Clinical Sciences

Clinical sciences is the bridge between the fundamental biological and physical sciences and their application in clinical healthcare settings. It encompasses the scientific principles and practical methods that underpin patient diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and clinical investigation, drawing on biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, imaging science, and other disciplines to support the work of clinicians and healthcare teams. Healthcare scientists are central to the NHS, involved in a very high proportion of all clinical decisions through the diagnostic tests and investigative procedures they perform and interpret.

At the University of Bradford, you will study clinical sciences over three years full-time, with a foundation year available for students who would benefit from a structured introduction to the relevant sciences before engaging with the main degree. The foundation year is designed to be accessible and to build the biological and scientific grounding that clinical sciences study requires. The main programme develops your understanding of the scientific principles underlying clinical investigation, alongside the practical skills and professional awareness needed to work in healthcare science settings.

The typical entry tariff for the foundation route is 120 UCAS points.

Graduates of clinical sciences programmes are well placed for careers in the NHS healthcare science workforce, working in diagnostic and investigative roles across a range of specialisms including clinical biochemistry, microbiology, haematology, and imaging. The degree also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study in specific healthcare science disciplines, for training towards registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, or for related pathways in pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical research, or science education. The expanding role of healthcare science in modern clinical practice means that trained graduates are in consistent demand.