(BSc) Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Life Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Honours Degree
Full-time
Biosciences
BSC C100
10/05/2023
Details
Professional accreditation
None
Admission criteria
GCSE: Mathematics C/4
A-levels: BBB, including Biology (or equivalent). Acceptable A-level equivalents are Chemistry and Life and Health Sciences.
BTEC: D*DD, depending on subject and units studied - advice on acceptability can be provided.
IB: 30 points or three Higher Level certificates with 555. Either must include Higher Level Biology or Chemistry with a minimum of grade 5, plus Standard Level Mathematics grade 4, if not taken at Higher Level. We will accept grade 4 in either Standard Level Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Standard Level Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation.
Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths.
We are also happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programme Courses (formerly certificates) at both Higher and Standard Level. Please note that Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for.
We can also consider combinations with BTECs or other qualifications in the Career-related programme – the acceptability of BTECs and other qualifications depends on the subject studied, advice on acceptability can be provided. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.
Access to HE Diploma: 6 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 39 level 3 credits at Merit, depending on subject and units studied - advice on acceptability can be provided.
T-levels: Merit, depending on subject studied -advice on acceptability can be provided.
What if I don’t achieve the grades I hoped?
If your final grades are not as high as you had hoped, the good news is you may still be able to secure a place with us on a course which includes a foundation year. Visit our undergraduate application information page for more details.
What if I have a non-traditional academic background?
Don’t worry. To gain a deeper knowledge of your course suitability, we will look at your educational and employment history, together with your personal statement and reference.
You may be considered for entry into Year 1 of your chosen course. Alternatively, some UK and EU applicants may be considered for Essex Pathways, an additional year of study (known as a foundation year/year 0) helping students gain the necessary skills and knowledge in order to succeed on their chosen course. You can find a list of Essex Pathways courses and entry requirements here
If you are a mature student, further information is here
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall. Different requirements apply for second year entry, and specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a visa to study in the UK.
Other English language qualifications may be acceptable so please contact us for further details. If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels listed above. Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications
If you are an international student requiring a visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
Prof Edgar Turner
Professor of Insect Ecology
University of Cambridge
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
An understanding of living systems, and the varied levels of complexity from molecules to populations and ecosystems.
An understanding of biological methods and approaches and of the main body of biological, evolutionary and ecological knowledge.
An ability to analyse current biological and ecological questions and to suggest solutions.
A general scientific education including training in handling and interpretation of quantitative information and the ability to plan and carry out desk, laboratory or field based research under supervision.
The key skills of communication, numeracy, ITC use, problem solving, working with others, self-evaluation and self-improvement, and autonomous learning using biological science as a context and focus.
The key laboratory, field and workplace skills required for careers in biological sciences, or other careers that require an integrated understanding of biological processes.
A foundation of knowledge, understanding and skills required for further study and research.
An awareness of the need for compliance with health, safety and ethical policies in biological work.
An appreciation of the need for, and importance of, lifelong learning and personal development planning.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: Basic physics, maths and chemistry that are relevant to biological sciences
A2: The different levels of organisation and complexity, from molecules, through cells, tissues, organs, organisms and populations
A3: The structural and functional organisation of cells including key cellular, genetic and developmental processes and their regulation some of which is at an advanced level
A4: The organisation of cells into multicellular organisms including cell and organism metabolism and physiology
A5: Key biological processes at either the molecular or population level some of which is at an advanced level
A6: Appropriate practical scientific methods and approaches: observation, experimentation, modelling; and techniques used in their analysis
A7: Key biological issues facing society (e.g. cloning, GMOs, animal experimentation)
Learning methods
Lectures are the principal method of delivery of A1 to A7.
Lectures direct students to textbooks and on-line material (Years 1 to 3), and reviews and research papers (Year 2 and particularly Year 3).
Laboratory and field practicals in Years 1 and 2 complement lectures and develop A1 to A6.
Coursework associated with lecture modules in Years 2 and 3 develop A1 to A7 The research project in Year 3 teaches and develops A6 and also a range of A1-A5 and A7 (depending on project topic).
Team work for A7 is developed in the Issues module (Year 3).
The ‘‘Skills’‘ module and Summer course (laboratory or field) in Year 2/3 teaches and develops A1 to A6. Seminars with small groups are used in A1 (mathematics and chemistry, Year 1).
Assessment methods
A1 to A7 are assessed by:
Multiple Choice Questions (Year 1)
Essays (Years 2 and 3)
Oral and written practical reports (Years 1 and 2). Laboratory or field reports (Year 2 and 3)
Exercises in data analysis and interpretation (DAI), (Years 2 and 3)
Unseen written exams: short answer, essay (Years 1 and 2) and questions involving DAI (Years 2 and 3)
The individual Year 3 research project, covering a range of A2 to A7 (depending on project topic) tests understanding in depth and is assessed by an individual written report and an oral presentation.
Team oral and individual written presentations in the Issues module (Year 3) are used to assess A7.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: Retrieve, select and collate appropriate biological information
B2: Evaluate primary and secondary evidence and arguments
B3: Analyse and interpret quantitative information in graphs, figures, tables and equations and use appropriate statistical tests
B4: Integrate and link information across course components, including material met in different years, from different disciplines and covering different scales of organisation.
B5: Plan and conduct a research task (including logistics, risk assessment and ethical approval where appropriate)
B6: Present data correctly, choose and apply an appropriate statistical test and interpret the output
Learning methods
Setting of directed learning topics (Years 1 and 2) develops skills in B1, B2 and B4.
B1 and B2 are partly covered by training in exam essay writing in Year 1 tutorials and further developed by coursework essays (Years 2 and 3).
B2 and B3 are taught by specific inclusion of data analysis in lectures and classes in Years 2 and 3 and through progressive development of DAI coursework in Years 2 and 3.
B1 to B3 and in some cases B4, are developed through analyses and presentation of results of practical work in Years 1 to 3.
B4 is achieved by progressive subject development through the 3 years; the summer course (laboratory or field) and the "Issues" course in Year 3.
B5 is taught via team project work in the skills module, summer course (field) in Year 2/3 and the Year 3 individual research project module.
B6 is taught in Year 1 LSKS module and developed throughout the degree via practical coursework (Years 1 and 2) and in the final year research project.
Assessment methods
B1 to B5 are also assessed in the Year 3 individual research project.
B6 is assessed in Year 1 & 2 practicals and Year 1 LSKS module, and in the Year 3 research project.
C: Practical skills
C1: Able to carry out basic experiments in the laboratory and the field safely and effectively following a written schedule.
C2: Use appropriate laboratory equipment safely and efficiently
C3: Able to explain the principles and limitations of a range of more advanced practical techniques
C4: Use appropriate techniques to study diversity at different levels (e.g. identification of species using hierarchical keys and sequence databases)
C5: Able to use appropriate software packages for simulations, modelling and statistical analysis.
Learning methods
Skills C1 to C3 are taught in supervised practicals in Years 1 and 2, Year 2 skills module and one week long summer field course in Year 2.
Lectures in Years 1 to 3 teach aspects of C1 and C3.
Independent project work in research laboratories or in the field in Year 3 also teaches and develops C1 to C3.
As part of C1 to C3, safety and ethical issues are addressed through practical documentation (Years 1 and 2) and developed by students preparing risk assessments and ethical permissions and consents where appropriate for Year 3 research projects.
C4 is taught in Skills modules in Years 1 and 2, and developed in lecture courses and the finaL year research project depending on the options and topics.
C5 is addressed through IT and statistics training in Year 1, and the use of more specialised software is taught or developed in practicals, the summer field course in Year 2, Year 2 skills module and the project in Year 3.
Assessment methods
C1 is assessed through Year 1 practicals, Year 2 summer field course , skills module, and the Year 3 research project.
C2 is assessed in some Year 1 and 2 practicals.
C3 is assessed in many practicals in Years 1 and 2 and in theory exams in Year 1 to 3.
C4 is assessed in the summer field course and practicals in Year 2.
C5 is assessed in several Year 2 practicals, the skills module and in the final year Research Project module.
D: Key skills
D1: Able to write clearly in: a) logically argued essays; b) longer reports, including basic scientific papers; c) a variety of other pieces of work for different target audiences; d) e-communications, in particular email. Plan, write and give oral presentations
D2: (i) Use of current networked PC operating systems for normal file management,
(ii) Use current common word-processing, spreadsheet, web browsing and email packages,
(iii) Ability to locate and use on-line catalogues and databases
D3: (i) Use appropriate precision, scales, units, scientific notation, ratios, fractions, percentages, powers of 10, logarithms and exponentials.
(ii) Use simple algebra and trigonometry.
(iii) Use approximations for mental arithmetic estimation and verification.
D4: Explore, analyse and find effective solutions for problems involving moderately complex information.
D5: Work effectively as part of a team to collect data and/or to produce reports and presentations
D6: Study independently, set realistic targets, plan work and time to meet targets within deadlines. Reflect on assessed work, feedback, and progress; Plan, record and document personal development
Learning methods
Essay writing skills (D1) are taught in Year 1 tutorials, the LSKS module and developed in all subsequent modules.
Additional guidance on Essay and Scientific Paper Format writing is given in the on-line "Academic Skills" WebCT course.
Required length of essays and reports grows from Year 1 to 3.
Oral presentation skills (D1) are developed in some practicals and lecture modules, the summer field course, Year 2 skills module and the Research Project module in Year 3.
IT use (D2) is taught in Year 1, particularly in the LSKS module and developed throughout all year.
Most coursework from Year 2 onwards must be word-processed, and other computer produced work is required for some practical assignments in Year 2, in the Year 3 research project and in the Issues module.
Library, on line catalogue and web skills (D2) are taught in Year 1; developed by provision of module-related material on the Web and through preparation of the research project report (Year 3).
Web-based material (D2) is used in several modules including practicals.
D3 is taught in lectures and seminars (Year 1) and developed in many subsequent modules (Year 1 to Year 3).
D4 is taught through DAI questions in Years 2 and 3, and in some practical classes, and developed in the Issues/Field Course module, and in supervised project work (Year 3).
Team work (D5) is introduced in some Year 1 practicals and developed in the summer course (laboratory or field) (Year 2), in Year 2 practicals and in the Year 3 Issues/Field Course module.
D6 is addressed in the LSKS module in Year 1, including introduction to PDP, developed through the provision of explicit direct learning tasks (Years 1 and 2), increasing amounts of student managed learning from Year 1 to Year 3, attendance monitoring, rigid deadlines, feedback on assignments and discussions with personal tutor.
D6 planning component is developed in the Year 3 Research Project module.
Students are also directed to Key Skills Online, an online learning package which students can undertake at their own pace.
Assessment methods
Written skills (D1) are assessed through essays in coursework and exams (Years 1 to 3), in practical reports (Years 1 and 2), in the Issues module and the research project report (Year 3).
Oral presentation skills (D1) are assessed in the Year 2 summer course (field) and in some practicals, in Year 3 Issues Module and in the Year 3 Research Project module.
IT and Maths skills (D2 and D3) are assessed through worksheets and exams in Year 1.
Thereafter, practical work, coursework and exam questions throughout the degree course assess numerical skills.
Most coursework from year 2 onwards has to be prepared by computer and submitted on-line.
Problem solving (D4) is assessed in some of the Year 2 practicals, in the Year 3 Issues Module, in DAI questions in Years 2 and 3 exams and in the final year research project.
D5 is assessed through team presentations in some Year 2 practical work and in the Issues module.
D6 is assessed indirectly by examining directed learning material (Years 1 and 2), by awarding marks for evidence of additional reading and by imposing strict deadlines for coursework assignments.
D6 PDP is assessed in year 1 LSKS through the development of a cv and e-portfolio, and is developed in Year 2 Skills module.
The planning component of D6 is assessed in the Year 3 Research Project module.