Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biology with International or Placement year

at Keele University United Kingdom

This course is based on the Single Honours Geology course combined with a range of compulsory volcanology modules. You will share the excitement of delving into the inner workings of volcanoes, from magma generation in the deep Earth to the amazing variety of volcanic eruptions, and learn about the effects of volcanoes on society from hazards to climate change.

Geology examines global change over the whole history of our planet, and understanding these changes is relevant in our present time more than ever to ensure a sustainable future for the human population on Earth.

You will learn about the fundamental processes shaping our planet, from the formation of minerals and rocks to the occurrence of natural resources. In our comprehensive and integrated fieldwork programme, you will learn how to map and interpret geological features. Problem-solving laboratory classes will provide you with essential skills in identifying Earth materials and interpreting geological data as well as skills in communication and presentation.

Physics is a fundamental, curiosity-driven discipline, with applications in many other areas of science and technology. You will gain an understanding of the subject fundamentals such as quantum mechanics, relativity and electromagnetism, and will apply this knowledge to solve problems, plan investigations and report your work.

By combining Physics with Education, you will learn how social, political and economic factors may impact on the application of physics knowledge in schools. You will explore the present and future developments in education and professional practice, which will prepare you for a career in teaching.

Studying Physics for three years as part of a combined programme will lead to a degree accredited by the Institute of Physics.

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. 

Keele Law School is renowned for its critical approach to legal education. The Law LLB provides a firm grounding in the traditional core law subjects alongside the opportunity to study a wide range of innovative and research-led electives. As a student at Keele, you will learn to think critically about the law in its broader social, political and ethical context, exploring its role as a system that simultaneously engenders and challenges social injustices.

Our law degree will enable you to develop an in-depth understanding of doctrinal and technical aspects of the law, but also an appreciation of how the law is practiced and operates in the real world through co-curricular activities such as our two Legal Advice Clinics, our Community Legal Outreach, and Street Law programmes, or work placement schemes.

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.

Biology at Keele focuses on the amazing world of organisms – from how they’ve evolved to their relationships with the environment and each other. Keele takes a broad approach to biology, examining the diversity of life and its evolution from the geological past. You’ll consider a range of biological concepts which may include the complexity of biological processes and mechanisms at molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels, and the related philosophical and ethical issues.

You’ll engage in activities to strengthen your skillset which may include sampling, recording and analysing data in the field and in our well-equipped labs. Complete this course over three years, or it may be possible (subject combination dependant) to add an extra year with an applied life sciences work placement or a one year study abroad placement between the second and third year.

This degree is combined with the study of geology. Geology is a science fundamental to modern day living, with geologists discovering society’s major resource needs including metals, minerals, energy and groundwater. The combined honours geology course at Keele looks at rocks, minerals and fossils - how they were formed, how they might have been deformed or altered over geological time, and what they can tell us about the history of the Earth and its past environments.

The programme's interdisciplinary approach to understanding some of the world’s most pressing problems means you’ll study a wide range of subjects, including the social sciences, arts, humanities and the natural sciences. We adopt an innovative approach to teaching, for example, previous students have engaged in 'living labs' where students have explored local issues and their potential solutions through field trips.

You will have the opportunity to apply knowledge and generate evidence and understanding by engaging with living communities and landscapes. Students will pursue hands-on research into Britain’s industrial, social, economic and cultural history as well as current/future-oriented issues which may include economic regeneration, social and political challenges and environmental sustainability, citizenship and creativity with opportunities for learning analytical, communication, presentational, writing and research skills. Whilst hosted in the School of Social, Political and Global Studies, Liberal Arts is closely associated with the Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS). As part of ILAS, our Liberal Arts students are encouraged to engage fully in the Institute's lively events programme, including the Grand Challenges Lectures series, interdisciplinary workshops, discussion groups and research seminars.

Whether you want to understand Brexit, the crisis in the Middle East or climate change, you need to understand why governments make particular decisions and how different groups interact within states and across borders.

A degree in International Relations and Politics at Keele will equip you with the necessary tools to understand and explain how power operates and how we might begin to tackle the most pressing domestic and global challenges. You will study contemporary and policy-relevant issues such as democracy, global inequality, protest, globalisation, regime change, energy security, environmental sustainability, human rights, gender politics and terrorism.

You can underpin these issues through an in-depth study of particular countries such as Britain, the United States and Russia, as well as regions in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Ecology and conservation field and lab skills are taught comprehensively across the programme, including extensive use of our green campus. Fieldwork and residential field courses are an integral part of the programme throughout, as are employability skills.

This programme has been carefully developed for students who are interested in gaining advanced knowledge of psychological theory as this relates to social and political issues and the potential for such knowledge to generate progressive social change. The degree programme will equip you to engage critically and analytically with these issues and help you to develop novel ways of thinking about yourself, those around you and society at large. The theoretical and applied nature of this programme will offer you the opportunity to study how psychology helps interpret some of the most pressing social and political issues facing human society in the 21st Century and how it can contribute to tackling some of them.

In addition to your taught components, you will have the opportunity to undertake a dissertation project on a topic of your choice under the direct supervision of a member of staff. You will be able to use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches.

A further unique feature of this degree programme is that it involves you in the design and implementation of an Action Research Project that is aimed at bringing a tangible, positive change on or off campus in collaboration with your fellow students and under the supervision of your Module Leader.

The programme is aimed primarily at students with a degree in Psychology but will also be valuable and relevant to students with an interest or background in Criminology, International Relations, Politics, Sociology, History, and other relevant Social Sciences degrees. Applicants without a degree will be considered on a case by case basis, where they can provide evidence of relevant professional experience or other experiential prior learning.