BSc (Hons)

Biology including Foundation Year

Biology 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.

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Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    C10F

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £5,760*

  • International students

    £17,200*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
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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.

DESIGNED FOR

The BSc (Hons) Biology 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

  • Royal Society of Biology Accredited Course

Career Paths

  • MSc/PhD Researcher
  • Ecologist
  • Laboratory Analyst
  • Science Teacher

Skills taught

  • Critical analysis and problem solving
  • Scientific communication
  • Project management 
  • Inclusivity and teamwork

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

A video thumbnail with the words
A video thumbnail showing a student using a petri dish with the text
A video thumbnail for the biology video 'Ecology Field Work: Intertidal Zonation' showing students conducting experiments on a rocky beach in Wales
An academic wearing a red top and a grey cardigan holds up a model of a Neanderthal skull from a USW workshop at the Glyntaff campus while surrounded by anatomy figures and models
Biology student with a model of a human limb.

Course Highlights

Royal Society of Biology Accredited Course

This course has been accredited since 2014, giving you a qualification employers respect. You’ll gain the knowledge and skills that make you career-ready from day one.

Input of Industry Partners

We work with top conservation groups like the Bannau Brycheiniog (also known as the Brecon Beacons), Woodland Trust, and Operation Wallacea. Their input ensures you develop skills that matter in real-world biology careers.

Research Active Teaching Staff

Our lecturers and project supervisors are active researchers, bringing cutting-edge science into the classroom. You’ll learn methods and insights directly from experts in the field.

Excellent Student Support

You’ll benefit from small classes, personal academic coaches, and tailored wellbeing support. Every step of your journey is guided so you can thrive academically and personally.

Module Overview

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.

Starting your University Journey 
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. 

The Science of Life: Foundations in Biology
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. 

Chemistry in Action: Science That Shapes the World
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. 

The Impact Challenge 
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. 

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

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

How you'll be assessed

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. 

Placements and work experience

The course offers the opportunity to take part in an optional Professional Practice and Placement module that provides students in the School of Applied Sciences with the opportunity to work with a commercial/industrial employer or on a simulated employer placement. Physical placements will be situated within an employer setting, whilst simulated placements will entail distanced work on a live project or brief. Placements will be offered by the University or arranged by individual students. This process is supported by our professional services team.

Facilities

Our George Knox laboratories are part of a £15m investment in science for the University, meaning you will be taught in new and well equipped spaces. These join the Grade II listed Alfred Russel Wallace building which is also used for teaching.

You will benefit from several well-equipped laboratories for practical and project work. Our facilities include:

  • 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 comparative anatomy
  • Computer rooms with specialist GIS software to support your learning

Accreditations and partnerships

Accredited by

WHY USW?

WHY USW?

TOP IN WALES

Biology at USW is top in Wales for teaching quality.

National Student Survey 2025

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Biology opens doors to a wide range of careers, giving you the skills to tackle society’s biggest challenges. Graduates work in policy, industry, healthcare, education, ecology, and conservation - joining consultancies, the NHS, energy and defence sectors, or becoming in-demand science teachers after a PGCE.

Possible career paths

Graduates of our biology degree have found employment in a range of fields, including environmental consultancy, hospital laboratories, the food and drink industry, and teaching. Many biology undergraduates progress to MSc courses in the biological sciences. You may also choose a postgraduate research programme, such as a Masters by Research or a PhD.

Careers support

USW Biology students have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout their studies and after they graduate. This includes one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Adviser and extensive online resources for help with considering career options and presenting oneself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students and students can receive weekly job email alerts.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS points: 48 (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.

English 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.

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.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£5,760

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,200

per year*

Further Information

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.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional Costs

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 stationery, printing, or equipment during your foundation year.  For costs after you progress to year 1 of your degree programme, please see the list below.

International, residential field course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.

Cost: £1,500 

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: £1,300

Diver training course associated with the optional module “Applied Tropical Conservation”.

Cost: £350

University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Life at USW

Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.

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Student Life
Close up shot of the front of the Alfred Russell wallace building.
Pontypridd Campus, Glyntaff
A double room at our Pontypridd accommodation featuring a large window.
Accommodation

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).

Advanced entry

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 admissions

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.
 

Next Steps

How to apply
Apply Through UCAS
Book an Open Day
Chat to Us