Biomedical Science (Physiology) with Industrial Placement

Biomedical science with a physiology focus examines how the human body functions at the cellular, tissue, organ and system level, and how those functions are disrupted in disease. Physiology is concerned with the mechanisms that maintain the body's internal environment, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine and nervous systems, and with how those mechanisms respond to challenges including exercise, illness and pharmacological intervention. It is a central pillar of biomedical science and of clinical medicine.

The University of Aberdeen offers this five-year full-time programme, which incorporates an industrial placement and a year abroad, making it one of the most extensively developed programmes of its kind. The extended duration allows you to develop deep expertise in physiology alongside a broader biomedical sciences curriculum covering cell biology, biochemistry, pharmacology and pathology, and to engage with advanced research methods and independent investigation at a level that shorter degrees cannot reach. The industrial placement gives you substantial professional experience in a research, healthcare or pharmaceutical setting, and the year abroad broadens your scientific perspective and develops international confidence.

Aberdeen's strong research base in biomedical and health sciences enriches the academic context throughout.

The combination of extended academic study, industrial placement and international experience produces graduates with both rigorous scientific training and a well-developed professional profile. Physiology in particular develops careful quantitative thinking, experimental competence and the ability to interpret complex physiological data.

Graduates pursue careers in pharmaceutical and clinical research, clinical physiology and healthcare science, biomedical research in academic and industrial settings, science communication, regulation and public health. Many go on to postgraduate study, including doctoral research in physiology or related biomedical sciences, and some pursue graduate-entry medicine or healthcare professional training.