Biochemistry BSc (Hons) or MSci (Hons) – 2020 entry

Why choose this course

Surrey is one of the UK's leading universities for biological sciences with our courses ranked 10th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2019. We were also ranked 4th for overall student satisfaction in biochemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics in the National Student Survey 2018.

The School of Biosciences and Medicine is home to a vibrant research community and an innovative teaching and learning environment, with students also having access to our multimillion pound Innovation for Health learning laboratories.

Find out more about the reasons to study BSc/MSci Biochemistry at Surrey.

What you will study

Biochemistry is the study of the fundamental processes of life at the cellular level. It deals with fascinating subjects such as metabolism, molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology and sleep.

As a BSc or MSci Biochemistry student, you’ll gain extensive practical skills in our internationally-renowned, research-oriented environment that will prepare you to work at the forefront of developments in this exciting field.

This course will give you a sound and broad background in biochemistry, providing opportunities to familiarise yourself with contemporary biochemical methodology and sample some of its most intriguing applications.

Professional Training placements

A Professional Training placement provides you with the opportunity to develop your professional, academic and personal potential, equipping you to be adaptable, resilient, globally minded, confident, entrepreneurial and digitally savvy in the workplace. These qualities are widely recognised by employers and many of our students are offered employment on graduation by their placement provider.

The Professional Training placement year gives our students an insight into their subject and career potential, and early access to professional experience. It can be invaluable in developing work-based skills and helping them secure a graduate career.

Find out more about Professional Training placements and discover how these have transformed our students’ lives and career choices.

Biochemistry placements

The majority of our students choose to take a Professional Training placement to gain vital work experience and develop professional skills required by employers.

Most of our Professional Training placements are salaried roles, with opportunities in the UK including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and research institutes.

Recent placements have included roles at international institutions like Cornell University, Washington State University, Harvard Medical School (USA), the University of Turku (Finland) and several other European universities.

Our experienced Professional Training tutors will help you choose and apply to a selection of excellent placements in industry, hospitals and academia.                   

Find out more from Biochemistry students on placement in America.

Applying for placements

Professional Training placements are usually applied for and secured via our online placement opportunities platform called Surrey Pathfinder, within which students can select and apply for placement vacancies. Placement providers use their own recruitment and selection procedures and the majority of students will secure their placement in this way. However, support is also provided to students wishing to source their own placement, subject to university requirements being met.

Students are generally not placed by the University, however they are given thorough support and guidance alongside access to the vacancy portal representing thousands of placement opportunities each year. Please be aware there may be travel costs incurred when attending interviews and assessment centres at the placement provider’s premises.

Professional recognition

BSc (Hons) - Royal Society of Biology
Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement of membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).

Accreditations

Careers and graduate prospects

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.

Our biochemistry graduates are found in academic and industrial research laboratories around the world. You’ll also find them in cities, schools, hospitals, cockpits, submarines and boardrooms.

The majority of our students gain immediate employment after they graduate, but further study comes a close second. This includes taught masters courses, PhD studentships and fast-track medical courses.

Our recent biochemistry graduates have gone on to roles such as:

• Medical Laboratory Assistant, Royal Surrey County Hospital
• Clinical Trial Associate, Inventiv Health
• Customer Services Analyst, Sanosi
• Pharmacy Assistant, North Hampshire Hospital
• Clinical Data Manager, Institute of Cancer Research
• Clinical Research Associate, Novartis
• Quality Engineer, The Body Shop International plc.

Study and work abroad

We give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities or by completing a Professional Training placement abroad. In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV. View our study and work abroad exchange information to find out more and see where you can go.

Please note: the status of the Erasmus+ scheme is dependent on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

Our international exchange programme offers you the opportunity to study abroad at a partner university for either one semester or a full academic year as part of your course. For biosciences students, this might be at one of our partner institutions in the US (for example Texas or Florida) or in Singapore.

The exchange programme enables you to study and live in another country, earning credits that contribute towards your Surrey degree, without paying extra tuition fees.

It gives you the chance to broaden your horizons, meet other students from around the world and experience student life in some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Studying abroad also enables you to become more independent, teaching you how to adapt and adjust to the culture and climate of another country.

In addition, or alternatively, you may choose to spend your Professional Training placement working in another country. Students have travelled to the US, Canada, Australia and many European countries, typically working in a research laboratory at a partner institution.

Recent placements have included roles at international institutions like Cornell University, Washington State University, Harvard Medical School (US), the University of Turku (Finland) and several other European universities.

If you work in another part of Europe in a foreign university laboratory you may be eligible for an Erasmus+ grant, as well as your full student loan if taking an unpaid research placement in an overseas university.

This is an excellent opportunity not only to gain valuable work experience but also to improve or learn another language.

Foundation year

The Biochemistry BSc with foundation has an additional year of study designed to support your transition on to latter years of the course. You will study full-time for one year at foundation level, and after successfully completing it you will be ready to move on to the next three years of the course.

This qualification is subject to approval. This means that it has received initial agreement from the University and is currently undergoing a detailed final approval exercise, through the University’s quality assurance processes.