Undergraduate Prospectus 2010

Why biomedical sciences?

You will study the application of powerful modern bioscience approaches such as molecular cell biology, molecular genetics and genomics, as well as anatomy, physiology and neuroscience. The combination of these subjects will provide you with a breadth of knowledge to understand, diagnose, treat and prevent human disease.

Why biomedical sciences at Sussex?

• We offer two flavours of biomedical sciences: Biomedical Science is a broad-based degree with a strong grounding in human physiology, microbiology and pharmacology; Molecular Medicine has a strong emphasis on developing a molecular understanding of health and disease.
• Both programmes are well suited as a basis for graduate entry to medicine and span the gap between medicine and biochemistry; both have courses that are jointly taught with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
• In 2008, the Division of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences was rated 3rd in the National Student Survey (NSS) for the second year running.
• Sussex is firmly established as one of the UK’s leading research centres, rated 8th for ‘Pre-clinical and Human Biological Sciences’ research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). 85 per cent of our research was rated as recognised internationally or higher, and over half rated as internationally excellent or higher.
• In year 1, the flexible structure of the programmes makes it possible to transfer between Biomedical Science and Molecular Medicine and even to Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. In year 2, we offer a limited number of summer internships hosted with local companies or in University laboratories. In your final year, you spend an intensive twoterm laboratory project working with one of our internationally recognised research groups.
• The sandwich-year programme allows you to spend year 3 on an industrial training placement before returning to Sussex for your final year. The paid placement is in an industrial laboratory, or a research institute, or in public-sector laboratories.

What sort of career could I have?

The majority of our graduates go on to work in a medically related field or in research. Over 70 per cent of those applying for graduate entry to UK medical schools are offered places. The degrees provide an excellent training for a wide variety of other careers such as medical research, teaching, and professional or management posts in the NHS or pharmaceutical industry.

Other career paths include:

• postgraduate study with a view to entering medical research in academic and applied research institutes
• professions allied to medicine such as nutrition, paramedic training, management of clinical trials and medical laboratory sciences
• research positions in the pharmaceutical industry, hospital laboratories, universities and research institutes.

How will I learn?

Courses are taught by lectures, seminars, studentdirected learning and tutorials. This will include teaching by faculty within the University, the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the NHS trust. Assignments for tutorials include essays, data-handling exercises, computer-based studies and preparation of short talks that in some cases will be gathered together into a portfolio of your work throughout the course.

Developing your laboratory skills is a key objective of the first two years and laboratory work will occupy a major part of your time. In the final year you join one of our research teams to carry out an independent research project to experience laboratory work at the cutting edge of science.

What will I achieve?

• The degree equips you with the knowledge, professional expertise and laboratory skills you need to develop real insight into the phenomenal progress of the biomedical sciences. You have the opportunity to gain sufficient first-hand experience of medical research, and the necessary academic qualifications, to embark on a research career, or a career in other areas of the biomedical sciences and medicine.
• An understanding of how to learn - especially important in such rapidly progressing fields where knowledge must be constantly updated; communication skills; teamwork; and direct experience in widely used commercial and scientific IT applications.