Our Medical Sciences degree prioritises the science that underpins medicine and clinical practice, preparing you to translate scientific discoveries and technological advances into improved healthcare. To achieve this, the first part of the programme gives you a wide-ranging insight into how the human body normally works. We study this through small-group sessions, lectures and hands-on laboratory practicals.
We then build upon this foundation to see how things can go wrong in the body due to disease and trauma and how normal function might be restored. We are keen that you develop a holistic understanding of human health. You will then specialise in the area that interests you most, tailoring your degree to match your specific career ambitions.
If you choose the Professional Training Year for this course, it will take place between your second and third (final) year.
Year 1
The emphasis is on understanding the normal functioning of the human body, from enzymes through to whole biological systems. Without this core knowledge of how the body works, it would be impossible for us, as scientists, to devise the new diagnostic tests, drugs or treatments that will best benefit patients. Modules cover human physiology, biochemistry and genetics, and microbiology and cells.
- Fundamental Skills for Medical Scientists
- Integrated Human Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Cells
Year 2
You will focus more on the scientific basis of important diseases, beginning with some fundamental insights into the ways in which human biology goes awry in disease. This knowledge is then used to explore how cutting-edge scientific technologies can be exploited to advance disease diagnosis and treatment. Modules cover disease, diagnostics and therapeutics, medical research, immunopathology and specialisms for the pathways.
- Disease, Diagnostics and Therapeutics
- Experimental Design and Statistics
Professional training year (if taken)
Final year
In your final year you have opportunities to study and undertake research to help improve current medical knowledge and practice. In addition to the core modules, you can select from a range of optional specialist advanced modules, enabling you to tailor your degree to match your own specific interests and career ambitions.
- Translational Medical Science Compulsory for the core programme
- Rational Drug Design (Compulsory for Pharmacology and Therapeutics pathway)
- Medical Genomics (Compulsory for Human Genomics pathway)
Specialisms
You will complete the same first year regardless of whether you choose Medical Sciences or if you choose to undertake one of our four Medical Sciences pathways. Our programme is designed to be flexible so that you can change between specialisms, or onto a pathway at the end of year one.
Our specialisms are:
- Health Research
- Human Genomics
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics
By studying one of our pathways, you will come away with a named specialism after your degree title, eg BSc Medical Sciences (Health Research).
