Human Biology is an ever-evolving branch of science that includes the study of the human body, the changes that occur in disease, and the interaction between humans and their environment. With this in mind, the Human Biology curriculum provides a contemporary and dynamic programme designed to challenge students across a broad base, but with depth in areas of staff specialisms.
During the course, students will be supported in gaining a thorough understanding of human biology and its application to real-world issues, through an integrated, innovative and applied curriculum. Students will leave the programme with a fully rounded skill set and with experience in a wide range of standard and specialist lab techniques.
Students will gain experience, competence and confidence through small-group learning, which will provide specialist and transferable skills that will allow you to succeed in a competitive and demanding employment market.
Teaching on this degree is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together, seminars of smaller groups of around 15 - 20 students, and tutorials that typically have no more than 10 students. You will also have a one-to-one meeting with your tutor each week.
On top of teaching hours, first year students will take part in a short fieldtrip to the University’s Plas Caerdeon outdoor education facility in North Wales.
In your first year of study, there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approximately 10 teaching hours in your second and third years. On top of usual teaching hours, you are also expected to spend approximately 30 hours studying independently each week, as well as studying in groups to prepare for any group assessments that you may have.
During your degree, you will have a number of coursework assessments, as well as two exams in the summer term of each academic year (Years 1, 2 and 3). These exams are worth 33% of the first year and 25% of the second and third years.
Assessments are wide-ranging in design and format, enabling you as the learner to excel. Assessment types include: scientific/laboratory reports, critiques, essays, individual and group oral presentations, portfolios, case studies, and practical laboratory tests. We provide comprehensive online feedback for all coursework and future support, with the opportunity to discuss this further with academics if required.
In your third year, you will complete an independent research dissertation (worth 25% of your final year), allowing you to specialise in a particular topic of interest, whilst being guided through the process by an expert in the field.
Human Biology has been designed to enable students to study a broad range of relevant topics within the discipline. There will be also be the opportunity for specialism through in-depth study in particular areas, with a framework of learning, teaching and assessment that encourages independent, yet supported application of knowledge and understanding.
Foundations in Human Biology
In your first year, you will build a thorough knowledge of the structure and function of the human body from a biological, physiological and biochemical perspective. Students will initially focus on an understanding of how human organ systems function, from the molecular and cellular level through to the whole organ. As the course progresses, there will be an emphasis on application of knowledge and understanding in the medical context; the dysfunction related to disease will follow naturally from an understanding of the normal organ function. Finally, the year will end with a flavour of the more complex discipline of genetics, which will be dealt with more comprehensively in years 2 and 3. Research methods are integrated both within lectures, seminars and tutorials, with rigorous application of scientific method underpinning all activities. Practical skills are pivotal; students will learn, consolidate and practice their skills each week in the laboratory, and becoming more proficient in collecting and interpreting data. Assessment will include a portfolio of practical lab write-ups, examinations and group projects and case-study reports.
Curriculum content:
Explorations in Human Biology
Building on the foundations of first year, you will begin the more detailed study of the integrated function of the human body and the biological changes that occur through dysfunction or disease. The pathophysiological concepts will be introduced from a variety of perspectives and will include exploring metabolic biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, disease pathology, microbiology and epidemiology in more depth. You will learn through both lectures and more advanced practical laboratory activities, further building your skills as a field and lab scientist, while becoming more specialist in these academic disciplines. This is a challenging and interesting year in which to explore you own emerging specialisms.
Curriculum content:
Advanced Studies in Human Biology
Advanced study of any discipline requires students to draw on the knowledge and understanding that they have acquired from the previous years of study. In your third year, you will focus on the application of knowledge to the complex and dynamic environment of the human body. The curriculum incorporates the research specialisms of the teaching team and will include the advanced study of current areas of research, such as ageing, dementia, obesity, cardiovascular disease, genetics, pharmacology and clinical drug treatments for the future. This year will be both challenging and rewarding, as you take forward an area of particular interest through completion of a research project under the expert supervision of one of our academic team.
Curriculum content:
During the August/September admissions period we are able to offer some flexibility in our entry requirements for courses that still have vacancies.
We are also offering a Foundation Year on many of our courses for students who have the ability and enthusiasm to study for a degree, but do not yet have the qualification level to enter directly onto our degree programmes.
Please call us to discuss the options available to you: 0151 291 3636
Human Biology graduates offer skills in specialised laboratory and field-based research, scientific report writing, data analysis and other types of written and oral communications. Recent graduates have entered careers in bioscience/biomedicine, biotechnology, medical writing, research laboratories, healthcare, diagnostic and forensic laboratories and similar scientific and technical jobs. Others have pursued postgraduate study in the form of Masters degrees or doctorates. Biologists can also pursue general graduate vacancies and training programmes in business, management, accountancy, teaching or academia.
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
The tuition fees for the 2020/21 academic year are £9,250 for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,250.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
You will also need to consider the cost of field trips, text books, and a laboratory coat, which we estimate to cost around £300 per academic year.
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
The International tuition fees for the 2020/21 academic year are £11,400 (provisional) per year for full-time undergraduate courses.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
This course is also available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects: