University of Bedfordshire

BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science

What will you study?

Studying our Biomedical Science BSc (Hons) course will equip you with in-depth knowledge, and technical and transferable skills related to modern medicine. In your first year, you will explore the basic biochemical principles and be introduced to the study of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in Microbiology and Biochemistry and Cell Biology. You will participate in laboratory work using light microscopes to discover cell structures and understand how this is fundamental to human life. To equip you with the research and practical skills for these units, Skills in Biomedical Science will teach you to how to record, analyse and report experimental data. Furthermore, you will explore the basic concepts of Chemistry that provide the fundamental basis for all biosciences. In addition, you will investigate the structure and function of the human body in Human Anatomy and Physiology, and separately gain an insight into the basics of genetics, from chromosome function to genetic inheritance, in Molecular Genetics.

In your second year of study, you will develop a further understanding of the core concepts learnt in your first year. In both Genetics and Human Metabolism, you will learn to identify the biochemical and cellular basis of processes that support human life, while also examining the functioning of the human body in health and during disease in Medical Physiology. This relates to Immunology, where you will study the fundamentals of the immune system and its importance in human health and disease, while linking this with Medical Microbiology to investigate the role of microorganisms in human infectious diseases. On a cellular level, you will learn to identify indicators of disease by analysing cells and tissues in Cellular Pathology and Haematology & Transfusion Science, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of blood diseases.

In your final year, a more integrated approach to subjects is applied that is fundamental to both medicine and biosciences. In Biology of Disease, you will investigate the pathophysiological processes that underlie specific diseases recognising clinical signs and symptoms, while also examining the function and dysfunction of body systems in Clinical Biochemistry. Linking back to previous years, you will take a practice-based approach to understanding the applications of molecular techniques for genetic testing in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology. With the same approach, Applications of Microbiology and Applications of Immunology will allow you to integrate your knowledge gained from previous units to consider surveillance, control and prevention of human diseases. You will also undertake a Biomedical Science Research Project that will give you the opportunity to plan, design and execute a piece of research into a topic of your interest that is relevant to your field of study. You will work to answer a research question based on research and laboratory work using the skills you gained throughout the course. To help you with this, the Skills in Science unit will equip you with the research and professional skills for a career in science.

How will you be assessed?

The assessment strategies of this course conform to those of the Benchmarking Statement for Biomedical Science. The course includes formative and summative assessments to determine the achievement of learning outcomes. Assessments cover key Biomedical Science content and permit the development of a range of subject-specific and transferrable skills. Our assessment strategy is progressive building students' ability to handle complex tasks through a variety of means. The Biomedical Science Award supports the field's philosophy of key skill development and assessment. Skills-based units are included at all levels of the award. Assessment is designed so students will progressively obtain important academic communication skills starting with diagnostic testing a formative writing exercise and short lab/data reports and an essay at Level 4 to longer lab reports or portfolios of clinical reports and case studies at Level 5. These different activities will introduce and develop the writing referencing and planning/construction skills needed to complete Level 6 assessments. Oral communication skills are developed from Level 5 through Level 6 in talks and poster presentations.

There will be formative opportunities for all assessments with 100% weighting to support students in acquiring the necessary skills to complete the summative assessments The assessment strategy also reflects the skill development shown in the level descriptors of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). Thus at level 4 in the Biomedical Science course emphasis is placed upon knowledge of underlying concepts and principles; ability to interpret these within a specific context; and ability to present and interpret qualitative and quantitative data. To support this level 4 assessment is predominantly based around short tasks which develop the ability to present and analyse data from various sources to explain basic underlying principles in writing and finally around short answer and/or multiple choice question exams which test knowledge of underlying principles and their application within a specific context.

Our Biomedical Science BSc (Hons) degree provides an excellent base to pursue a career in hospital laboratories pharmaceutical industries and/or postgraduate entry into higher biomedical biological science or graduate-entry Medicine/Dentistry. You will develop knowledge of technical research and analytical skills in biomedical disciplines including genetics microbiology immunology and biochemistry. This will open up career opportunities in pharmaceutical companies' laboratories teaching scientific publishing public health quality assurance the food and drink industry and scientific sales/marketing.