Bachelor of Science in Biology

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Years one and two provide a broad background in biomedical science as well as information about viruses and the diseases they cause.

You will study the immune system and how it controls infection. You will also learn about autoimmune diseases that can occur if the immune system attacks the body's own tissues rather than an infectious agent.

In your final year you will review the main viral diseases of humankind in terms of their natural history, biology, molecular biology, immunology, pathogenesis and epidemiology. These include HIV, hepatitis B and C, papilloma, influenza, measles and coronaviruses, among others.

You will learn about cutting-edge issues in virology and immunology, including emerging viruses such as the SARS-CoV-2, Marburg and Ebola viruses.

You will also learn about the problems associated with the production of vaccines. You will normally work on a research project in either virology or immunology.

The MSci Pharmacology degree is a four-year degree with an extended research project in the final year. This degree provides the opportunity to gain an excellent knowledge of pharmacology and apply it to experimental research. The extended project will provide valuable day-to-day experience of what it is like to be a researcher and develops the skills required to embark on a career in research.

The first three years of this degree follow the BSc Pharmacology course, with the opportunity to study a number of core pharmacology units in the first two years. These units will introduce you to the fundamentals of drug action and how drugs interact with their targets.

The degree is focused on the pharmacology of the nervous and cardiovascular systems and provides extensive investigation into how drugs are being used in a variety of disorders. You will also be able to choose further units in the first two years, including biochemistry, molecular genetics, infection and immunity, cellular and molecular medicine and mammalian physiology.

Third-year units emphasise the molecular mechanisms of drug action within the nervous and cardiovascular systems. These units are taught from the current scientific literature and will take you to the forefront of current research, which you evaluate by undertaking a literature-based research project.

The final year of the MSci Pharmacology will focus on an extended research proposal within a research laboratory using advanced techniques. Alongside the project you will take units that will develop valuable skills in communicating science to the public and will develop a portfolio of public engagement activities.

This final year will instil a range of skills essential for understanding how to plan and conduct research projects; these skills are widely applicable to future employment and will also benefit those considering future PhD training.

From crowdfunding to cryptocurrencies, and from automated trading to Alipay, recent innovations in financial technologies have revolutionised the way we spend, save, borrow, and invest. Companies in the financial services sector are now able to intelligently harness data to provide tailored products and services; big technology corporations offer financial services to customers through their social media accounts; and disruptive technology start-ups have quickly scaled to challenge the dominance of traditional banks by developing new forms of finance from the ground up.

This new MSc offers an opportunity to join the financial technology revolution. Students will learn the key design features of a number of financial technology applications and will develop skills to implement, assess, and engineer these technologies. Students will also develop an understanding of the computational, statistical, and machine learning principles necessary for insightful large-scale data analysis used in data-driven finance.

Hosted by a world-leading engineering faculty, this is a technology-focused MSc and not a finance or accounting programme that is traditionally provided by a business school. Therefore, we expect applicants to have a strong background in computer science, engineering, or a numerate science; a background in economics or finance is not expected or required.

This MSc is likely to appeal to applicants looking to start or advance their careers in data-driven finance and technology. The UK is a world leader in financial technology and the Bristol region has the largest fintech ecosystem outside of London. The programme has been co-designed with industrial partners and will offer opportunities to engage with industry on real-world commercial projects.

If you love the challenge of thinking through a maths question and the satisfaction of having solved a difficult problem, but also appreciate the applications of mathematics in areas of physics and want access to the exciting and specialised subjects offered by the School of Physics, then this joint honours course can offer you both.

Your mathematics study will focus on the areas of applied mathematics that are most linked to physics, such as the mathematical modelling of physical problems, quantum mechanics and random matrix theory. You will also cover a range of topics in physics, such as special relativity, electromagnetism and superconductors.

In the first and second years of this course the units are fixed so as to provide a balanced exploration of mathematics and physics and the connection between them.

In your third year you will have freedom to select from a wide variety of relevant units to focus your studies on what interests you most. You can also choose from a physics project or dissertation in one of our cutting-edge research areas, a group project with an industrial partner, or an educational project with a local school.

Do you enjoy both physics and computing? Our three-year BSc Physics with Scientific Computing combines study of the building blocks and forces of nature with training in the computational and data-science skills that are currently revolutionising science and society.

Computing skills are vital across many physics-related careers. Computers control advanced instrumentation and simulations predicting the properties of the universe, from subatomic particles to the formation of galaxies. This course offers a unique combination of units and projects blending programming, machine learning, data science and high-performance computing with fundamental concepts in physics to produce a new kind of scientist – one with a firm foundation in physics, a sound appreciation of scientific computing and an understanding of what can be achieved by combining them.

Year one gives you a comprehensive grounding in physics, mathematics and programming, while year two focuses on the principles of physics with further emphasis on scientific coding. In your final year you will undertake a research project or dissertation supervised by staff with expertise in physics and computing.

You will join a friendly department with a very active, award-winning student society. We encourage you to develop a broad range of skills, including the experimental, theoretical and computational skills needed for a career in research and industry. Our physics graduates have an excellent record of employment, a testament to the value that employers place on these skills.

If you have a fascination for physics and an appetite for scientific computing, you will enjoy this program.

You will explore the full range of plant biology, from enzymes to ecosystems. You will gain knowledge of the diversity, evolution and function of plants and of the latest developments in functional genomics, bioinformatics, plant developmental biology, plant pathology, parasite biology, cell signalling, pollination biology, ecology, plant conservation and systems biology.

The degree starts broadly before introducing more choice in years two and three, including a week-long field or laboratory course and a ten-week practical research project.

The University Botanic Garden is nearby. It was the first new university botanic garden to be built for 40 years and holds more than 4,500 plant species.

The MSci is particularly suited to students who are planning to continue in plant science research and would like extra experience and a competitive edge when applying for PhDs or research jobs.

The MA in English Literature aims to deepen your passion for literature while developing the rigorous specialist skills essential to postgraduate-level research. With the help and support of a distinguished English department, we aim to provide a stimulating and challenging intellectual experience in a friendly, supportive environment.

The program offers four pathways, which build on the core research strengths of the department:

• Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature
• Romantic and Victorian Literature
• 20th Century and Contemporary Literature
• Literature and the Environment.

If you wish to focus on a particular period you may follow a single pathway. Alternatively, if you want to broaden your engagement with English literature, you may choose no pathway, and combine optional units to suit your interests. 

All students are taught the specialist skills required for postgraduate-level research and the practical skills that academic life demands. Everyone is expected to enter fully into the wider academic community of the department and the University.