Biochemistry

This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview
Discover life at its most fundamental level.

On this BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), you’ll learn how biochemists fight disease, edit genomes, understand human and animal development and apply synthetic biology to current problems in biotechnology.

By exploring the latest scientific theory through lab training, you'll gain the skills and expertise to become a professional biochemist and apply for Associate Membership of the RSB on graduation.

Accredited by:
This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.

Course highlights

• Experiment with the latest biochemistry techniques, such as protein purification and real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), both vital processes in the development of vaccines and medical testing

• Study genes and clone DNA in our molecular biology research labs, globally regarded as some of the best available at a university

• Learn from academics involved in trailblazing research at our Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences and Centre for Enzyme Innovation

• Get involved with the European Xenopus Resource Centre, one of the largest frog resource facilities in the world

• Have the opportunity to study abroad on a summer research placement at a European university

• Be eligible to apply for Associate Membership of the Royal Society of Biology when you graduate, which includes access to exclusive grants and awards

Careers and opportunities
Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry within living things – everything from humans and animals, to plants and cells. It combines biology, chemistry and physiology to develop new approaches within many scientific fields, including healthcare and medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and the environment.

This means there is a huge range of sectors you can go into with a Biochemistry degree, and there will always be a high demand for your skills.

Once you complete your BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, you’ll be ready for a career in scientific research, forensic science or pharmaceuticals. With specialist modules like Business for Biosciences and Genes and Development, you’ll have many opportunities to discover your niche.

In the UK in 2021, you could expect to earn an average of £26,500 as a newly-graduated biochemist and an average of up to £60,000 with more experience.

What can you do with a Biochemistry degree?
There are many career paths a BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree can lead you to. Previous students have gone on to do valuable work in fields such as:

• industrial research

• academic research leading to a PhD

• biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries

• science teaching

• the health service

• scientific writing and the media

Graduate destinations
Organisations our graduates have gone on to work in include:

• Pall Europe

• Oxford Nanopore Technologies

• MedPharm

• Celgene

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/bsc-hons-biochemistry#modules

You’ll be assessed through coursework, essays and write-ups, presentations, online exams, data analysis problems, research project, written exams, multiple choice tests.
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Royal Society of Biology