- Biotechnology BSc
- UCAS code
- 3 years
- Application deadline
- 15 January 2016
- Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics.
- AS Levels
- For UK-based students a pass in a further subject at AS level or equivalent is required.
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B. For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
- A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry at grade 6, and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no score below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics
A,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher). Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics at Advanced Higher.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Diploma, plus 2 GCE A levels at grades A*A. Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics
In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.
Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
UCL offers intensive one-year foundation courses to prepare international students for a variety of degree programmes at UCL.
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.
For more information see our website: UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency. Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
- The UCL Biotechnology BSc degree is one of only a few which provide biochemical engineering as a significant component of each of the three years of study.
- UCL is one of Europe's largest academic centres for research in biotechnology, with two major research units, the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Biochemical Engineering and Molecular Cell Biology, based here.
- You will have the opportunity to take a one-year placement in industry; working in a suitable industrial or research laboratory before your final year of study.
- Our excellent resources include a computer graphics facility, fermenters for plant or animal cell culture and equipment for biomolecular structure analysis.
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses, normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
In the first year of the programme you will take compulsory core courses that are similar to those taken in the first year of other biological science programmes. In year two, you take a number of compulsory courses, but with some optional flexibility, which increases in year three.
You will also take certain compulsory courses in the UCL Biochemical Engineering.
You may also elect to spend an additional year, after year two, gaining invaluable experience in an industrial or research laboratory. Your project report from this year will count towards your degree.
The final year of your degree will focus principally on an individual research project.
You will select either 1.5 or 2.0 credits from a wide range of final-year options, depending on the compulsory course chosen.
Biotechnology is a practical science and you can expect to spend much of your time either in wet laboratories, where you will handle chemicals and biological materials, or in dry laboratories, where computer simulations and exercises are carried out.
The programme also includes lectures and small-group tutorials, and you will use an online learning site (Moodle) to support your studies.
Your assessment will include a combination of examinations, coursework, practical work, tutorial work and presentations. Many courses have in-course tests (web-based or written) and all courses have an unseen final examination.
Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Biotechnology BSc.
You will acquire a range of specific and transferable skills, including time management and planning, technical laboratory skills such as manual dexterity and analysis of data, and skills in teamwork, negotiation and decision-making.
This BSc provides access to a wide variety of careers, and employment prospects are set to improve further over the next decade. Industry needs a large number of trained biotechnologists for the manufacture of biological products such as pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals. Food and beverage manufacturers are increasingly embracing biotechnology.
First career destinations of recent graduates (2010-2013) of this programme include:
- Full-time student, MSc in Drug Design at UCL (2012)
- Full-time student, PhD in Cancer Research at UCL (2012)
- Full-time student, MSc in Biochemical Engineering at UCL (2011)