Biochemistry and Genetics with a Placement Year

Molecular biology is a growing subject which is making an enormous impact in many scientific areas, including the study and treatment of many human diseases, pharmaceutical development, and the complex relationships between our environment and ourselves.

This interdisciplinary joint honours degree combines two complementary and overlapping disciplines, providing you with in-depth knowledge of the advanced molecular biology techniques and research, which are the basis for understanding all forms of life.

You will learn about the genetic processes that occur within living organisms, and study how cells work at the sub-cellular and molecular levels, gaining an in-depth understanding of the biochemical function of living organisms, from bacteria to plants, animals, and humans.

You will also develop excellent project management skills, learning how to design experiments and plan work programmes.

You will study at one of the UK’s leading Medical School, located on our Singleton Park Campus, in beautiful parkland, overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.

Swansea was one of the first UK universities to introduce Genetics as a BSc discipline in the 1960s, so we have a long and respected track record in this field.

This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The 4-year MSci is an advanced undergraduate degree including an integrated master’s year, with the extra year spent undertaking a research project, allowing you to further develop your skills and knowledge.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Genetics, Genomics & Evolution; Organic and Analytical Chemistry: an Introduction for Life Sciences; Population Genomics and Clinical Applications; Introductory Biochemistry; Human Physiology; Skills for being a Medical Scientist; Cell Biology.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Microbial Molecular Genetics; Metabolic Regulation, Enzymology and Endocrinology; Human Immunology; Molecular Evolution; Metabolaeth carbohydrad a lipid; Human & Medical Genetics.

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Membranes and Energy Transduction; Practical Quantitative Research; Animal Development; Membrane Trafficking; Advanced Biostatistics; Medical Genetics; Genetic Toxicology; Genetics of Cancer.

In Year 4: Year spent in Industry.

In Year 5, you will typically study areas including: Advanced Research Manuscript; Advanced Research Project.

A wide variety of assessment methods is used in addition to the more traditional written exams, essays, lab reports and project dissertations. Students may undertake coursework such as: online web assignments, online problem solving, poster production, talks, slide presentations, screencasts, and literature reviews. Some of these tasks develop groupwork skills.