BSc Biosciences with Business Management programme changes

From September 2016, there will be some changes to first year modules on the BSc Biosciences with Business Management programme.

These changes only apply to first year Biosciences modules. Year 2 and Year 3 modules, and Business Management modules will not be changed.  The modules will remain at 80 credits (Biosciences) and 40 credits (Business Management) throughout your course.

The changes in the Molecular Biosciences pathway are as follows:

• The module ‘Skills for Biosciences’ has been discontinued and some of its content has been embedded in other first year modules (as specified in the table above).
• The module ‘Biochemistry’ module has been renamed to ‘Fundamentals of Biochemistry’ and had some limited additions to its content, but keeps its central of focus on the molecular basis of living organisms.
• Previously, students on the Molecular Biosciences pathway had to choose between elective modules ‘Microbiology and Infectious Diseases’, ‘Enzymes and Metabolism’ and ‘Human Biochemistry’. We now offer a smaller Microbiology module (now ‘Introduction to Microbiology’, 10 credits) in parallel to the module ‘Human Biochemistry’. This allows students on this pathway to study both topics in parallel, which was not possible before. The modules on ‘Enzymes and Metabolism’ and ‘Human Biochemistry’ had a similar focus (metabolism), but differed in the extent to which chemical concepts were covered. The module ‘Introduction to Microbiology’ is 10 credits and absorbs some of the practical aspects previously part of ‘Skills for Biosciences’.

The changes for the Environmental Biosciences pathway are as follows:

• The module ‘Skills for Biosciences’ has been discontinued and some of its content has been embedded in other first year modules (as specified in the table above).
• The module on ‘Microbiology and Infectious Disease’ has been reduced to 10 credits, but keeps its thematic focus, while absorbing some of the practical aspects that previously were part of ‘Skills for Biosciences’. Whereas before students on the Environmental Biosciences pathway had to choose between Microbiology and ‘Plant Sciences and Environmental Biology’, the amended first year allows students to study both topics in parallel. This change also expands the spectrum of options in your second year.
• The module ‘Plant Sciences and Environmental Biology’ has changed its name, it keeps its central focus on plant biology and ecology, while seeing some minor adjustments to its content.