Student testimonials

"The degree programme is varied and provides a range of modules, which allowed me to sample various subjects and future career disciplines within the field of Science." - Saaira Gill - BSc Biochemistry

"During my time at Queen Mary I had the chance to receive teaching from lecturers who were themselves deeply involved with the topics they were teaching. It is a source of inspiration and wonder to be on the very edge of our understanding of nature, and this was conveyed expertly on diverse topics such as protein structure, neuroscience and genetics. The opportunity in the final year to delve into a real research project and try to plan and execute longer, coherent lab work was an amazing experience, and opens your eyes to what science is really about." - Silas Mellor – BSc Biochemistry

Careers

Many opportunities exist for biochemists in research. This may be university-based, undertaken in the laboratory of a commercial company developing products such as pharmaceuticals, or involve working in a government-run laboratory in a hospital or in the public health service.

Biochemists are also employed in monitoring environmental pollutants, testing biological samples provided by health or forensic services, and quality control in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries.

Careers outside of the laboratory include patent registration and intellectual property law (due to the explosion in biotechnology industries), technical book and magazine publishing (including editing scientific journals) and library-based research for non-scientific organizations such as construction companies and the House of Commons!

MSci Biochemistry (C701)

C700 Images

MSci Biochemistry is a four-year degree programme, which leads to the award of an MSci degree and equips students for a career in the biomolecular sciences. The first three years of the programme are similar to those of the C700 BSc programmme, whilst the fourth year
involves additional training in skills relevant to a career in research and an extensive research project working alongside successful scientists. Students enrolling onto the MSci programme may still choose to graduate after three years with the BSc degree in Biochemistry, ifthey change their mind during the programme.

Programme structure

In MSci Biochemistry, it is the combination of the main strengths of the School, Biology and Chemistry, that equips students on this programme with the forefront knowledge required to explore all aspects of living organisms.

Year 1
Required Modules – Essential skills for biologists, Cell dynamics, Foundations of organic chemistry, Heredity and gene action, Physical chemistry for biologists, Basic biochemistry, Kinetics and coordination chemistry, Organic functional group chemistry.

Year 2
Required Modules – Membrane biochemistry, Techniques for biological and chemical sciences, Chemistry of biological molecules, Genes and bioinformatics, Metabolic pathways, Microbial physiology and growth.
Options – Animal physiology, Cell biology and development genetics, Fundamentals of neurobiology, Research methods and communication.

Year 3
Required Modules – Integrative studies in biological science, Membrane proteins, Molecular basis of disease, Enzyme catalysis, Protein structure, folding and assemblies, and either Biological sciences research project or Project skills in the life sciences or Investigative project.
Options – Endocrine physiology and biochemistry, Developmental biology and cell signalling, Functional genomics and epigenetics, Neuroscience: from molecules to behaviour.

Year 4

Required Modules - Biochemical MSci research project, Advanced biochemical research methods, Literature assembly in biochemistry.

Entry requirements

AAB at A2, including Biology and Chemistry
AVCE Applied Science is not accepted.
International Baccalaureate: 34 points overall. Must include Biology (HL) and Chemistry (HL) with a grade 6 and another subject to be specified (HL or SL) at grade 6
International students should have IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 in writing), or equivalent.
For more information on entry requirements visit the SBCS general entry requirement page.