Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biochemistry

at University of Bedfordshire - Luton Campus United Kingdom

This two-year Master’s gives you the high-quality pharmacological training, knowledge and skills you need to work in the field of drug discovery and development alongside teaching you valuable IT skills in data analytics.

The development of safe and effective new drugs is a challenging and rewarding field. On this course, you acquire a broad knowledge of drug discovery and development, focusing on the mechanisms of drug action at molecular level; the treatment of human diseases; and the latest cell and molecular technologies used in pharmacology. You also have the opportunity to specialise in one research area through the completion of a laboratory research project.

The Data Analytics units cover a range of topics including programming; databases; security; project management; and computer networking. You also learn how to apply your IT knowledge and skills to complex real-world problems as well as emerging technologies and developments.

Why choose this course?

• Study the principles of drug design, pre-clinical evaluation, clinical trials, regulatory affairs and the application of new technologies in the drug discovery and development process
• Explore the latest therapeutic concepts and principles relating to the causes, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases in current clinical practice
• Develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of new technologies in cell and molecular biology
• Work with our expert academic team, who are actively involved in research so you are up to the minute when it comes to current and emerging developments in the field
• Gain a wide range of valuable practical and transferable skills as well as the ability to apply data analytics to problems and developments in the pharmacological field
• Progress into careers in drug research and development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, the NHS and other public organisations

If you’re interested in a career in forensic science, we have a crime scene for you! A unique mix of biosciences and criminal psychology, our degree course offers you the opportunity for practical forensic processing in our crime scene facility.

Technological advances have made the role of the forensic scientist – the expert who collects, preserves and analyses evidence - increasingly important in crime investigation, and also in other fields such as archaeology.

The course starts with an introduction to psychology and the sciences relevant to forensics, followed by more detailed applied forensics including the preparation of evidence for court, pathology, medical physiology and haematology. You’ll also study the most recent advances in DNA analysis, toxicology, criminal psychology, and fire and explosive analysis.

Why choose this course?

• The Forensic Science team includes international experts in the psychology of criminal behaviour and forensics experts from a variety of operational backgrounds
• Our teaching is rated as ‘Excellent’ by the QAA and the team is part of a highly experienced department that has run biological science courses for over 30 years
• You’ll study in a specialist forensic laboratory, with key laboratory skills incorporated into most of the taught units, especially your final-year research project
• You’ll learn the skills and techniques needed to evaluate a real-life crime scene in our scene-of-crime lab, designed to resemble an 'normal' flat
• There’s the option to take the course over four years and include a year’s work placement (see below) to gain experience and industry contacts
• If you’d like to step-up into higher education, you can take an introductory Foundation Year (see below), which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate course

    "Studying forensic science with Bedfordshire has been an awesome, inspiring experience, with lecturers who are specialists with industry experience in the areas they teach. I highly recommend anyone wishing to study this subject with Beds to 'Go 4 it'."

The course follows a hands-on practical approach, where you will work on a number of games and related creative technology projects over the duration.

The creation and production of computer games has grown to become a huge industry. According to the Entertainment Researchers Association UK consumers spent over £4.2 million on games in 2020, far more than was spent on video (including streaming services) and more than double that spent on music. As a result, there is a growing need for talented individuals to fill technical and creative positions in the sector.

The course is part of the Creative Technologies cluster in the School of Computer Science and Technology and is closely related to the degree course BSc (Hons) Computer Animation and Visual Effects which shares some of the teaching and technology.

In addition to the £40 million STEM building, you will also have the chance to work in our specialist creative technologies and game development labs, and use a range of cutting edge technologies such as motion capture, green screen, VR and XR to develop your practice and build a professional portfolio.

In the first year, you will learn a variety of relevant techniques including, programming or 2d graphics for games and learn to research the market and generate ideas for original games – you will also be involved in making games from the start and will develop your game ideas into playable demos.

From the second year onwards, you’ll select an area of specialism from Games Programming, Games Design or Games Graphics

Why choose this course?

• Learn how computer game assets such as environments, character models and animation are created and integrated into code
• Study in passionate, dynamic groups as you get to grips with commercially relevant software tools such as 3ds Max and Visual Studio
• Develop your team working and project coordinating skills as you produce code and software
• Gain experience with motion capture rigs, facial scanners and 3D sculpting
• Explore the latest developments in mobile, tablet, web and social media gaming
• Challenge yourself by solving complex problems and presenting new game concepts and ideas
• Benefit from personal development planning which will help you research companies, discuss your future plans and apply for jobs

Environmental change affects everyone on the planet and sustainably managing a changing natural environment is one of the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. This course develops your theoretical knowledge and practical skills, enabling you to begin to meet these challenges in your chosen career.

Through study of environmental sustainability and management, as well as global environmental change, you develop a comprehensive understanding of what is happening in the environment at a range of scales. You then go on to examine how the integration of environmental science, biotechnology and management methods can help environmental, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The course has a focus on how biotechnology can provide practical solutions to environmental problems, and your studies support you to develop valuable practical skills in identifying and evaluating useful technologies.

Why choose this course?

• Access the latest scientific thinking and teaching from a leading, research-active academic team with expertise in ecology, biotechnology, management and environmental microbiology
• Gain the knowledge and skills to move into a career in the environmental sector or – if you are a more experienced professional - develop your range of competencies and widen your opportunities in the field
• Develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of the biological, ecological and socio-economic drivers of global environmental change
• Be able to evaluate methods of managing environmental change at local and global levels, including legislative, voluntary and economic management
• Hone your practical skills in our modern, well-equipped laboratories
• There is the option of a part-time pathway to better fit study around your work and family commitments
• Choose from a wide range of career paths including environmental consultancies; biotechnological research organisations; national and international government agencies and non-governmental bodies; and related business and industry. You also have the option of further study leading to PhD

The MSc International Finance and Banking is designed to enable you to become a more effective and enterprising manager in a range of financial organisations in a knowledge-based global economy.

Finance and Banking as a study area is distinct from Accounting in that it is interdisciplinary and draws upon a wide range of soft and hard sciences.

Thus at post graduate level the study must be integrative, blending economic, mathematical and financial theory with analytical approaches to solving complex problems and implementing solutions.

Finance must also be treated as international in context to ensure relevance in the global economy.

The course aims to enable you to critically analyse the role of banking within international financial markets.

Attention is also placed on developing a contemporary empirical understanding of the behaviour of international financial markets that is particularly relevant for the aspects of international banking, alongside providing you with the ICT and research skills required by employers in this highly competitive banking sector.

It is specially designed for those seeking a management career in the international banking system, international corporations or in capital markets.

The MBA (Hospital and Health Services Management) is a flagship qualification designed to meet the needs and aspirations of early career individuals through the combination of a general management education with the specialist area of Hospital and Health Services Management.

It is designed for individuals who want to develop their leadership and management skills along with their interest in Hospital and Health Services Management and for those seeking fast track career progression opportunities.

This postgraduate degree aims to enhance your professional prospects by developing your capability to apply the latest thinking relating to organisational development and change in the competitive global context.

Successful completion of the MBA (Hospital and Health Services Management) highlights your potential to have a real impact on the transformation of the organisation you join.

Our courses are designed to be engaging, attractive and flexible in the current global marketplace. There are six entry points through the year. This allows you to start when it is most suitable.

Your course takes place over three semesters. Depending upon when you join the course, this will determine the order of units which you will study. You will benefit by beginning your studies with others who started at one of the earlier points of entry.

Why choose this course?

• The course adopts a practical and applied business curriculum and aims to develop an advanced knowledge of organisations and their effective management in the dynamic competitive global context, and the ability to creatively apply this knowledge and understanding to complex issues to systematically and innovatively enhance strategic business and management practice.
• This offers a challenging learning opportunity to encourage the integration of theory and practice supported by experienced academics with substantial management experience.  
• You will work with academics and professors of practice on live consultancy projects with leading employers in organisations across private, public and not-for-profit sectors to support your personal and professional development as a creative and innovative leader with the knowledge and skills needed in the global, knowledge-based economy.
• You will develop the attributes and skills expected of post-graduates confirmed by partner industry bodies including the Chartered Management Institute and the Confederation of British Industry, including team-working, negotiation skills, leadership, confidence and the ability to apply critical and creative thinking to complex and unclear problems to develop innovative solutions

In 2019, WHO listed high-threat pathogens, influenza pandemic, antimicrobial resistance and vaccine hesitancy among the ten top threats to global health. In 2020, the world suffered the profound effects of the novel SARS-CoV2 virus. There has never been a more compelling time to become a skilled professional in microbiology.

These global threats highlight the need for highly trained professionals who fully understand the role of micro-organisms in public health. This Master’s course focuses on the science of micro-organisms and the range of strategies employed for public health protection including epidemiology; public health intelligence; vaccination; antimicrobial chemotherapy; diagnostic microbiology; and outbreak investigation.

Why choose this course?

• Study microorganisms that impact on health and disease focusing on applications, including diagnosis, epidemiology and control of infectious disease
• Explore how the developments in molecular biology and genome sequencing have altered diagnosis of infectious disease and impacted on outbreak investigation and management.
• Learn about current practice and new developments in vaccines and antimicrobial chemotherapy and consider the challenges faced by efforts to eradicate specific infectious disease.
• Gain practical experience in laboratory techniques and data analysis and be encouraged to think about their wider significance.
• Challenge yourself by undertaking a microbiology research project or public health dissertation (depending on your specific interests), enabling you to consider a particular topic in detail and develop key transferable skills in research and scientific writing.
• Benefit from a course that prepares your for a career in pharmaceutical or biotechnological industries, or health-related industries, including the NHS and Public Health, as well as academic research.

To succeed in the modern world businesses need managers with the skills and knowledge of how to trade on the international stage. You will study the core business disciplines such as strategic management, accounting annd finance, global brand communications and reputations and international business competencies.

As you develop your knowledge of business in an international context, you will gain the attributes to contribute to the global business strategy of organisations and resolve international business problems.

There are six entry points through the year. This allows you to start when it is most suitable.

Why choose this course?

• Study aspects of strategic and operations management such as global supply chain management and international marketing through collaborative activities within a wide international business perspective.
• Gain advanced knowledge of organisations together with the theory of international business and apply it to solve real business problems through our employability practice approach to teaching and learning.
• Develop your knowledge of key strategic and operations such as accounting and finance, investment treaty arbitration, international business competencies and strategic management within an international context.
• Benefit from a course that inspires teamwork and engagement to contribute to ethical and innovative practice.
• Gain the knowledge and skills required for a career as a Trading Executive, Product Manager, Business Development Manager or Buyer or further your existing management career by achieving a leadership position in your current organisation.

While teaching you all the essential skills you need to work creatively as an animator - including visual thinking, model-making, 3D design, digital illustration and time-based media – this wide-ranging course also gives you the confidence to respond to briefs, create independent projects and work collaboratively within the creative industries.

Our Animation BA (Hons) is based in narrative and storytelling for short-form film, the moving image industry and communication design. Students work on live briefs, submit for national competitions and work on projects with our expert academic team.

You learn your craft through practical workshop sessions, sustained practice in the studio, some work-related learning opportunities with ‘live briefs’, one-to-one tutorials, seminars, demonstrations and independent research. All your instruction takes into consideration professional and work-related practices.

In the first year, we introduce the key skills in animation, building a close relationship between practice and theory. In your second year, you work more independently, taking ownership of your creativity and its outcomes.

At the end of the course, you take on a creative project of your own, demonstrating your insight into the critical, cultural and professional contexts in which your work is placed.

Why choose this course?

• It enables you to study, develop and apply critical enquiry skills to a wide range of key ideas and contemporary professional practice
• Practical learning activities give you the opportunity to tackle visual problems and explore ideas relevant to animation
• It builds your understanding of animation’s different contexts, and its wider global impact on social, environmental and political issues
• It equips you with the knowledge, experience and understanding of design environments you need to communicate and present ideas and work to audiences in a range of situations
• It gives you the skills to work effectively with others, through collaboration, collective support and negotiation
• It offers insights into professional practice that will prepare you for a future career in the creative industries as well as the world of work generally
• You have the option to take your degree over four years and include a fee-free placement year in industry when you can gain practical experience, build your CV and make valuable contacts

The MSc Automotive Engineering for Electric Vehicles is about educating and training senior vehicle developers and offering them in-depth technical training for R&D of next generation low carbon or non-carbon vehicles.

The course focuses on new and emerging sustainable automotive technologies, such as hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to use state-of-the-art design and advanced development and simulation tools, to vehicle development, design, calibration and optimisation.

By closely collaborating with local automotive and motorsport companies, you will contribute to real world solutions to vehicle R&D.

The Automotive Engineering Lab suite includes a range of experimental facilities, such as an engine test bed with full instrumentation, two advanced automotive engine demonstrators, various test rigs for vehicle aerodynamics, materials and engineering structure, machining workshop, etc. 3D printers and a CAE lab.

These form an important part of the course, allowing the exploration of many practical aspects of automotive engineering, and to further development of hands-on skills.

Why choose this course?

• State-of-the-art equipment for electric vehicles
• Access to a wide range of engineering facilities within the University’s STEM building
• Interdisciplinary consideration of alternative energy systems