- 94% of our research overall in Biological Sciences was assessed to be world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)
What are the mechanisms of life?
Studying Biochemistry at Sussex, you’ll explore this question. Taught by leading biochemists and chemists, you’ll:
- study life at the molecular scale
- explore the chemical processes underpinning the activities of cells and organisms
- discover what happens when things go wrong, leading to diseases such as cancer
- find out how biochemistry can help us develop new therapeutics.
From Year 1, you’ll be in the lab gaining hands-on practical skills, recording, analysing and interpreting data from your experiments. You’ll learn about current theories in the field, communicating complex topics and working as part of a team.
The course is informed by the latest research. It’s flexible so you can tailor your degree to your interests and career aspirations. You’ll be inspired by modules in areas such as medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, cell signalling and neuroscience. You’ll be supported by a friendly community of scientists in the School of Life Sciences. Our student mentoring programme can also provide you with academic support should you need it.
When you graduate, you’ll have skills in:
- purifying and analysing key biomolecules such as nucleic acids and enzymes
- exploring genomics data
- carrying out your own research project.
With such skills, a variety of careers are open to you, in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, or within forensics. Your data-handling and analytical skills mean you could develop a career both inside and outside of science.
And in addition, the optional year in industry is a great opportunity for you to gain real-world experience of working in the biochemical sector. If your application is successful, you’ll spend your year in industry after Year 2 and before you return to Sussex for your final year. As a graduate, the skills you’ve gained during your industrial placement will give you a distinct advantage in your chosen career.
To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. This can be a fantastic opportunity to gain real-life insight into industry as well as skills valued by employers. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can help you:
- find an employer
- draft an application
- prepare for interviews.
Don’t worry if you’re not successful, you’ll simply transfer to a non-placement version of your course.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
MSci or BSc?
We also offer this course without the industrial placement year, or as a four-year MSci. Find out about the benefits of an integrated Masters year.
My placement was really beneficial. It gave me a year to see what working in the industry is really like.”Emma Harvey
Biochemistry (with an industrial placement year) BSc
Open Days and virtual visits
Meet us on campus or online
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for this course are currently under review – please check back in early March 2024.
Modules
This is a single-honours course, allowing you to focus in depth on your core subject.
Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
- Immunology & Infectious Disease
- Research and Professional Skills I: Biomedicine
- Structural Basis of Biological Function
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
You can apply to spend your third year in an industrial laboratory (typically a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company) or a research institute before returning to Sussex for your final year.
Recent students have gone on placements at:
- Oroboros Instruments
- GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
- Pfizer.
During your placement you work on a research project and write a dissertation. You are usually paid by the host laboratory during the placement year.
Find out more about placements and internships
Our careers team offers dedicated support to help you obtain a placement, including:
- finding an employer
- drafting an application
- preparing for interviews
- ongoing help throughout a placement.
Don’t worry if you’re not successful in securing a placement, you’ll simply transfer to a non-placement version of your course.
The placement enhanced my analytical, research and communication skills and built on my confidence as a young research scientist.”Millie Fox
Biochemistry (with an industrial placement year) BSc
Biopharm IP Student, GlaxoSmithKline
Please note that if you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t undertake your placement in the USA if the number of credits for the placement/internship exceeds 25% of the total credits for your course. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Autumn and spring teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- Cell Signalling and Therapeutics
- Communicating STEM
- Drug Discovery & Chemical Enterprise
- Immunology in Health and Disease
- Programming for Life Sciences
- Synaptic Communication
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
- Video transcript
[Music starts – light pop – no vocals]
On screen text
Want to help shape a better world through science?
Want to tackle real world problems?
And create world-changing impact?
It all starts at the University of Sussex.
Our research focussed courses span the whole of Life Sciences:
Chemistry
Biochemistry
Neuroscience
Biology
Zoology
Ecology and Conservation
Biomedical Science
Genetics
Using the latest in cutting-edge advances.
Guided by world-leading experts.
Gain hands-on experience, in both our teaching labs and out in the field.
Influence important policies on things such as the pesticides that kill our wildlife, and policies that protect endangered species.
Work towards unlocking the secrets of the brain and ending the despair of cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Join a community of leading scientists and like-minded students striving to make the world a better place for all.
And follow in the footsteps of our 3 Nobel-prize winning alumni.
We’re here today, to train the scientists of tomorrow.
And you could be one of them.
Find out more about the School of Life Sciences at sussex.ac.uk
[Music ends]
Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
(Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
Our staff
My research tackles the problem of protein misfolding and feeds directly in to my teaching.”Professor Louise Serpell
Professor of Biochemistry (Dementia Research Group)
Dr Pascale Schellenberger
Electron Microscopy Academic Research Manager
Fees
Fees are not yet set for the academic year 2025/26 – please check back in September 2024. Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.
Find out about typical living costs for studying at Sussex
Find out about our terms and conditions
Scholarships
Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26.
Careers
Studying Biochemistry at Sussex prepares you for a range of careers – not just in science.
You’ll become skilled in numerical and data analysis, problem-solving and laboratory work. Transferable skills such as time management, communication and analytical skills are embedded in the modules throughout your course.
You can use your Biochemistry degree to work in areas including:
- energy, environment and health
- research and universities
- the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
What to do with a Biochemistry degree
Explore the careers you might be interested in after studying for a degree in Biochemistry
Working while you study
Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work
My degree was critical to gaining my current job. I applied for placements and was fortunate to get into the oncology team at one of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies. After graduating, I was offered a secondment there.”Roos Bruggink
Biochemistry (with an industrial placement year) BSc graduate
Global Health and Social Impact Manager, Pfizer