Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biology and Geography with International or Placement Year

at Keele University United Kingdom

Studying Neuroscience, you’ll explore a range of topics which may include how we learn and remember, how the brain controls the body, and how the brain can be targeted by disease but in some instances can repair itself. Working in diverse ways, including our well-equipped labs, you’ll develop your independent research skills as you learn to acquire, interpret and analyse data from multiple sources. You’ll also understand how neuroscience can help us understand medical problems and improve the quality of life.

For the Forensic Science element of the course, you will be taught by academics and forensic professionals, and gain valuable lab and crime scene experience, helping you to stay ahead in this fast-moving science. You will be taught in our modern laboratory facilities and have access to equipment and our dedicated Crime Scene House. 

This course will provide you with a broad education in the core areas of forensic science. Your studies will focus on key topics in forensic chemistry, analytical science, forensic biology and criminalistics science. You will develop your analytical science skills, enabling you to analyse a variety of forensic of evidence. This is complemented by additional emphasis on professional practice and an understanding of the roles of the crime scene investigator and the forensic scientist as an expert witness in the court. You may be able to study abroad for a semester (dependant on subject scheduling) or a year at one of our partner universities.

Our Environmental Science with Work Placement Year course at Keele draws on the expertise of scientists within the disciplines of life sciences, chemical sciences and geosciences. The course emphasises the role and importance of scientific understanding and practical skills in the analysis and management of environmental problems; targeting and encouraging employment in the environmental sector.

Alongside studying topical global environmental issues, you will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical, laboratory and field-based skills to take into future employment. You’ll also have the opportunity to do fieldwork in the UK and gain valuable work experience or study abroad at one of our partner institutions. This course is accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), meaning students can gain free membership of the IES to support their personal and professional development in the environmental sector. The course is also accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

The Human Biology element of this course is ideal if you’re interested in biology but are looking for a particular focus on the human body and how we’ve adapted to our environment. This course provides a broad understanding of the physiology of the body’s major systems as well as human health and disease and the relationship between the human body with the environment. The multidisciplinary approach to Human Biology is supported by input to the programme from staff with diverse expertise.

The Medicinal Chemistry element of the course will enable you to develop a deep understanding of the complex chemical and biological processes involved in the design and manufacture of drugs and other therapies for treating disease. This course prepares you to help solve problems at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology. The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories, and learn to conduct effective independent research. You’ll develop essential skills for employment, such as problem solving, presentation and communication.

Our Medicinal Chemistry graduates have excellent employment prospects, whether at the cutting edge of drug discovery or in a wide range of related fields. You might go to work for a pharmaceutical company, either as a research scientist or in a more business related role. Alternatively, you might work in a different organisation as a development chemist, a research assistant, or a site chemist.

Modern industrial society depends on geologists to find natural resources such as minerals, hydrocarbons, metals, aggregates and water, for designing foundations, tunnels and other engineering projects, and environmental projects such as radioactive waste disposal or carbon dioxide sequestration. You will acquire a wide range of transferable skills, including communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, evaluate and synthesise information from diverse sources. You will develop subject specific-skills like the ability to manipulate, analyse and present geospatial data using industry standard GIS and drawing software. You might choose to work in geological, geophysical or environmental consultancy, in construction, mining, in the energy sector, planning or insurance. Many of our graduates go onto further study at Master's/PhD level.

In Astrophysics, you will learn to formulate and tackle problems – from below the level of the atomic nucleus to astronomical scales. Astrophysics is active wherever the laws of physics are being tested to the limit – and beyond. Keele will help you to use astronomical observations, mathematical models and computer simulation to develop theories explaining some of the most complex phenomena.

Education at Keele is distinctive because of its strong focus on contemporary issues in education and policy making. Studying Education means considering its relationship to the economy, its historical evolution, its impact on people’s life chances and identities, how education is organised, and how learners learn. Keele aims to introduce you to many of the big questions concerning education and schooling both in the UK and also internationally. Why do we go to school? What should we learn? How should we learn it? What is the main aim of education? How is educational success linked to students' gender, race and socio-economic background?

In looking at these types of 'big' questions and thinking historically, sociologically and philosophically, the course thinks critically about all aspects of education including primary, secondary and university levels. Whether you are intending to teach or just have an interest in education, this course will explore your assumptions about learning and consider your own school experiences. 

International law is an increasingly important field of study and practice. Never before has international law taken such a central position in public debates. The regulation of financial markets, environmental protection, the management of migrations or the prosecution of war criminals are all areas in which international law plays a central role.

International law does not only affect the behaviour of states and intergovernmental institutions; neither is it a discipline of diplomats, academics and philosophers. International law today dominates the activity of transnational corporations, NGOs and inpiduals, from footballers to victims of human rights violations. As a result, governments, international institutions, NGOs, businesses and law firms are increasingly looking for inpiduals capable of dealing with complex issues of transnational law.

Throughout the business element of your degree, you will learn the fundamentals of business management and explore concepts and debates around a range of topics, which may include organisational behaviour, accounting and human resource management. While developing effective skills in listening, negotiating and persuasion, you’ll become adept at problem solving and decision making. You will also explore and apply theories about the nature, management and experience of employment in its local and global contex.

Our Data Science graduates are trained from first principles in Computer Science and Mathematics. The two disciplines are blended seamlessly throughout your degree. You will study fundamental mathematical and statistical techniques alongside modern software development methods. You will have the opportunity to apply your learning immediately using authentic datasets in our cutting-edge computing laboratories. You will also undertake significant development projects, including a final year data science dissertation. You'll explore a range of advanced technical topics which may include cloud computing, academic research, industry-focused professional skills and practical problem-solving. 

The course is designed with the aim of producing a new generation of potential global industry leaders with a broad, solutions-focused knowledge of the applied pharmaceutical sciences and who are able to participate in and manage global product development teams.

This year-long, 180-credit MSc is split into three, equal-credit semesters. The first semester of the course aims to equip you with the necessary business skills and integrate this with the pharmaceutical science knowledge needed in product development and management with two business modules delivered by our Keele Business School. The second semester continues to build on this knowledge but also has more laboratory-based modules to allow you to develop your laboratory skills and demonstrate how well you are able to apply the necessary pharmaceutical knowledge required within each session. The final semester allows you to specialise into an area of your interest with a project that can either be research or audit based, in an appropriate subject relating to pharmaceutical development and business management.

Ecology and conservation field and lab skills are taught comprehensively across the programme, including extensive use of our green campus. Fieldwork and residential field courses are an integral part of the programme throughout, as are employability skills.

You will learn about the history of the Earth, its past and present environments, and the planet's resources and hazards. We look at the Earth as a global system, including the causes and effects of global environmental change. There is strong emphasis on developing both laboratory and fieldwork skills.

Combining fieldwork, practical classes, tutorials and lectures, this course provides a diverse range of specialist options. You will focus particularly on research skills and aim to collect, analyse and interpret different types of data, and to carry out your own research using specialist software and equipment.