Course Overview
Course summary
Biomedical science is concerned with the detailed study of the human body, both in health and disease, with emphasis on the diagnosis and understanding of disease states and the mechanisms involved.
In Year 1 you'll study the important fundamental sciences, including biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and human anatomy and physiology.
In Year 2 you'll develop your understanding of a wide range of disease processes, combined with the principles of laboratory procedures used to aid diagnosis and treatment.
Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions.
In Year 3 you'll focus on the study of the complex nature of disease as it affects particular biological systems. You'll also study the laboratory procedures used in haematology, clinical immunology, cellular and molecular pathology, clinical biochemistry and medical microbiology, to diagnose and monitor disease. You'll also undertake a major research project, which will enable you to develop the skills you need for genuine scientific inquiry.
Course structure
Teaching includes tutorials, lectures and seminars, practical laboratory work and group activities, together with supervised use of facilities. Assessment is through a combination of exams and coursework (including essays, practical work, group work, presentations and reports).
You’ll receive continuous feedback through online activities, group and one-to-one tutorials and periodic reviews, designed to give you multiple points of guidance throughout your studies.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Subjects of study include:
Core Study Areas
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Functional Anatomy
- Human Physiology
- Professional Development in Science (PRoDS)
Optional Study Areas
- Applications of Biological Sciences
- Biological Chemistry
- Fundamentals of Pharmacology
- Principles of Human Nutrition
- Science: History Practice and Philosophy
Credit Level 4
Subjects of study include:
Core Study Areas
- Applied Pathobiology
- Infection and Immunity
- Medical Genetics and Genomics
- Metabolic Biochemistry
- Research Methods
Optional Study Areas
- Bioinformatics
- Diet in Health and Disease
- Genetics in Medicine
- Human Parasitology
- Medical Physiology
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics
- Neuroscience
Credit Level 5
Professional experience or study abroad year
Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Biomedical Science with Professional Experience.
Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours – Biomedical Science with International Experience.
Find out more about the costs involved in taking a study abroad or placement year.
Subjects of study include:
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology
- Clinical Immunology and Immunohaematology
- Diagnostic Biochemistry and Haematology
- Final Year Project in Life Sciences
- Medical Microbiology in the Genomics Era
Credit Level 6
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). Honours graduates can apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Biomedical Scientists, provided they fulfil the additional HCPC requirements of competencies through suitable employment and completion of the IBMS certificate of competence.
This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting in part the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol). This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology following an independent and rigorous assessment. Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and key skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of employers. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.
For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).
To request an accessible version please email [email protected]
Get your copy of the University of Westminster prospectus and browse the range of courses on offer.
Contact us for general course enquiries:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 EXT 65511
(Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm GMT)
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Careers
With a growing global network of 3,000 employers, our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you to achieve your full potential.
Fantastic central London location
Our central London location facilitates you in finding work experience, with numerous opportunities available within the biomedical laboratories in London, the UK and abroad.
Transferable skills
You'll gain the knowledge and experience to work in areas such as laboratories, clinical trials, healthcare commerce, medical devices industries, regulatory affairs, research development, scientific writing, teaching and many more.
Employers around the world
The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
Career development
Our course has been designed to prepare you for a career in medical diagnostic, pharmaceutical and research environments. It provides you with a thorough education in the disciplines required to understand and investigate disease and enables you to develop your career in a variety of pathways in biomedical sciences.
We also have a strong record in preparing graduates for postgraduate study across a range of biomedical and molecular disciplines, as well as postgraduate teacher training.
We regularly monitor graduate career destinations and reflect on this information in the planning of the course curriculum.
Graduate employment
Graduates from Biomedical Sciences are widely sought after by employers. Major employment areas include:
- Clinical genetics laboratories
- Clinical trials
- Commerce (sales and marketing) related to healthcare and diagnostics products
- Diagnostic pathology and clinical laboratories
- Forensic laboratories
- Government or charity-funded research laboratories
- Medical devices and laboratory instrumentation industries
- NHS Blood and Transplant laboratories
- Private pathology laboratories
- Public Health England
- Regulatory affairs (drug registration and patents)
- Research development for pharmaceuticals
- Research laboratories in universities
- Scientific writing and publishing
- Teaching
- Veterinary and agricultural laboratories
International Opportunities
Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.
Opportunities could include:
- Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
- Attending an international summer school or field trip
- Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
Find out more about our international opportunities, including funding options and where you can go.
Course Leaders
With us, you will discover the fascinating world of cells, genes and diseases and shape the future of medicine and healthcare.
Marco Saia
Lecturer
Dr Saia has obtained his BSc and MSc Biomedical Sciences degrees at the University of Palermo, in the south of Italy, then moved to Milan to complete a PhD degree in Molecular Medicine, with a focus on the molecular determinants of blood cancers. This was followed by a brief experience a postdoctoral assistant at Kings college London, where he studied the dynamics of blood stem cells and how they can transform into cancer. At the end of this experience he obtained a lecturer post at University of East London, where he completed his PgCert in Higher Education, becoming a Fellow of Higher Education Academy. Marco has been a lecturer at University fo Westminster since 2022, where he teaches in several modules, in particular to Biomedical Science students at level 4 and 5. He leads a module on Cancer Biology for a wider group of students in the School of Life Sciences. He enjoys doing research on blood cancer when not teaching.
More about meSee full profile of Marco SaiaDr Lorna Tinworth
Senior Lecturer
Dr Tinworth holds an MA in higher education and is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She enjoys teaching bioscience at every level within the School of Life Sciences and leads our core level 5 Medical Genetics and Genomics module.
Lorna completed her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Queen Mary’s, University of London. After which she spent a while in an industrial chemistry lab. In her first research assistant role, she explored the genetics of twins at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre in King’s College, London.
Lorna completed her PhD at King’s, then spent several years in a research role with the Cardiovascular Genetics team at St. Georges, London. Until she accepted a post as lecturer in molecular biology here, at Westminster.
More about meSee full profile of Dr Lorna Tinworth
Expert, dedicated biomedical scientists are the bedrock of modern medicine. We aim to ensure that biomedical science graduates leave Westminster, capable, confident, and courageous.
Course Team
- Rumy Begum - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Sarah Coleman - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Paul Curley - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Bradley Elliott - Senior Lecturer in Physiology
- Professor Sigrun Lange - Professor
- Dr Ian Locke - Assistant Head of School
- Dr Lorna Tinworth - Senior Lecturer
- Oliver Haworth - Senior Lecturer
- Professor Emanuela Volpi - Professor
- Dr Polly Hayes - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Adele McCormick - Reader
- Dr Nina Porakishvili - Principal Lecturer
- Dr Nina Porakishvili - Principal Lecturer
- Dr David Gaze - Senior Lecturer in Chemical Pathology
- Professor Vinood Patel - Professor
- Professor John Murphy - Professor
- Dr Kalpana Surendranath - Reader
- Dr Miriam Dwek - College Director - Research & KE
- Dr Joan Liu - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Pinar Uysal Onganer - Reader
- Dr Manal Mohammed - Senior Lecturer
- Dr Alastair Barr - Senior Lecturer
Entry Requirements
- A levels – CCC (96 UCAS Tariff points), with two Science subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths
- T levels – 96 UCAS Tariff points in Science
- International Baccalaureate – 96 UCAS Tariff points from the IB including a minimum of 4 in two HL science subjects
- BTEC Extended Diploma – MMM in Applied Science
- BTEC Diploma – DD in Applied Science
- Access – 96 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course in Science
In addition to one of the above, you should have:
- GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher level, GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component. Please note, however, that the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), along with other requirements for registration, requires that students must be capable of attaining the equivalent to IELTS 7.0, with no component part scoring below 6.5, at the point of graduation. During the course of your degree you'll have the opportunity to practise and improve your command of the English language as you complete various assessment tasks including oral and written assessments. If you feel, however, that you would benefit from extra English support, the University has a number of options to help, including a pre-sessional English course and academic English modules, which may be taken as options during your Level 4 and Level 5 studies. For more details on the English language courses and support we offer, visit our English language support page.
We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combination of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.
View more information about our entry requirements and the application process
- International Baccalaureate – International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You can refer to the UCAS calculator to determine your point score.
- We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications. Please see information on Country-specific entry requirements
- We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London who provide International Foundation Certificate courses for students who don’t meet our entry requirements. Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Westminster. Find out about a range of university preparation courses that are accepted for entry.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component. Please note, however, that the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), along with other requirements for registration, requires that students must be capable of attaining the equivalent to IELTS 7.0, with no component part scoring below 6.5, at the point of graduation. During the course of your degree you'll have the opportunity to practise and improve your command of the English language as you complete various assessment tasks including oral and written assessments. If you feel, however, that you would benefit from extra English support, the University has a number of options to help, including a pre-sessional English course and academic English modules, which may be taken as options during your Level 4 and Level 5 studies. For more details on the English language courses and support we offer, visit our English language support page.
More information
Learn new skills
Learn a new language
From Arabic to Spanish, you can learn a new language alongside your degree with our Polylang programme.
Develop your entrepreneurial skills
Our award-winning Westminster Enterprise Network offers industry networking events, workshops, one-to-one business advice and support for your startup projects.
Gain extra qualifications
We provide access to free online courses in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, as well as thousands of specialist courses on LinkedIn Learning.
Fees and Funding
UK tuition fee: £9,250 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Funding
As well as tuition fee loans, there is a range of funding available to help you fund your studies.
Find out about undergraduate student funding options.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
International tuition fee: £17,000 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme
If you are an international student accepted on an undergraduate programme starting in September 2024 or September 2025 at level 3 (Foundation) or level 4 (first year) on the basis of an eligible EU qualification only, you will be awarded a tuition fee reduction which will align your fee more closely to the one for UK students. For more information, see the EU Qualifications Welcome Award Scheme.
International student funding
Find out about funding for international students.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
Teaching and Assessment
Below you will find how learning time and assessment types are distributed on this course. The graphs below give an indication of what you can expect through approximate percentages, taken either from the experience of previous cohorts, or based on the standard module diet where historic course data is unavailable. Changes to the division of learning time and assessment may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions.
How you'll be taught
Teaching methods across all our undergraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:
- Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
- Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
- Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
How you'll be assessed
Our undergraduate courses include a wide variety of assessments.
Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:
- Practical: examples include presentations, videos, podcasts, lab work, creating artefacts
- Written exams: end of semester exams
- Coursework: examples include essays, reports, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
Data from the academic year 2022/23
Supporting you
Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
- Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
- Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
- Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
- Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more
Course location
With state-of-the-art science and psychology labs and refurbished computer suites, our Cavendish Campus offers our science and technology students a range of learning spaces that are both dynamic and inspiring,
Located in central London, our Cavendish Campus is just a five-minute walk from Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.
For more details, visit our Cavendish Campus page.
Contact us
Call our dedicated team on:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
More information
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