Biology

Our courses

Explore our new course structure and discover the modules you’ll be studying:

Courses with a placement year 

Courses with a year abroad 

 Courses with a foundation year

2021 entry:

• Biology BSc
• Biology MBiolSci
• Biology with a Placement Year BSc
• Biology with a Placement Year MBiolSci
• Biology with a Year Abroad BSc
• Biology with a Year Abroad MBiolSci
• Biosciences with a Foundation Year

About Biology at Sheffield

Our Biology courses offer you the flexibility to discover what kind of biologist you want to be.

Whether your interests lie in organisms and the environment, biomedicine, or the molecular biosciences, or span all three, you’ll have the freedom to choose the topics you want to study across the breadth of biology, including biodiversity, sustainability and climate change, cell and molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry, and biomedicine, human health and disease.

You’ll have the chance to carry out your own research projects in the lab, using the latest cutting-edge equipment to analyse stem cells, sequence DNA and study proteins and enzymes. You might choose to do field research projects in the Peak District National Park, or to embark on a once-in a lifetime ecology field course in the UK or abroad. Or you can make the most of our links with the NHS, completing research in conjunction with the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. You can even choose to combine these areas.

Biology at Sheffield is all about enabling you to study what you’re passionate about. From genes and molecules, to organ systems and behaviour, biodiversity and ecosystems, and everything in between, your personal tutor will support you to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals.

What our students say

My course helped me secure a PhD scholarship to study marine biology in Australia!

Jennie Smith MBiolSci Biology

From gaining field experience through her field course in Borneo, to studying Heliconius butterflies as a research assistant in Ecuador, Jennie made the most of her time at Sheffield.

I got to explore the areas of biology that I’m interested in, particularly insect biology and palaeobiology

Henry Ellison BSc Biology

Henry’s time as a Sheffield mentor not only improved his communication and time-management skills, but also gave him the opportunity to meet new students and help them as they adjusted to university life.

My placement helped me realise my passion for being outdoors and conservation

Olga Kondrashova BSc Biology with Placement Year

Olga spent her placement year working at the Field Studies Council on the doorstep of Snowdonia in North Wales. During the year, Olga took part in biological surveys, conservation projects, outdoor education and adventure activities.

Teaching

As a biology student you’ll learn in lots of different ways, from lectures and small group tutorials where our world-leading academics will share their latest research findings with you, to learning by doing during research projects, practical lab sessions, and field trips to zoos, aquaria and wildlife reserves.

Our staff are committed to great teaching and you'll have lots of opportunities throughout your degree to be creative, think independently, and express your ideas. All giving you plenty of chances to gain new skills and experience to put on your CV.

Find out more about our teaching

Research projects

Project work is built into our degrees from the beginning, from field courses, to research projects in the lab based around first and second year modules in areas such as genetics, computer modelling, neuroscience, conservation and climate change.

In your third year, you'll get the opportunity to complete a major research project and dissertation in an area of biology that interests you.

Conducted under the supervision of one of our world experts, you'll work in a small group to define questions, develop experimental protocols, conduct the research, analyse the data and ultimately produce a written report in the form of a scientific publication.

Projects span the breadth of bioscience and depending on what you choose to study in years one and two, you could be making an impact through research into biodiversity or climate change, putting your science communication skills into practice or exploring the potency of stem cells in diseases such as cancer.

Our integrated masters courses allow you to complete a further in-depth research project whilst embedded in one of our specialist research groups.