Biomedical Sciences (Physiology) with a Professional Training Year (BSc)

The course covers a broad area (in particular human physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and neuroscience) in year One. The degree will give you the core knowledge you need to study a wide variety of topics, and you will be able to choose subjects which most interest you or which best relate to your planned career.

Applying to study physiology is the best decision I've ever made and getting to do it in Cardiff is a huge bonus! The first year was a very steep learning curve, but the course content and the staff's enthusiasm for their modules made it highly engaging. I've learnt so much already and I can't wait for second year!

Lucy Olukogbon, Undergraduate Student (Physiology) Year one

Year one at the School of Biosciences recognises that, as well as making the transition to independence from home, you are also facing new and exciting challenges in your education. You will now be studying in your chosen field and you will need to be fully prepared for the educational opportunities that are waiting for you. During your first week we will start you on this preparation by making sure you know what is different between school and University learning. You will feel part of the School of Biosciences immediately as you will be paired with a student buddy, who will show you the ropes and make you feel part of the student community. You will also meet your personal tutor, who will be on hand to help you with pastoral and academic issues for the whole time you are with us.

Our common year one modular course gives a broad grounding in the Biosciences, the interdisciplinary nature of this integrated course allows students to explore their interests without committing to a degree scheme until the end of the first year. The benefit of our common year one modular course is that if you are not sure that you have chosen the right degree scheme when you join us then you are sure to have a much better idea at the end of our common year one. You then have the opportunity to change to any of our 12 degree schemes according to your interests and career aspirations. You also have the opportunity to be accepted onto our competitive graduate entry medicine scheme that would ultimately lead to second year entry onto the Cardiff medical programme after you have completed your BSc degree.

We offer a wide range of learning opportunities from lectures, tutorials, practicals, workshops and seminars where you will come into contact with some leading research scientists. A team of academic staff who are teaching-focused ensure the smooth running of teaching and learning. We also appreciate that some of you will prefer particular assessment methods, and assess in a variety of ways, with emphasis on the practical skills you need to become a scientist. You will receive a range of feedback including written feedback on all coursework, and you have an opportunity to see your exam answer papers so you can improve on your performance next time.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsBiological ChemistryBI101420 creditsStructure and Function of Living OrganismsBI100220 creditsSkills for ScienceBI100120 creditsGenetics and EvolutionBI105120 creditsThe Dynamic CellBI100420 creditsOrganisms and EnvironmentBI100320 creditsYear two

Following on the common year one, where you build a robust basic knowledge and skill foundation within the biosciences, year two allows strengthening and expanding it with natural progression, and crucially the development of knowledge and skills in a context specific to your chosen degree programme. You enrol on modules, which are core to your degree programme, and on optional modules relevant to your degree. Your choice of modules can follow a more generalist approach, or can be rather specific to certain aspects of the discipline (molecular, cellular or systems physiology). You are given extensive academic advice and support in your choice by personal tutors, degree, module and year coordinators.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsPhysiology and Pharmacology of the CNSBI232220 creditsPhysiology of ExerciseBI230220 creditsResearch TechniquesBI200120 creditsSignalling in Endocrine SystemsBI235610 creditsMembrane and Synaptic PhysiologyBI230420 creditsHuman PathophysiologyBI230320 creditsSpecial SensesBI235710 creditsYear three: Sandwich year

From year two you progress into the Professional Training Year (PTY), which supports your learning and maturing in a work environment, thus crucially adding to your employability, experience, independence, subject and generic skills portfolio. You will be able to offer both a good degree and relevant work experience, which is what employers seek in new staff.

You, helped by the School, will find a placement where you undertake scientific research in industry, a government research laboratory, or some other suitable organisation. Examples of recent placements include GlaxoSmithKline Research Laboratories; MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London; Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh; NASA Research Center, Florida; and the Marine Conservation Society of the Seychelles. You start looking for a placement at the start of year two and you are assisted by a PTY Coordinator who will also vet potential placements to ensure they provide suitable scientific training. While on placement, you are assigned a PTY Tutor from Cardiff School of Biosciences, who will keep in close contact with you to make sure everything is progressing well and will visit you, if the placement is in the UK. At the end of the placement year, you report on the scientific work undertaken as a basis of assessment along with a report from the employer. PTY counts for 10% of your overall degree result.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsSandwich YearBI9999120 creditsYear four

The research-led final year gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in your chosen field by following a series of advanced research-led modules. These are designed to develop your ability to critically analyse complex experimental or technical data and to expose you to the central concepts at the cutting-edge of your discipline. You also gain experience of contemporary research through attending a selection of the many seminars given within the school by international leaders in their fields. You are asked to produce an original dissertation based either on a laboratory project, an extensive literature analysis or an exercise relating to science teaching/ pedagogic research or public engagement. Through our mentoring of these projects we nurture a range of transferable skills to ensure that you are not only equipped for today's job market but have the adaptability to be successful in the new career paths that will certainly emerge in the future.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsAdvances in Systems Physiology and PathophysiologyBI332920 creditsCurrent Research in Cell PhysiologyBI331120 creditsBiosciences Final Year ProjectBI300640 creditsOptional modules

Module titleModule codeCreditsCurrent Research in Systems NeuroscienceBI331820 creditsFunctional Anatomy of the Musculoskeletal SystemBI332120 creditsTissue Engineering & Tissue RegenerationBI331920 creditsMechanisms of Human Disease - ABI333020 credits The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.