Below is an overview of the modules you will be studying in year 1. Where available, click on the module code to watch  a video overview of the module:

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Disclaimer: Some things mentioned in the videos may look a little different for you;

E.G: There are new module leads for BI1003 and BI1051, and Helen Woodfield is now module lead for BI1014 as well as Year 1 coordinator but the content of each module is essentially the same. 

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• Skills for Science - BI1001:

The focus of this module will be on the skills and competencies that are required to undertake academic study in a scientific context. It will provide an introduction to the historical and theoretical background of contemporary science, and its communication. Areas covered include presentation skills, scientific writing, data analysis and application of statistical concepts, the use of computer technology and a variety of software packages such as R and Endnote. The module will also cover basic scientific practical skills and an introduction to the concept of scientific method.

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• Structure and Function of Living Organisms - BI1002:

This module will provide an overview of the structure and function of living organisms at a systems level.  You will explore the disciplines of anatomy, physiology and neuroscience through themes including: movement, respiration, nutrition, transport, reproduction and communication.  A comparative approach will be taken to highlight similarities and differences in systems across species. 

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• Organisms and Environment - BI1003:

An understanding of the natural world, and the component animals, plants, fungi and prokaryotes, is essential for human health and welfare. You will explore the natural diversity that exists in the living world and examine the adaptations required to survive in a range of environments. You will learn to integrate the response of individuals to the environment with the ways in which organisms interact within populations and communities. By studying organisms and how they interact you will discover the relevance of these interactions on humans, the impact of humans on sustainability and the application of knowledge arising from these studies. 

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• The Dynamic Cell - BI1004:

This module will provide a comparative overview of the structures and activities of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The module aims to describe the relationship between structure and function, and how the characteristics of cells facilitate their metabolic activities and allow them to contribute to the activity of tissues. The module will cover the following themes: Comparative cellular structure; cellular energetics; cellular reproduction; cells in the context of tissues; cellular homeostasis and cell-to-cell interactions. The module will take a comparative approach, addressing these areas in prokaryotes, animals, plants and fungi. 

• Biological Chemistry - BI1014:

This module will give bioscience students a broad knowledge and understanding of physical, inorganic and organic chemistry to take them up to and past A-level chemistry and to provide them with the chemical background needed for their courses at Levels 1, 2 and 3. It also describes the key structural, informational and catalytic macromolecules found in living organisms, including proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), lipids and carbohydrates, and explains their functional significance. 

• Genetics and Evolution - BI1051:

Molecular and population genetics are integrated with information on evolutionary patterns and processes to explain genotypic and phenotypic changes in cells, organisms, populations, species and higher taxa. The module explores the origins of Life on Earth, the origin and evolution of the eukaryotic cell, genetic principles governing inheritance and gene-gene interactions, gene expression, techniques of genomic and population genetic analysis, embryo development, the deterministic and stochastic factors that affect the genetic make-up of populations, the evolution of the major animal and plant groups, and the history of evolutionary thought.