Medical Science (Deferred Choice) BSc Honours
UCAS Code: B902 (3 Years)

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Students in the laboratory We encourage you to apply for this degree if you want to study biomedical and biomolecular sciences at Newcastle but are not yet sure which area you want to specialise in.

As the first year is the same for all our Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences students, choosing our Deferred Choice degree lets you delay your choice of specialism until the end of Stage 1. At this point you choose which degree you wish to study in Stages 2 and 3.

The School of Biomedical Sciences at Newcastle offers a wide range of degrees in biomedical and biomolecular sciences, which cover the diverse range of subjects related to medicine and the understanding of life processes. 

By learning about these processes, we can understand what goes wrong in disease and help to develop new treatments. It is an interesting and vital area of study, and at Newcastle you have the flexibility and choice to find a degree that matches your interests and career aspirations.

Newcastle is a National Centre of Excellence in biomedical research and our world-leading expert staff teach at all levels on our degree programmes. This means our degrees are at the cutting edge of biomedical research and you graduate with the very latest knowledge in human health and disease. Through opportunities with our research institutes, you also have the chance to make a direct contribution to their world-leading work.

Quality and ranking

Newcastle is highly regarded for its teaching of biomedical and biomolecular sciences.

We are ranked in the top ten in the UK in the category of ‘Other subjects allied to Medicine’ in The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014.

We also achieved an overall student satisfaction of 95% in the 2013 National Student Survey.

Teaching and assessment

Leading experts from our research institutes play an active part in all of our degrees. You also have the opportunity to attend optional research talks, aimed especially at first-year students, as part of our biomedicine+ programme.

The involvement of our researchers ensures that your degree reflects the very latest ideas and discoveries. It also means that you will learn about how new scientific knowledge is formed and will develop the skills required to undertake your own original research project in the final year. The majority of students choose to do their project work in one of our research institutes, supervised by and working alongside leading scientists in their field.

Teaching is a combination of lectures, practical laboratory classes and small group seminars.

Assessment is by examinations and course work assignments such as practical assessments, seminar tasks and written work. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module; more information can be found in our individual module listings.

Visit our Teaching and Learning pages to read about the outstanding learning experience available to you at Newcastle University.

School of Biomedical Sciences

As a student at Newcastle you will join the School of Biomedical Sciences.

We are based in the University’s Medical School building. This, together with the adjacent School of Dental Sciences and Royal Victoria Infirmary teaching hospital, forms one of the largest integrated teaching and hospital complexes in the country. 

We work in partnership with Newcastle Biomedicine Research Institutes to deliver eight undergraduate degrees in Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences. See our Guide to Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences below for help in deciding which degree is right for you.

We pride ourselves on providing support to you to make the transition to university life. All students are given a personal tutor and a student mentor, and our team of specialised course advisers and tutors operate an open door policy for all students.

Visit the School's website, where you can:

+ Guide to Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences at Newcastle

Our degrees are divided into two phases. In Phase 1 (Stage 1 and the first semester of Stage 2), we introduce you to biomolecular sciences through a series of modules covering:

  • cell biology
  • biochemistry
  • microbiology and immunology
  • genetics
  • pharmacology
  • physiology
  • practical skills in biomedical and biomolecular science

This broad introduction continues in Semester 1 of Stage 2 with a foundation in cell and molecular medicine.

You can change between any of our degrees at the end of Phase 1 if you wish. This flexible structure gives you the chance to try a broad range of topics, helping you to see where your interests in biomedical sciences lie before you specialise in Phase 2. See a guide to our degrees below:

Biomedical Sciences

Modern medicine depends on the advances made by scientists working in the biomedical sciences. This degree combines subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology, neuroscience, pharmacology and physiology. This multidisciplinary approach helps us understand disease processes and find new treatments for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and TB. We offer the following degrees in this area:

Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of life at the molecular level – how genes and proteins regulate cells, tissues and ultimately whole organisms like you. Have you wondered what causes diseases such as cancer and diabetes? Would you like to help develop new drug treatments? Biochemistry provides the key to understanding how diseases arise and can be treated. We offer the following degree in this area:

Biomedical Genetics

DNA is the genetic ‘blueprint’ that ensures the continuity of life from parent to offspring. Genetics is the study of how DNA is transmitted between generations and decoded to determine our individual characteristics. Newcastle has a research and teaching reputation in this field and the Institute of Human Genetics plays a major role in our degree programme. We offer the following degree in this area:

Biomedical Sciences with Medical Microbiology

The greatest threat to human health worldwide is infectious disease. Medical microbiology is the study of the micro-organisms that cause disease whilst immunology is the related science of how we defend ourselves against microbial infection. Through an understanding of microbiology and immunology scientists are working to develop vaccines against diseases such as HIV, and new treatments for diseases such as MRSA, arthritis, asthma and cancer. We offer the following degree in this area:

Pharmacology

Pharmacology involves the study of the action of biologically active components (drugs) on the body and vice versa. An understanding of drugs and their actions allows us to use them safely and effectively. It is thanks to pharmacologists that you can take an aspirin when you get a headache or have an anaesthetic when the dentist gives you a filling. We offer the following degree in this area:

Physiological Sciences

Physiology is the study of how the body functions. Physiologists study the processes essential to human life such as breathing, digesting food and sensing the world around us. At Newcastle our focus is on human physiology, which underpins much of our understanding of how the body functions in health and disease. We offer the following degree in this area:

Medical Science

Do you enjoy biology? Are you interested in the biomedical or biomolecular aspects of the subject and keen to study these further at university? If you are not quite sure which area will suit you best, the Medical Science (Deferred Choice) programme could be ideal for you as it allows you to study the common first year before deciding which subject area to specialise in at later Stages. We offer the following degree in this area:

  • Medical Science (Deferred Choice) BSc Honours (B902) - see degree listing above

+ Transfer to Medicine or Dentistry

Any student registered on a Biomedical or Biomolecular Sciences degree at Newcastle may apply to transfer to the first year of our Medicine (A100) or Dentistry (A206) degree at the end of their first year.

  • Both schemes are competitive with a limited number of places available, and are open to UK, EU and international students
  • To apply, you must achieve a minimum average mark of 75% in the first year of your degree, with individual module grades of above 65%, with no individual mark being lower than 65%
  • You will be interviewed and must also have a UKCAT test score

There is also a graduate entry route into Medicine available at Newcastle University.

Visit the School of Biomedical Sciences' website to find out more about opportunities to transfer.

+ Related courses

Other degrees in Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences at Newcastle:

You may also be interested in:

Biology and Zoology

Chemistry

Dentistry

Food and Human Nutrition

Medicine

Psychology

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