Durham University operates a modular system in which you will study six modules each year. The Biosciences MBiol four year degree programme is designed to allow you more choice between modules in each successive year so that you can follow specialised routes within Biological Sciences, or address specific areas of interest, as you progress.

Recommended module combinations (“routes”) to allow various themes of specialisation are available, although these still allow choice at each level of the programme. We have specified recommended routes corresponding to the following subject areas:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Biomedical Science
• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Ecology and Environmental Science.

Other module combinations are possible to give courses which specialise in “whole organism” biology, or plant sciences, or microbiology, or which maintain a broad coverage of the whole Biosciences subject area.

Year 1

The first year covers fundamental aspects of biology including evolution, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, physiology, and an overview of the diversity of organisms, through a set of four “core” modules covering the following topics:

• Organisms and Environment
• Animal Physiology
• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry and Cell Biology.

The module-linked tutorial system provides support for taught material and an introduction to essential scientific and transferable skills. 

The Level 1 course also includes an integrated “Scientific Skills” module which covers underpinning chemistry and maths designed to support learning in the other modules. In addition, an optional module provides an introduction to all aspects of current research in the biosciences. A language module, provided by another department, can be taken as an alternative optional module.

Year 2

The second year of the course allows you to select a degree programme to meet your interests and career ambitions by choosing modules from those available. Choices of modules made for Year 2 then feed forward into the third year. There is a wide range of module themes which have previously included:

• Biochemistry
• Ecology
• Developmental Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Structure and Function
• Cell Signalling
• Applied Physiology
• Plant and Algal Physiology
• Behaviour
• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Evolution.

A Year 2 support module, “Research Skills” is also offered, in which skills required for research-led learning at Level 3 are covered. As in Year 1, learning is supported by a module-linked tutorial system.

Year 3

In Year 3 of the MBiol course, there is an emphasis on personal research and research training in close collaboration with members of the Department’s academic staff. You will undertake two major pieces of work, each constituting its own module; a workshop/field course, a literature review and a research module.

The “Workshop” (laboratory-based) or “Field Course” (field-based) module both involve research experience; field courses are currently held in South Africa or Scotland (residential field courses can incur an additional fee, which ranged from £150-£750 in 2016). The "Literature Review" module involves the study of current research literature in a topic area selected by you, under the personal supervision of a member of academic staff.

In addition, you will study four modules linked to your interests from those offered. The Year 3 taught modules to cover a wide range of topics, which have previously included:

• Advanced Topics in Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Ecology in the Anthropocene
• Crops for the Future
• Stress and Responses
• Advanced Topics in Development
• Biochemistry and Biotechnology
• Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering
• Ageing
• Advanced Cell Biology
• Genomics
• Biology of Disease.

Year 4

The fourth year of the MBiol course contains a taught module on the principles and research practice in the biosciences, an additional field course or practical laboratory workshop and a four-module (80-credit) Research Project which runs through the entire year. This major Research Project is a key component of the MBiol course and prepares you for research at postgraduate level. Staff in the Department of Biosciences will offer suitable projects over a wide range of topics in modern biological and biomedical sciences. The projects will address the requirements of potential employers, as well as providing an opportunity for you to carry out work at the cutting-edge of biosciences research. The Research Project will be written up as a Master's Dissertation.

We review course structures and core content (in light of e.g. external and student feedback) every year and will publish finalized core requirements for 2019 entry from September 2018.