From environmental microbiology to microbial evolution, find out how biotechnology is fundamental to solving disease-related problems and providing food, fuel and medicines.
Year of entry: 2025/26
J700
Y50
3 years full-time
among universities included in the National Student Survey 2024 for molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry.
Complete University Guide 2025
Our Biotechnology course examines how microorganisms can be used to produce improved therapeutic drugs, and why an understanding of microbial evolution is important for controlling pathogens.
This course is ideal if you want an interdisciplinary approach to Biotechnology. You'll have a wide range of options to tailor the course to your developing interests.
Microorganisms are an important but often overlooked form of life. They are causative agents of many diseases, and can be harnessed to produce a wide range of useful products including antibiotics and other medicines. Microbes are also vital for providing multiple ecosystem services and are crucial for agricultural systems. They can provide the means to decontaminate polluted environments and act as important models for understanding biological processes. At York, you will learn about the practical application of biological knowledge to economically important areas, such as health, food and the environment.
Adding a year in industry or a year abroad are both an option with this course too, so you can benefit from the advantages that a year away can bring. There are also opportunities for paid summer research internships. The Department of Biology will provide you with the opportunity to learn in new, spacious and modern teaching laboratories which provide excellent facilities for practicals and small group project work, alongside our state-of-the-art computing facilities.
All of our undergraduate courses are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology. As a graduate, you will meet in-part the academic and experience requirement for membership and chartered biologist (CBiol).
New investment in buildings housing teaching and state-of-the-art teaching laboratories
We were the first university Biology department in Britain to receive an Athena SWAN Gold Award, which recognises our continued commitment to gender equality
This is a flexible and modular course which offers you choices in what you can study. There is the option to spend an additional year in industry or a year abroad as part of this course. If you do not go away for a year, you will continue to progress through your studies within the University.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
You can also apply for a year in industry with a range of employers including pharmaceutical companies, medical research institutes, environmental organisations and professional services networks.
There are opportunities to undertake a work placement as part of this course.
Stage 1 (the first year) consists of core modules which are designed to give you an excellent basis on which to build your future studies and develop your interests.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You will study three option modules. Examples can be found below.
You must choose at least one of the following modules:
You can also choose up to two of the following modules:
Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
You will study three option modules. Examples can be found below.
You must choose at least one of the following modules:
You can also choose up to two of the following modules:
Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Provide thorough explanations that demonstrate a deep understanding of the principles, concepts and theories on the origin, evolution, structure, function, development, and distribution of living organisms, through critical evaluations of the primary scientific literature in Biology.
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £31,100 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
Text books and course books are all available in the library or online. We do recommend books you might find useful, reading lists are provided to you when you start your modules, but it is not compulsory for you to buy the books. You will have access to a course ebook at no additional cost.
Costs for students going abroad or into industry will vary depending on what sort of placement it is and what sort of financial assistance is available.
Field courses are an optional element of this course. If you undertake the field course the costs will be entirely met by the Department.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Teaching is delivered by academic scientists with additional contributions from clinical researchers. Throughout your course there will be strong links between your studies, scientific research and clinical applications. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. You may be taught by the following methods:
Cutting-edge research informs all our teaching activities and our friendly, approachable, and accessible staff are experts in their respective fields. Small-group teaching is an important part of our course, in tutorials, skills-based and research project modules and in taught modules with group work elements. This approach helps develop your scientific writing, problem solving and communication skills, as well as being a great opportunity to have informal scientific discussions with members of staff about topical issues.
You will attend lectures where we will deliver stimulating and thought-provoking perspectives on the major global challenges in biosciences of the 21st century.
Practicals are designed to help you to develop laboratory skills and to become familiar with a wide range of practical techniques, training you to use methods precisely and encouraging you to objectively assess the reliability of your results.
Workshops are also an important feature of our programme, and they provide an additional dimension to most modules. You will often collaborate in small groups in problem solving and other learning activities in our flexible learning workshops. You will design your own experiments and work together on the findings from the latest research papers, or investigate the application of new technologies to the global challenges in the field.
Several modules available within Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Biotechnology, and Molecular Cell Biology courses offer the chance to study outside undertaking field courses. In past years we’ve offered opportunities to study coastal biology environments and colourful flora and fauna in locations around the UK.
Each semester during the first two years, students take modules designed to develop more generic scientific and transferable skills. Some modules focus on specific scientific techniques, while others develop skills in problem solving, experimental design and data analysis.
We encourage you to develop important communication skills, including working in groups to plan and carry out experiments that investigate a scientific problem, and you will present your work as an oral presentation or poster.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 3-5 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 4-6 hours per week |
| Practicals | 3-6 hours per week |
| Small-group teaching | 5 hours per semester |
These figures are representative of a typical week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
Teaching and learning in the Department of Biology is based in a £23m state-of-the-art facility, which is equipped with laboratories, a flexible workshop and creative learning lounge, computer rooms, specialist tissue culture and fluorescence microscopy suites.
Our teaching labs are equipped with a range of biological techniques that you could engage with while studying your degree including polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, immunofluorescence microscopy, cell culture and flow cytometry.
This course is based in the Department of Biology which is on Campus West. The majority of teaching takes place within Biology, with some additional teaching taking place at other locations on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
You will be assessed via a mixture of closed exams, online open exams and continuous assessment. Although you must perform to a satisfactory level, Stage 1 (which is your first year) does not count towards the final degree, which is determined by work in Stage 2 (25%), Stage 3 (37.5%) and Stage 4 (37.5%). If you undertake a year abroad or in industry this is marked by pass/fail.
Throughout your course we will provide you with feedback on your work and assignments, which will give you an indication of the progress you are making in your studies.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 50% | 65% | 35% |
| Coursework | 50% | 35% | 65% |
Take a virtual tour of one or our modern, dedicated laboratories showing a typical range of lab equipment and facilities that you'll use.
A degree in biology provides an excellent basis for science or health-related careers, and for a wide range of other occupations and professions from management and finance, to journalism and teaching.
Studying biology will develop your critical thinking and research skills, and prepare you to be competitive for entry into relevant postgraduate degree programmes.
Employment opportunities are diverse, ranging from biological and biomedical research and development, to careers in science communication, the health service, forensic science, environmental health and wildlife conservation. Our graduates are not confined to science-related careers, and a significant number enter jobs within finance, public and private sector management, social and health service work, the media and law.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB including Biology or Human Biology and a second science We accept the following subjects as a second science: Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Further Mathematics, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher. Must include Level 3 modules in Biology and a second science. |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | BTEC National Extended Diploma DDD. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2016 syllabus) with all 7 mandatory units. We consider BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science (2010 syllabus), please contact us for information on the units we accept. |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 including Biology and a second science or mathematics subject. |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall, including 8.5 and 8 in Biology and a second science or mathematics subject. |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points including 6 in Higher Level Biology plus either 6 in another Higher Level science or mathematics subject, or 6 in two Standard Level science or mathematics subjects. If English is not your first language then we require 5 in English B. |
| T levels | We are currently not accepting T Levels for this course unless additional A Levels (or equivalent qualifications) in Biology and a second science or mathematics subject have been taken. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Advanced Highers - BB in Biology and a second Science/Mathematics plus Scottish Highers - BB We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| Other qualifications | To secure a place as a mature student on this course you will need recent qualifications in Biology and another science at a sufficiently advanced level, together with evidence of some of the key skills needed for studying at degree level. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve B or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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