Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biochemistry

Program Overview

Biochemistry is the chemistry of life and on this course we bring it off the page. You’ll not only discover how this subject is vital to humanity, but even play a part in applying it to global challenges. Your journey will start with discovery of disease at a molecular level – preventing, diagnosing and treating – before looking at drug development, biological tools and genetically modified products. We show you how this fascinating subject can be applied in everyday life in from diabetes to cancer.

There‘s no substitute for doing it yourself, so that’s why we give you lots of chances to apply your skills in our labs so you’re a confident, work-ready graduate.

You might also be interested in MBiol (Hons) Biochemistry, a four-year course that takes your microbiology studies to Masters level.

Why study BSc (Hons) Biochemistry at NTU?

Develop your portfolio
While you are at NTU you’ll create a skills portfolio. This is where you’ll keep evidence of all the techniques and skills you’ve mastered. These portfolios help you to document and develop your skills while you are with us. And they are a valuable tool when you graduate too, as they can be used to show future employers you are ready to work in a professional environment.

Professional accreditation
The Royal Society of Biology have accredited this course. Accreditations are a seal of approval from professional bodies and our assurance to you that your course is relevant and valued by industry.

Get industry experience
Through group work and the Practical Techniques for Biology and Professional Skills in Biochemistry modules you’ll develop problem solving skills by testing and learning. These are valuable skills for any graduate to have and we make sure you get this experience right from the start of your course.  We’ve also embedded employability skills in the course, so you are not only learning theory and skills, but you know where to find your dream job and how to apply for it.

Alongside your course our Biochemistry Cafe programme runs throughout the year. You’ll get to take part in biochemistry focused employability workshops and job fairs – another chance to boost your skills before graduation.

Research informed teaching
Our research is tackling real-world issues – and the people working on this research will be teaching you. This means you can be sure that what you are learning is at the cutting edge of new biological discoveries. For example, Dr Christos Polytarchou and Dr Ben Dickins have used their expertise to uncover microRNA as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of colonic adenomas and colorectal cancer.

During your final year research project you’ll work closely with a member of staff, either on an aspect of their research or in their general area. You may be asked to help develop a new idea that can be incorporated into future research or help with our teaching. You’ll be working on real-world problems and gaining valuable experience at the same time.

Community and support
With support from your lecturers, personal tutors and technical staff, you can be sure we'll be here for you during your studies. Alongside your lectures and lab classes you’ll also have tutorial sessions. These are a chance to regularly meet in small groups with your personal tutor and members of your course to discuss the topics you are studying.

Got any feedback on your course? You’ll have lots opportunities to discuss your course, for example in your tutorial sessions, with your course leader and course reps and you even have the chance to feedback on every module you study with an end of module survey.  We love to hear your feedback and how we can make improvements.  Following your feedback, we have recently added Professional Skills modules which are specific to the area of biosciences you are studying. We’ve also increased our support for your coursework assignments too, through drop-in sessions accessible when you need them most.

There’s support from your peers too. Our mentoring schemes gives you support from other students on your course. Whether you need help with your studies or university life in general, they’ve been there and can give you a students’ perspective. Find out more about the support you’ll receive at NTU.

Take a work placement
Placements tell future employers you know how to do it as well as why. Our industry connections as well as the support you'll get from our Employability team all add up to a valuable work placement experience. You'll be supported throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary during your placement. When you successfully complete your placement, you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.

Meet our staff
Whether your interest is working in research or in industry we have experienced teaching and technical staff from a wide range of backgrounds. They’ll be teaching you the latest thinking in biochemistry and their contacts help us secure guest speakers and support you in finding great placement opportunities.

In your final year you’ll work on an individual research project. You’ll work closely with a member of staff and your project will be linked to their research area. This means you’ll be getting a real experience of research in practice which will look great on your CV.

Satisfied students
You can be sure you’ll be joining a high-quality course. But don’t just take our word for it - we consistently rank highly in the annual National Student Survey for student satisfaction in biosciences. We are very proud to currently be second in the UK (NSS 2021).