Biochemistry with Integrated Foundation Year

Gain insights into the intricate, elegant workings of the building blocks of life in Biochemistry at Royal Holloway, University of London.

The course provides a comprehensive coverage of the principles of biochemistry, and includes a range of options that span the spectrum from medically-oriented biochemistry, through biochemistry in plants, to industrial applications of biochemistry. Our flexible degree structure allows you to tailor your course to your own interests, even within the first year.

You’ll gain invaluable laboratory experience across all three years of your degree. In year 3, you’ll complete an individual project, becoming part of our renowned research culture. 100% of our research impact in the Department of Biological Sciences was judged to be 4* and 3* world-leading and internationally excellent in terms of its originality, significance and rigour in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF21). This places the department in the top 25% of departments nationally for research impact. Our low student-to-staff ratio maximises your contact time with our internationally respected and enthusiastic academics. Many of our former students have contributed to published scientific papers.

Our campus is close to several sites of national scientific importance, including Windsor Great Park and the Millennium Seed Bank, while our on-site glasshouses, marine and freshwater aquaria and plant and animal cell culture facilities provide opportunities for rewarding independent study.

The skills and experience you’ll gain studying Biochemistry will make you an attractive prospect to employers. A combination of laboratory experience, ground-breaking research and a wide range of additional skills and competencies have helped our graduates find work in fields from forensic medicine to biotechnology. Pursue your passion for the fascinating principles of biochemistry and graduate with the skills and qualifications you need to find success in your chosen field.

We sometimes make changes to our courses to improve your experience. If this happens, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Core Modules
Foundation Year
Foundation Mathematics for Life Scientists
Global and Planetary Health
Foundation Life Sciences and The Environment
Foundation Practical Skills and Research (Biological Sciences)
Foundation Statistics for Life Sciences
Environmental Science for Foundation Life Sciences
Life Sciences II: Organ Systems
Year 1
Becoming a Bioscientist
Cell Biology and the Origin of Life
Genetics
Chemistry of Life
Fundamental Biochemistry
Protein Biochemistry and Enzymology
Academic Integrity
Year 2
Bioenergetics and Metabolism
Protein Structure and Function
Molecular Biology
Physical Biochemistry for Life Scientists
Natural Product Biochemistry and Sustainability
Year 3
Individual Research Project
Nutrition and Medical Biochemistry
Functional Genomics, Proteomics and Bioformatics
Optional Modules
Below is a taster of some of the exciting optional modules that students on the course could choose from during this academic year. Please be aware these do change over time, and optional modules may be withdrawn or new ones added.

Year 1
Introductory Animal Physiology
Introduction to Human Physiology
Green Planet: Plants and Our Future
Year 2
Microbiology
Food Security, Sustainability and Green Biotechnology
Cell Dynamics: Division and Movement
Human Physiology in Health and Disease
Developmental Biology
Immunology
Neuronal and Cellular Signalling
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Dissertation - Extended Essay
Year 3
Biology of Parasitic Diseases
Climate Change - Plants and the Environment
Evolutionary Medicine
Biotechnology in a Changing World
Molecular and Medical Microbiology
Seed Biology: From Molecular & Conservation Biology to Industrial Applications
Applications of Genetic Engineering in Health and Disease
Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer
Human Embryology
Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
Molecular Basis of Inherited Disease

In your Foundation Year, teaching methods include a mixture of lectures, practical classes and workshops, laboratory classes, individual tutorials, and supervisory sessions. Outside of the classroom you’ll undertake guided and independent practice. You will be assigned a Personal Tutor in the Department of Biological Sciences and will have regular scheduled sessions. In the Foundation Year, you’ll also be assigned a Personal Tutor in the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills (CeDAS). Assessments are varied; practical exercises, weekly problem sheets, set exercises, written examinations, laboratory reports. In addition the Foundation Year offers a full range of skills-based training.

On the degree, each year you will take modules worth a total of 120 credits, with most individual modules worth 15 credits. In your final year, your Individual Research Project is worth 30 credits.

The first year is formative, while outcomes of your second and third year contribute one third and two-thirds of your final degree classification respectively.

You will attend a mixture of lectures, seminars and small-group tutorials, with class sizes that range from 6 to 180 students. Practical classes are a major part of all first and second year modules, and include experiments that are integral to the subject, helping to familarise you with the material and augment your understanding of key topics. These are either laboratory-based or field-based with laboratory follow-up. In your third year, you will complete an individual research project supervised by one of our academics, and you may have the opportunity to contribute towards a published scientific paper. The individual research project is assessed on the basis of a written report, supervisor assessment, and an oral presentation.

During your first and second years, you will complete essays and reports, and sit written examinations. In your third year, assignments include a range of activities, such as preparation of posters, oral presentations, creation of leaflets and podcasts, coursework essays, mock research grant applications and scientific news-and-views articles, as well as analysis of data from online repositories in mini-research projects.

You will also have access to the comprehensive e-learning facility Moodle, which features lecture handouts and other supporting materials, such as lecture slides, quizzes, video clips, and links to relevant academic journal articles.