Biomedical Science BSc (Hons)

This IBMS accredited course focusses on providing you with a detailed understanding of science in health, covering the application and understanding of techniques used to diagnose complex diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and infectious/inflammatory disorders in clinical laboratories.

Entry Criteria
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
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Overview

Douglas Gray, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader, talks about the benefits of studying Biomedical Science at DMU.

Biomedical science is the application of scientific investigation to health, focussing on the human body. Including the diagnosis and treatment of human pathologies.

A biomedical science degree is highly sought after in NHS clinical laboratories, forensic science laboratories, research institutions and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Successful graduates can benefit from multiple dynamic professional opportunities, with long-term career prospects in research, specialised laboratory work, education and management.

Our course is professionally accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science, which enables our graduates to gain the necessary registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is a requirement if you want to become an NHS Biomedical Scientist.

You’ll study a range of topics including anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, immunology and more, covering all of the biomedical science specialist areas. Throughout the course, you’ll be exploring the analytical skills needed in modern biomedical science, along with research and diagnostic techniques through taught laboratory practical classes.

Key features

This course is professionally accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
You can become eligible to apply to the HCPC Register, by completing an HCPC approved Certificate of Competence portfolio with the IBMS, (this can be completed as part of your optional placement year).
You will study a wide range of current and cutting-edge topics in Biomedical Science, including anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology and the analytical skills of modern biomedical science.
Gain industry experience during an optional placement year. Our students have worked in a number of NHS laboratories, as well as in research laboratories at organisations including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Public Health England.
Our students have benefitted from an international experience through our DMU Global programme, which has seen students conducting Biomedical Science workshops on topics including malaria and sickle cell disease to high school students in Zimbabwe.
Our graduates have gone on to work in diagnostic laboratories in both the public and private sectors, NHS laboratories, research institutions and the biotechnology industry, in roles as biomedical scientists, laboratory assistants, associate practitioners, pharmacology technicians, as well as lectures and researchers within Higher Education.

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: B940

Duration: Three years full-time, four years sandwich placement (optional). Attendance required: 70 per cent +

Start date: September 2022

Location: De Montfort University Leicester UK

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Additional costs: You may incur additional costs for this programme, including the cost of travelling to and from project/placement locations.

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Book an Open Day

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: B940

Duration: Three years full-time, four years sandwich placement (optional). Attendance required: 70 per cent +

Location: De Montfort University Leicester UK

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £16,250

Find out more about available funding for international students.

Additional costs: You may incur additional costs for this programme, including the cost of travelling to and from project/placement locations.

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

GCSE

Five GSCEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and English

Plus, one of the following:

A-Level

A minimum of 120 UCAS points from at least two A levels. One A level must be at grade C or above in either Biology, Chemistry or Human Biology

BTEC

BTEC National Diploma Science - Distinction/ Distinction/ Merit
BTEC Extended Diploma Science - Distinction/ Distinction/ Merit

Alternative qualifications include:

Access to HE Diploma

Pass QAA Accredited AHE (Science) with a minimum of 21 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 24 Level 3 credits at Merit in Chemistry or Biology.

English and Maths GCSE required at grade 4 (C) or above as separate qualifications

We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

International Baccalaureate: 28+ with six higher level points in Chemistry or Biology

Interview: No

Work experience: No

Personal statement selection criteria

Clear communication skills, including good grammar and spelling
Information relevant to the course applied for
Interest in the course demonstrated with explanation and evidence
If relevant for the course - work and life experience

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Structure and assessment

First Year

Basic Microbiology for Biomedical Science
Basic Anatomy and Physiology
Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Chemistry for the Biosciences
Professional and Quantitative Skills

Second Year

Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Biochemical Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics
Organ Systems Physiology
Inflammation and Immunobiology
Professional Skills 2
Research and Diagnostic Techniques
Optional work placement year

Third Year

Clinical Biochemistry
Histopathology and Cytopathology
Clinical Immunology
Medical Microbiology
Haematology and Transfusion Science
Clinical Genetics
Research and Innovation (Project)

Click here for more detailed module information

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

You will benefit from teaching methods including:

Lectures
Tutorials
Seminars
Computer-based learning
Extensive laboratory-based work

Your precise timetable will depend on your modules, however, you will normally attend around 20 hours of timetabled, taught sessions including lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions each week as well as be expected to undertake at least 15 hours of independent study.

Programme Study

The accredited programme of study is usually taken over three years with an opportunity to spend an additional year (usually between years 2 and 3) either in industry or in an NHS laboratory.

In addition, specialist modules can also be taken by individuals seeking continuing professional development or as a ‘top up’ to make their own degrees suitable for registration purposes.

An MSc programme is available for experienced biomedical scientists in all the major pathology specialities who require a postgraduate qualification for career advancement. A professional doctorate programme is also available for NHS pathology biomedical scientists.

Students pursue their own research interests in a final year project working closely with staff at the university, or out on project placements, for example in local hospital laboratories.

Teaching Hours

Contact hours in a typical week will depend to some extent on the optional modules you choose to study. However, typically you will have up to 20 contact hours of teaching and this will break down as:

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: approx. 6 hours of tutorials (or later in the year, project supervision) each week.

Medium group teaching: approx. 6 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week.

Large group teaching: approx. 8 hours of lectures each week.

Personal study: approx. 15 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

Academic expertise

The Biomedical Science BSc programme has a large and diversely skilled teaching team, whose expertise spans all areas of biomedical science. Specialist areas of research expertise include cancer, immunology, genetics, toxicology, microbiology, chemical synthesis and drug design, musculoskeletal biology and medical physics. Staff are very research active, which directly informs many aspects of your teaching at UG and PG level.

Accreditation

The Biomedical Science BSc programme is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science.

IBMSlogo

Facilities and features

Hawthorn Building

Substantial investment in Health and Life Sciences has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you develop your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

Biomedical Science students benefit from recently refurbished teaching laboratory space, with attached cell culture facilities. Students will have access to many different types of taught practical sessions, in different group sizes and scenarios. Later in the course, students will also access research laboratory spaces when conducting their final year UG research projects.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available.

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose.

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub.

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Placements

As part of this course you will have the opportunity to complete a paid placement which offers invaluable professional experience. Placements are typically provided by the NHS at an approved NHS pathology centre, or a research or industrial laboratory.

Previous opportunities have included placements with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Public Health England, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London

Our careers programme #DMUworks can help you secure a placement through activities such as mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and you will be assigned a personal tutor to support you throughout your placement.

Graduate Careers

Our graduates are highly sought-after by NHS pathology centres and have gone on to work in diagnostic laboratories in both the public and private sectors, as well as research institutions and the biotechnology industry in roles such as biomedical scientist, laboratory assistant, associate practitioner and pharmacology technician.

Vivian Nwagboso landed a role as a biomedical scientist at Hull Royal Infirmary after graduating. She credits the course’s professional accreditation with helping her land a placement, which in turn contributed to her securing a full-time job.

She said: “I am very grateful to DMU for opportunities to develop so many transferable skills. It was unbelievable that I got a job even before writing my final exams.”

You can also pursue a range of postgraduate courses which offer opportunities to build your skills and enhance your knowledge, including our Advanced Biomedical Science MSc and Physician Associate Studies MSc courses.

DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Students on this course have previosuly undertaken DMU Global trips to places such as Kentucky in American, where they helped to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes, and Bermuda, where they taught science to schoolchildren.

Biomedical Science BSc (Hons)

Overview

Entry criteria

Structure and assessment

Course modules

Teaching and assessments