BMedSci Medical Science (with Foundation Year)

at Bangor University

Our Medical Sciences degree aims to provide a science programme, related to medicine, with strong professional research elements. You’ll receive a firm foundation of scientific teaching, considering human health and disease at a micro and macro level. This enables you to develop, integrate and apply your knowledge at the interface of scientific discovery and clinical practice. As a graduate, you’ll be equipped with a broad skill set, making the course an ideal first choice for those interested in a health-based career but who want to keep their options open. It is also a perfect fifth choice for those whose primary aim is Medicine or Dentistry; for high-achieving students this degree may act as a stepping stone into Medical Schools as a graduate entrant.

What will you study on this course?

Year 1
The first year is an introduction to important aspects of Medical and Biomedical Sciences and includes lectures, laboratory practical sessions and tutorial sessions in key foundation subjects. Your first year modules have an emphasis on developing the key factual and practical skills which you will require to progress with the remainder of your studies. Examples of material you’ll be covering include human physiology, molecular genetics, cell biology, microbiology, chemistry as well as fundamental academic skills. In your laboratory sessions we’ll teach you how to work safely within a laboratory environment as well as the wider regulatory frameworks in which laboratory environments operate.

Year 1 is common to all three of the degrees listed below which gives you the opportunity to change to one of the other degrees (subject to eligibility criteria), giving you the flexibility to change degree routes before the start of year two if your interests change.

• Biomedical Science (B102)
• Medical Sciences (B100)
• Medical Biology (B103)

Year 2 & 3 
Your second and third-year modules on BMedSci Medical Sciences have a focus on human physiology and anatomy in health and disease, clinical diagnostics, infectious disease and therapeutics. You’ll be able to describe disease processes from molecular defects, to gross anatomical changes and integrate information on their diagnosis and treatment.

An over-arching theme will be the development of transferable skills such as critical analysis, data interpretation and the ability to communicate medical science to a variety of audiences. In the third year, this culminates in a piece of self-directed research using medically related scientific literature and databases. You’ll have many opportunities to showcase your developing skills, with regular constructive and individual feedback to help you achieve your full potential.

To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.   

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
• The fee for all placement, international, and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
• More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
• International (including EU) students

International Student Tuition Fees

• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

Additional Costs

• There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
• If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
• If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).

Our Foundation Year allows you to access our BSc Biomedical Sciences, BMedSci Medical Sciences and BSc Medical Biology programmes (subject to meeting the programme specific requirements), with your final decision being made before the start of the second year.

With integrated scientific knowledge and key skills such as critical appraisal, communication and problem solving, our graduates have high employability in medical science-based areas. In recent years our alumni have pursued careers in the pharmaceutical industry, medical research, food science, public health, the armed forces, the teaching profession, and forensic science, to name but a few of the many options available.

Internships and work experience are encouraged and supported during your degree, to help you gain an insight into the world of work and give you a competitive edge. We offer the opportunity to take short work placements (over a summer holiday) or year-long ‘sandwich’ placements, with all our degree programmes. Many of our students are interested in careers within a clinical environment and enter postgraduate training to become Physician Associates, Radiographers, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals. Students who want to pursue an advanced research career in academia or industry will be ideally placed for MSc and PhD programmes and for research positions within the NHS (including the NHS Scientist Training Programme). Recent BMedSci graduates have gone onto MSc courses in Cardiovascular Science, Neuroimaging, Psychology, Infectious Disease Control and Health Promotion. 

Many of our Biomedical Science graduates pursue careers in NHS pathology laboratories, helping our health service with patient diagnosis. Our IBMS-accreditation helps prepare them for the fast paced and interesting work of a modern-day pathology laboratory with disciplines ranging from organising blood transfusions to detecting viral infections in patients.