today. Contribute to healthcare at both ends of the spectrum, from diagnosis and disease profiling to drug discovery and development. Enhance your employability and gain real-world experience with an optional placement.

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Overview

While biomedical scientists work on diagnosis and disease profiling and biopharmaceutical scientists work on drug discovery and development, biochemistry sits directly in between these disciplines and contributes to healthcare in both areas.

You will examine the origin of life, the study of disease and the complex chemistry and developmental biology of whole organisms. Study areas including biological chemistry, cell biology, clinical chemistry and molecular biology.

Why us?

This unique course makes extensive use of the new advanced technology in our Sciences Complex
The University has over 100 years of expertise in teaching biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences
Our Biosciences courses are ranked 12th in the UK (The Guardian University league tables, 2021)
Industry standard equipment and training in the use of advanced analytical equipment allows a detailed insight into the natural world through laboratory sessions
Industry focused curriculum is enriched by industry expert input through external lectures, visits and mentoring

Teaching staff are research-active and have close links to industry and research institutes working in molecular sciences
Available as four-year sandwich course, where you will undertake a one-year industrial placement
We are a University that is nationally recognised for supporting learners particularly from non-traditional backgrounds and many students come to us with no formal qualifications but with valuable work experience

Course structure

Our teaching methods address different learning styles and provide a diverse learning experience. The course integrates traditional lecture and laboratory-based learning with active, experiential and enquiry-based learning.

You will be taught via laboratory practical work, tutorials, lectures, seminars, group work and e-learning. We also encourage you to develop independent study skills.

This course shares a common first year with BSc (Hons) Biopharmaceutical Science and BSc (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry, which allows you to easily change course at the end of the first year should one of these routes appeal to you.

Foundation Year

The Integrated Foundation Year for Pharmaceutical Sciences includes five modules:

Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
Practical Numeracy Skills (20 credits)
Foundations of Pharmaceutical Science (40 credits)
General Chemistry for Pharmaceutical Science (20 credits)
Organic Chemistry for Pharmaceutical Science (20 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Introduction to Biological and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (20 credits)
Introduction to Cell Biology and Biochemistry (20 credits)
Introduction to Analytical Science (20 credits)
Introduction to Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Regulation (20 credits)
Practical and Research Skills in Biopharmaceutical Science (40 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Organic Chemistry (20 credits)
Genetics and Biotechnology (20 credits)
Further Analytical Chemistry (20 credits)
Further Research and Practical Skills in Biopharmaceutical Science (40 credits)
Cellular and Clinical Biochemistry (20 credits)

For Biochemistry (sandwich)

Industrial placement (120 credits)

Final year (national level 6)

Research Project (40 credits)
Advanced Chemistry (20 credits)
Advanced Biotechnology and Biochemistry (20 credits)
Cancer Targets and Therapeutics (20 credits)
Advanced Biochemistry (20 credits)

Based in the Sciences Complex, the Analytical Lab has high-end analytical equipment, including UV, Fluorescence, Infrared and Atomic Absorption Spectrometers, as well as specialist equipment such as Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers and Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer, which enable analysis of complex mixtures.

View our AccessAble accessibility guides for Fleming Building.
Analytical Lab
Analytical Lab 360
We’ve got thousands of books and e-books on pharmaceutical and biomedical science, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. We also subscribe to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals so you can access the most reliable and up-to-date academic and industry articles.
Some of the most important sources for your studies include:
- Embase: A complex database covering drug research, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, toxicology, clinical and experimental human medicine, health policy and management, public health, occupational health, environmental health, drug dependence and abuse, psychiatry, forensic medicine and biomedical engineering/instrumentation
- PsycARTICLES: Includes information about the psychological aspects of medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, pharmacology and physiology
- PubMed: Contains life science journals, online books and abstracts that cover fields such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine and health care
- Science Direct: Offers more than 2,000 full-text journals published by Elsevier
- Web of Science: Covers a broad range of science areas
Library Services - sciences
Multi-Functional Lab 360
The Sciences Complex is based on our City Campus. It has benefitted from a multi-million pound investment in modern facilities in recent years and continues to develop as our Health Sciences offer grows.

It is the central hub for many of our Health Sciences courses and is made up of a variety of teaching and learning spaces, including labs, problem-based learning classrooms, and facilities that encourage interprofessional learning. A lot of academic staff offices are based here, with an open-door policy in place.
The Sciences Complex
Map and directions

Facilities

This course is based in the Sciences Complex at our City Campus, which boasts excellent laboratories and cutting-edge equipment thanks to multi-million pound investments.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.

Eligible entry qualifications:

1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE or equivalent), including Maths and English at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, T Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses or equivalent)
OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.

If you are unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!

** If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you are able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course is not available to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

Biochemists are employed in an increasingly wide range of roles in biological, environmental and clinical fields, with employment opportunities stretching from healthcare through forensic science to the food and pharmaceutical industries. The typical salary for a graduate Biochemist is £21,000. This salary increases based upon postgraduate and industrial experience.

Companies that have employed our graduates include pharmaceutical multinationals such as GSK, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

Placements

The employability of Sunderland graduates reflects our mix of academic rigour and practical skills. To enhance this mix, we encourage you to apply to undertake a one-year placement between your second and final year.

Placements provide an invaluable opportunity to put your learning into practice and understand the context for your new knowledge. As part of the course you will also make several industry visits.

Research-active staff

You’ll be taught by passionate academic staff with a broad range of relevant research interests including:

Analysis and modelling of biostatistical and protein interaction data sets
Generation of recombinant proteins and biological therapeutics
Formulation of therapeutic proteins and gene products
Development of computational tools for automating the routine decision process within standard drug discovery pipelines

Transferable skills

This course gives you the opportunity to develop skills which you can use in a range of employment situations including:

Academic study skills: avoiding plagiarism, time management, reading, note taking, referencing, revision analysis, and scientific writing.
Practical skills: laboratory competency, experimental skills and techniques.
Transferable skills: numeracy, analytical, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, self-management and organisation, application of IT, consideration of ethical and safety requirements, critical thinking, personal development planning and reflection.

Meet the students

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing.

Page last updated: 25 September 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

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Biochemistry with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Foundation Year

Year 1 (national level 4):

Year 2 (national level 5):

Final year (national level 6)

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Placements

Research-active staff

Transferable skills

Meet the students

Meet the team — BSc (Hons) Biochemistry with Integrated Foundation Year

Related courses

Contact

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