Biological Sciences including Foundation Year
Biological Science is the study of living things, from tiny microorganisms to large, iconic animals. You will explore this essential science in detail, uncovering the connections and patterns that make life on Earth so fascinating.
How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to us/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/03-courses/biological-sciences/biological-sciences-bsc-biology-placeholder-02.png)
Course overview
Dive into the processes that drive life, including evolution, physiology, molecular biology, and ecology. Develop the knowledge and skills to ask questions, solve problems, and make sense of the natural world.
The BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences course offers a holistic approach to the field of biology. While our other offerings in the subject area are more specialist, a broad biology course gives students the opportunity to fully explore the subject, find their passion, and direct their university path towards a number of possible careers.
Accredited by
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We’re accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
In your Foundation Year, you’ll explore biology, chemistry, and real-world challenges, build practical, academic, and teamwork skills, and develop curiosity, confidence, and problem-solving abilities to prepare for future study and impact.
This module helps you develop academic, personal and professional skills for university study. You’ll reflect on your progress, build confidence, and create an evidence-based portfolio to support your future learning.
You’ll explore core biological principles from molecules to whole organisms, develop practical laboratory skills, and use real-world examples to support your learning and prepare you for further study in the life sciences.
You’ll develop an understanding of key chemical concepts, from molecules to reactions, build practical laboratory skills, and gain essential experience to support your future scientific studies.
You’ll work in teams with other Foundation Year students to tackle real-world challenges, developing solutions through research, curiosity, collaboration, and responsible problem-solving while building skills that will support your future studies.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and assessment
You’ll learn by doing, through real-world activities that help you understand how learning works at university. You’ll be encouraged to ask questions, explore new ideas and work with others, as well as independently.
Teaching builds confidence, critical thinking and reflection, supported by digital tools. Regular feedback helps you track progress, plan next steps and build resilience and a strong sense of belonging as you prepare for higher-level study.
You’ll be assessed in different ways, including short tasks, coursework, presentations, and group work. Early assessments are designed to support your learning and help you understand what is expected at university. Most assessments are coursework-based and help you develop key skills such as research, academic writing, teamwork, and communication. You’ll also reflect on your progress and use university systems and digital tools. Clear, timely feedback will help you understand how to improve and support your next steps.
You’ll have the opportunity to take part in an optional Professional Practice and Placement module, providing you with either work experience with an employer or on a simulated employer placement. You can either work at an organisation in their place of work or do a simulated placement by working on a live project or brief online.
We will support you with looking for placement opportunities, but you’ll also need to put time and energy into finding them. This process is supported by our professional services team.
Our George Knox laboratories are part of a £15m investment, meaning you will be taught in new and well-equipped spaces. You will benefit from several well-equipped laboratories and rooms for practical and project work, including:
- Microbiology laboratory capable of handling pathogens (category 2)
- Molecular biology laboratory for DNA isolation and analysis
- Projection microscopes in the microbiology and microscopy laboratories for group teaching
- General biology laboratories for teaching, including a range of skeletons for vertebrate zoology
- Computer rooms with specialist GIS software to support your learning
Course Leader
Natalie Lubbock
Natalie is the Course Leader for Biological Sciences and Programme Leader for Applied Sciences, as well as a lecturer in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. With over 10 years of teaching experience and 12 years as a field researcher, she brings real-world expertise to her teaching.
Specialising in marine and freshwater ecology, Natalie is passionate about sustainability and the links between environmental and human health. Her research has taken her to tropical ecosystems across Southeast Asia and Central America, focusing on coral reef ecology and conservation, including running marine science research bases in Honduras.
Through her research and industry connections, including SEWRT and OPWAL, Natalie helps connect learning with real-world conservation and research opportunities.
Entry Requirements
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question48 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
DD, 48 tariff points to include a relevant Science subject but exclude General Studies
Welsh BACC:
N/A
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Pass Pass Pass or BTEC Diploma Pass Pass in a relevant subject
Access to HE:
Pass Access to HE Diploma in Science with a minimum of 48 UCAS Tariff points
T Level:
Pass (D or E)
Additional requirements include:
The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Fees and Funding
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Residential field course
International, residential field course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.
Cost: £1500
Airfare for field course
Airfare for residential field course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”. This cost is an estimate, as it varies by destination and booking date.
Cost: £1300
Padi dive training
Diver training course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.
Cost: £350
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Residential field course
International, residential field course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.
Cost: £1500
Airfare for field course
Airfare for residential field course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”. This cost is an estimate, as it varies by destination and booking date.
Cost: £1300
Padi dive training
Diver training course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.
Cost: £350
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Explore our facilities
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
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