Natural Sciences

Natural sciences is a programme built on the recognition that the most interesting and important problems in science rarely respect disciplinary boundaries. Climate change, disease, materials science, environmental sustainability, and the workings of complex biological systems all demand researchers and practitioners who can bring together ideas and methods from multiple scientific disciplines. A natural sciences degree gives you the breadth to engage with more than one field while developing genuine depth in each.

At the University of Leeds, this five-year, full-time programme with industrial experience allows you to combine subjects drawn from across the natural sciences, developing expertise in two or more disciplines and the ability to think across them. The industrial experience element is a defining feature: you will spend a full year working within a relevant organisation, applying your scientific skills in a professional or research context and gaining the practical exposure that is genuinely valuable to employers. Work placement opportunities are integrated throughout the programme.

The combination of interdisciplinary scientific training and extended professional experience prepares you well for careers that sit at the interface between fields, where those who can think across boundaries are increasingly valued.

Graduates go on to careers in research, pharmaceuticals, environmental science, biotechnology, energy, materials, data science, science communication, and public policy. Many continue to postgraduate study, pursuing master's degrees or doctorates in specialisms that reflect the combination of disciplines they developed during their undergraduate programme. The ability to work across disciplinary lines, which is one of the most distinctive qualities a natural sciences degree develops, is becoming more rather than less important as the scientific challenges facing society grow in complexity.