Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biology and Geography with International or Placement Year

at Keele University United Kingdom

The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease, obesity and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories and be taught by a team of engaging academics.

Practical chemistry is taught in our teaching laboratories and staff have direct experience of working in pharmaceutical companies and can therefore challenge you to develop the rigorous and demanding scientific approach that the industry expects. You’ll develop essential skills for employment, such as problem solving, presentation and communication.

The chemistry courses at Keele provide an innovative curriculum and high quality teaching. In your final year you will undertake a research project and learn how to conduct effective independent research.

Our law degree examines law in its social, political, ethical, historical and international contexts. You’ll explore core legal subjects such as crime, torts, contract, land, equity and public law, developing your understanding of the rules which structure relationships between governments and citizens, and between private individuals. You’ll study principles and doctrines of English, European and International law and have plenty of opportunities to develop your practical skills. You can take part in both internal and external competitions in mooting (practising oral arguments), client interviewing, negotiation and could volunteer (subject to a selection process) as a Community Legal Companion, within the innovative CLOCK programme or in our Divorce or Commercial Law Legal Advice Clinics. 

The programme is ideal for individuals looking to develop more critical and theoretical perspectives on a broad range of educational matters. The MA Education provides an excellent opportunity for you to develop both intellectually and professionally.

Successful Masters level study will enable you to further develop and reflect on your practice. Our practice-focused modules, such as ‘Reflecting on Practice’, will allow you to reflect critically on aspects of your own practice, and widen your understanding of the latest teaching developments and education research at local, regional, national and international levels. For example, we believe our MA teaching fits well with the latest government strategies and policies published under the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy and the Early Career Framework. We would anticipate that the programme will prepare you to make positive changes in your learning communities and to become an effective mentor for both, early career and more experienced colleagues.

Undertaking our MA will enable you to demonstrate to employers a level of critical and intellectual rigour, which can place you at the forefront of developments in practice. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate the capacity for sustained and systematic engagement with current evidence-driven curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and contemporary policy matters. This can potentially put you in a stronger position for progression, promotion and leadership in education

Throughout your studies you will:

• follow a full research training programme leading to the completion of an original dissertation in a topic of your choosing;
• take core modules designed to deepen your understanding of methodologies appropriate to the study of literature from the Renaissance to the present;
• choose an optional module from a variety of disciplines, including English or American Literature, Creative Writing or Film, or you can choose to take a Work Placement module;
• work with a research-active supervisor to develop and pursue your dissertation, and participate in the academic life of the School of Humanities more generally;

Astrophysics is active wherever the laws of physics are being tested to the limit – and beyond. Keele will help you to use astronomical observations, mathematical models and computer simulation to develop theories explaining some of the most complex phenomena.

You’ll develop your mathematics and computing skills, and apply them to solving a range of problems in the laboratory and beyond (you’ll have access to Keele’s own on-site observatory). We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies, providing you flexible access to our staff to seek advice or feedback.

For the Forensic Science element of the course, you will be taught by academics and forensic professionals, and gain valuable lab and crime scene experience, helping you to stay ahead in this fast-moving science. You will be taught in our modern laboratory facilities and have access to equipment and our dedicated Crime Scene House.

This course will provide you with a broad education in the core areas of forensic science. Your studies may explore key topics in forensic chemistry, analytical science, forensic biology and criminalistics science. You will develop your analytical science skills, enabling you to analyse a variety of evidence. This is complemented by additional emphasis on professional practice and an understanding of the roles of the crime scene investigator and the forensic scientist as an expert witness in the court.

Our forensic science combined honours programmes are recognised by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. 

The course offers you the opportunity to delve into the complexities of law and social policy regarding children, predominately focusing upon the legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. However, you will also gain insights into both international and regional law and the legal and policy frameworks adopted to address children, the role of families, their rights and the global challenges connected thereto.

Our MA is suitable for those who wish to pursue a postgraduate qualification after the completion of their undergraduate studies and to a range of professionals working with either children or adults who wish to improve their skills and knowledge base or wish to study for continuing professional development. The teaching takes places in blocks of study, providing the flexibility for those in employment to study for the MA on a full or part time basis.

The aims of this programme are to introduce key principles of interdisciplinary socio-legal research methods and scholarship, facilitate the development of higher-level critical analysis, and develop the students’ capacity for original thinking in relation to the complex issues arising in socio-legal scholarship. It also aims to promote anti-discriminatory practice, inter-agency understanding and interdisciplinary working.

In Philosophy, you will study texts, think about ideas and formulate your own philosophical theories. You will explore central themes – such as moral and political philosophy, logic, epistemology, and the philosophies of mind, religion and science – and will consider key philosophical problems about the nature of the world, the mind and various solutions proposed. You’ll learn about different philosophical traditions past and present, including Anglo-American, Indian, Buddhist, Greek, French and German philosophy. You’ll enhance your logical and critical thinking skills, and develop the use of sound arguments to defend your views while detecting fallacies and other argumentative weaknesses. You'll learn to present your work in a variety of ways. Keele has a thriving student-led Philosophy Society, and the programme engages widely with other universities, especially through its Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series.

With increased regulations around financial reporting and an unstable global economy, accounting and financial management is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects in any business. Long-term success requires the ability to?think both strategically and critically, skills we build in our students through?creative and innovative teaching and learning practice.

This master’s course is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), which means that with further relevant study and professional experience, you could go on to become a fully qualified certified accountant or management accountant. Alternatively, you can pursue a PhD or a variety of careers in almost any industry in financial advice, management, auditing or risk.

Combining the rigorous examination of core accounting and financial management with a wide range of practical applications, you will learn to work confidently with both numerical quantitative and qualitative financial analysis and reporting. You’ll draw on real-life data and case studies in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Suite, which features industry-leading technology.

Studying alongside a diverse international body of students from a wide range of national and social backgrounds, you’ll develop as a global citizen, vital in today’s globalised world of work. You’ll expand your professional networks and learn to appreciate different cultural backgrounds and personalities.The theoretical and technical knowledge and skills required to become a professional accountant means that you can choose to transfer to this career from a range of different disciplines, especially since accounting and financial management is needed in every industry – from sport and leisure, the arts and entertainment to social work, engineering and the natural sciences. Each year, we welcome applicants from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines, some already working, who either want to divert to a financial career and/or recognise the benefits of gaining a postgraduate education in a subject which will improve their contribution to businesses. Past students have joined us having studied subjects as diverse as chemistry and history, as well as business.

For the Computer Science element of this course, you will learn the underpinning theories of software, hardware and computing techniques – and how to apply them in the real world. You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond. Our teaching is informed by our research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry.

You'll have the opportunity to explore topics linked to a range of specialisms which may include information systems, evolutionary systems, or creative computing. You’ll have access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software.

Studying Neuroscience, you’ll explore a range of topics which may include how we learn and remember, how the brain controls the body, and how the brain can be targeted by disease but in some instances can repair itself. Within the course are interesting related disciplines such as neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology and neuropathology. 

Working in diverse ways, including in our well-equipped labs, you’ll develop your independent research skills as you learn to acquire, interpret and analyse data from multiple sources. You’ll also understand how neuroscience can help us understand medical problems and improve the quality of life.

You’ll develop a solid foundation of theory and practical skills, building to cover advanced concepts and contemporary issues in chemistry in later years. You’ll have hands-on experience with state-of-the-art scientific instruments and techniques, and enjoy access to dedicated IT facilities. You’ll learn to use chemistry in problem solving, and to present your theories and findings confidently and imaginatively to your audiences.

For the Mathematics aspect of this course you will explore the beauty, elegance and practicality of pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics. You will learn to apply maths for a range of purposes which may include developing precise and logical arguments, constructing rigorous proofs, and formulating solutions to new problems. You will study in an intellectually stimulating environment.