Biomedical Sciences

Biomedical sciences gives you a rigorous scientific understanding of how the human body functions in health and how it is affected by disease, drawing on biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, immunology, haematology, and cellular pathology. The discipline is fundamental to medicine and to the diagnostic and research processes that make clinical care possible. Biomedical scientists working in laboratories generate the test results that allow clinicians to diagnose conditions ranging from diabetes and anaemia to infection and cancer, and the field also drives the basic research that underpins the development of new drugs and therapies.

At the University of Exeter, this three-year, full-time degree develops both the theoretical foundations of the discipline and the practical laboratory skills that professional biomedical work requires. You will explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, the principles of diagnostic testing, and the scientific methods used to generate and evaluate biomedical knowledge. The programme includes a sandwich placement year, giving you the opportunity to spend extended time in a professional research or diagnostic setting, as well as the possibility of a year abroad and substantial work placement experience.

That combination of structural features gives you unusually broad professional experience alongside academic study.

Graduates from biomedical sciences degrees pursue careers as registered biomedical scientists in NHS and private diagnostic laboratories, in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development, in clinical trials, and in public health. The analytical and scientific skills you develop are also valued in science communication, healthcare management, medical education, and quality assurance roles. Postgraduate study in biomedical research, clinical science, medicine, or related healthcare disciplines is a common route for those who want to develop specialist expertise or pursue research careers.