About This Course
To prepare students for our Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences degrees, our Foundation Year provides the basic, but essential understanding of biological and chemical principles that underpin the field. During your foundation year, as well as gaining practical laboratory skills and developing your academic skills, you’ll get a thorough grounding in a variety of topics that underpin degrees in the field of medical sciences. It is an ideal course if you have an interest in Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences or a desire to enter a related career but do not currently have the necessary scientific background to enter our 3 year programme.
The Foundation Year is also designed to prepare students for our other undergraduate degree programmes, B100 Medical Sciences and there is the possibility to transfer onto one of these programmes, subject to successfully passing the Foundation Year.
Biomedical Science is concerned with the integration of a wide range of subjects that underpin the scientific investigation of human health and disease. This course is designed to give you an understanding of the biology of disease, including modern concepts and applications of biomedical science in the research, diagnosis, and treatment of clinical disorders. You’ll be encouraged and supported to assimilate knowledge from core biological sciences to develop skills in the more specialised biomedical disciplines of clinical biochemistry, cellular pathology, haematology, and medical microbiology.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- Scientific and clinical staff from hospitals in north Wales are intimately involved in all aspects of teaching. Guest presentations are given by international diagnostic companies.
- Cutting-edge science is integral to our research programmes, and feeds through into the teaching environment. Our expertise encompasses the design of novel therapeutic agents, investigation of mechanisms controlling carcinogenesis, study of the molecular processes underlying birth defects and the development of novel methods for controlling tropical diseases.
- The Biomedical Science degree has been accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
- Graduates can specialise in one of several laboratory disciplines within the NHS, including Medical Microbiology, Clinical Biochemistry, Cellular Pathology, Immunology, Haematology and Transfusion Science, or follow a career in a variety of medical diagnostic and research environments.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch.
This course is available with an International Experience Year option where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year. You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons. With international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinations and partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Bangor and in your host university to improve your language skills.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option at any time during your degree at Bangor and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on the Student Exchanges section of our website.
Course Content
On this Biomedical Science (with Foundation Year) degree, you'll take modules worth 120 credits each year which will be taught using a variety of approaches including lectures, seminars, and laboratory practicals. Modules become more specialised as the degree progresses and the number of compulsory modules varies between years. Assessment is by a mixture of examinations, practical laboratory reports, coursework and presentations, including the research project in the final year. Some Welsh medium modules are also available, students can choose to have a Welsh speaking tutor and submit work in either Welsh or English.
What will you study on this course?
The purpose of the Foundation Year modules is to increase your self-confidence, improve your subject knowledge, and fire your enthusiasm about the medical sciences. To this end you will follow modules covering the essential biological and chemical principles that will underpin your future learning, including topics such as cell biology, immunology, and molecular bonds. Skills modules will ensure that you have the basic numeracy background and academic expertise to negotiate the challenges posed by a degree programme. Your laboratory sessions will develop your practical skills while you are taught how to work safely, precisely, and accurately in a professional laboratory.
In subsequent years, you will follow the same modules as B102 BSc Biomedical Science or B100 Medical Sciences depending on your chosen main degree.
The Foundation Year is common to all three of the degrees which gives you the opportunity to change to one of the other degrees (subject to eligibility criteria). Our programmes are designed to give you the option of switching to a different degree route either after your foundation year or after year one, before committing to one of the degree routes in your second year.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Biomedical Science (with Foundation Year) BSc (Hons) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Facilities
Medical Sciences facilities
- We have a suite of recently refurbished laboratories in the Brambell Building. Most of our lab work takes place in labs A1, B1 and C4, which have state-of-the-art audio-visual systems so you can follow in detail what is being demonstrated. We also have a Cat 2 specialist laboratory, used for work with medium-risk biological agents and hazards, and genetically modified organisms.
- You’ll use a range of equipment while working in these labs, including: scales, centrifuges, spectrometers and specialist equipment.
- Final year research project students may have access to expertise and facilities in the well-equipped North West Cancer Research Institute. Apart from essential laboratory equipment (centrifuges, incubators, etc.), state-of-the-art equipment includes confocal microscopes, a flow cytometer, a high-throughput screening robot, access to mass spectrometry and high throughput DNA sequencing facilities etc.
- Our new human anatomy suite will be completed by 2022, and will incorporate cutting-edge technology such as an Anatomage table, the world’s first virtual dissection table. We anticipate it will be used by BMedSci Medical Sciences undergraduates as well as students on our Physician Associate MA and the C21 North Graduate Entry to Medicine degree that's delivered entirely in north Wales by Bangor University in partnership with Cardiff’s Medical School.
General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.
Course Costs
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
- The fee for all integrated study abroad years is £1,385 (2025/26).
- The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).
More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
Offers are tariff based, 48 - 96 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels (including: AS-levels, General Studies)
- International Baccalaureate
- Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
- BTEC Diplomas and Certificate are accepted
- Cambridge Technical Diplomas and Certificates are accepted
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas are accepted
- Welsh Baccalaureate
- Scottish Highers
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- T-levels: considered on a case-by-case basis.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature learners. Mature students and/or those with other qualifications are considered on individual merit
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
Offers are tariff based, 64 - 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels (including: AS-levels, General Studies)
- International Baccalaureate
- Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
- BTEC Diplomas and Certificate are accepted
- Cambridge Technical Diplomas and Certificates are accepted
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas are accepted
- Welsh Baccalaureate
- Scottish Highers
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- T-levels: considered on a case-by-case basis.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature learners. Mature students and/or those with other qualifications are considered on individual merit
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Our Foundation Year allows you to access our BSc Biomedical Sciences, BMedSci Medical Sciences and BSc Medical Biology programmes (subject to meeting the programme specific requirements), with your final decision being made before the start of the second year.
With integrated scientific knowledge and key skills such as critical appraisal, communication and problem solving, our graduates have high employability in medical science-based areas. In recent years our alumni have pursued careers in the pharmaceutical industry, medical research, food science, public health, the armed forces, the teaching profession, and forensic science, to name but a few of the many options available.
Internships and work experience are encouraged and supported during your degree, to help you gain an insight into the world of work and give you a competitive edge. We offer the opportunity to take short work placements (over a summer holiday) or year-long ‘sandwich’ placements, with all our degree programmes. Many of our students are interested in careers within a clinical environment and enter postgraduate training to become Physician Associates, Radiographers, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals. Students who want to pursue an advanced research career in academia or industry will be ideally placed for MSc and PhD programmes and for research positions within the NHS (including the NHS Scientist Training Programme). Recent BMedSci graduates have gone onto MSc courses in Cardiovascular Science, Neuroimaging, Psychology, Infectious Disease Control and Health Promotion.
Many of our Biomedical Science graduates pursue careers in NHS pathology laboratories, helping our health service with patient diagnosis. Our IBMS-accreditation helps prepare them for the fast paced and interesting work of a modern-day pathology laboratory with disciplines ranging from organising blood transfusions to detecting viral infections in patients.
On successful completion of the BMedSci degree, high achieving students are eligible to apply for Cardiff University’s four year Graduate Entry Medicine Programme (MBBCh). Qualifying students can apply to study Medicine in Cardiff or remain in Bangor for their 4 year MBBCh degree. See the C21 North Graduate Entry Medicine MBBCh course page for more information. Please note to apply for this programme you will need to fulfil all of Cardiff University’s additional criteria, which include but are not limited to, specific GCSE and A level achievement and successful completion of the entrance exam (GAMSAT).
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
