Biochemistry with Integrated Foundation Year
Biochemistry is the science of life at the molecular level. It asks how the chemical processes that sustain living organisms work: how proteins fold and function, how DNA is replicated and transcribed, how energy is produced and stored, how cells communicate and divide, and how these processes go wrong in disease. It is a discipline at the frontier of biology and chemistry, and it provides the molecular understanding that underpins advances in medicine, biotechnology, drug development and our basic understanding of what life is.
At the University of Sunderland, this four-year full-time programme begins with an integrated foundation year, which provides a supportive and thorough introduction to the scientific knowledge and academic skills you need before entering degree-level biochemistry study. The foundation year is designed for students who are returning to study, who did not quite meet the entry requirements for direct entry, or who want additional preparation before tackling the demands of a science degree. From the foundation year you progress into the main degree, where you will study the core areas of biochemistry, including molecular biology, cell biology, metabolism, genetics, enzymology and structural biology, building both theoretical depth and practical laboratory competence.
A sandwich year placement and a work placement are built into the programme, giving you valuable professional experience in a biochemistry or life sciences context and helping you to make the connection between laboratory science and its real-world applications.
Practical skills are central to biochemistry education. You will spend significant time in the laboratory, developing your ability to design experiments, carry out techniques safely and accurately, analyse data and interpret results.
Graduates move into the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, clinical and medical research, forensic science, healthcare science, food science, environmental science, and academic research. Further study at postgraduate level, including master's degrees and PhD programmes, is a common pathway for those who want to pursue research careers or specialist expertise.