BSc (Hons) in Cell and Molecular Biology

The Cell and Molecular Biology programme focuses on how human cells function in health and disease. The surge in biotechnology industries in Scotland has led to predictions of a rise in employment in this sector and excellent career prospects for graduates.

Knowing how molecules, cells and organs interact enables biologists to more fully understand the factors that control cell growth and division, what makes some individuals more susceptible to disease than others and the development of more accurate diagnostic methods and new drug therapies or cures.

The programme covers physiology, microbiology, biochemistry and genetics, cellular communication, drug action and molecular medicine. You will engage in high levels of practical scientific work improving your laboratory skills, including a five-day practical molecular biology workshop.

Your career

Graduates go on to careers in research and development, for example in research institutes or in industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotech. The sequencing of the human genome has also spurred activity in the bio-health area.

International student start dates

For new international students, orientation events start on 14 September 2018. This extra time is specifically designed to assist new international students in settling into the UK and GCU prior to the start of general student induction and teaching.

There will be a whole host of fun and informative activities taking place during this period, including campus and city tours, as well as welcome events where you can meet other international students.

Teaching methods

The learning and teaching methods we use, ensure that our programme is both vocationally relevant and academically challenging. Our approach is student-centred, practical, participative and relevant to the needs of employers.

We've moved away from the traditional teacher-centric learning to a more independent learning approach, where you are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills.

Assessment methods

We use a wide range of learning and teaching methods to ensure that you have both the necessary knowledge and understanding of business and management and a portfolio of intellectual and personal skills.

Each module on the programme uses its own learning, teaching and assessment strategy to achieve learning objectives. Assessment methods vary between modules and may include unseen examinations, class tests, essays, management reports, case studies, presentations, and group work.