Anatomy, Developmental & Human Biology

Anatomy, Developmental and Human Biology is the study of how the human body is built, how it works, and how it came to be the way it is. It bridges several levels of biological organisation, from the molecular and cellular through to tissues, organs, and whole organisms, and situates human structure and function within the broader contexts of evolution, development, and ageing. This is not just descriptive science: it asks deep questions about why the body is structured as it is, how it changes across a lifetime, and what goes wrong in disease.

At King's College London, this three-year full-time BSc includes a year abroad and takes a genuinely integrated approach, combining classical anatomical knowledge with contemporary insights from developmental biology, cell biology, and genetics. You will study human anatomy in detail, learning how our structures have been shaped by evolutionary pressures, how the body develops from a fertilised egg to an adult, and how ageing affects form and function. The molecular and cellular underpinnings of these processes are part of the curriculum, meaning you work across the full range of biological scales.

King's has exceptional resources for this kind of study, with close links to major NHS hospitals that provide rich contexts for understanding anatomy in a clinical setting.

The year abroad gives you the opportunity to study in a different scientific environment, broadening your perspective and strengthening your independence as a researcher and scientist.

Graduates of this degree are well prepared for careers in biomedical research, clinical anatomy, healthcare education, and a range of health professions that build on degree-level biological science. Many go on to postgraduate study in medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, or biomedical sciences. Others move into roles in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, science communication, or teaching.

The depth of biological understanding developed on the programme, and the close engagement with human structure and function, make graduates strong candidates for any career that requires rigorous scientific knowledge of the body.