Biology

Biology is the scientific study of life in all its extraordinary diversity, from the molecular machinery of cells and the mechanisms of heredity to the behaviour of organisms, the organisation of ecosystems, and the evolutionary history of the living world. It is a discipline of fundamental importance, underpinning medicine, agriculture, conservation, biotechnology, environmental science, and our understanding of who we are as a species. At the same time, it is a field of genuine intellectual beauty, offering the pleasure of understanding systems of breathtaking complexity and elegance.

At the University of Derby, this part-time programme benefits from exceptional new facilities, including a Bioscience Superlab and Research Lab opened in 2025, which house cutting-edge technology and provide real-world, sector-relevant practical experiences for students and researchers alike. You will develop a broad foundation in biological science, covering molecular and cellular biology, genetics, physiology, ecology, and evolution, before exploring the areas that interest you most in more depth as the programme progresses. The programme includes a foundation year for those who would benefit from additional preparation, a sandwich year in industry, a year abroad, and work placements, giving you direct professional experience in biological science settings and an international perspective on the field.

Biology graduates pursue careers in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research, conservation biology, ecological consultancy, food science, healthcare science, environmental monitoring, agricultural science, science communication, and education. The practical and analytical skills the degree develops are also valued in data science, policy, and the growing field of biodiversity monitoring and net gain assessment. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in a specialist biological discipline or in a professional field that requires a biological science foundation.