Bachelor of Science in Social Policy and Politics

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Learn about the physics that underpins the history, structure and dynamics of Earth systems, and how these relate to exploration for natural resources and environmental monitoring.

Explore the inaccessible parts of Earth’s interior through a range of geophysical techniques and become immersed in hands-on science from the start.

Learn with experts whose research feeds directly into your studies at the cutting edge of scientific developments. Recent options have included?Global Seismology, Near Surface Geophysics Fieldwork and Physical Volcanology. By your final year you’ll be conducting your own independent research and exploring the questions that matter most to you.

Field trips are a huge part of why our community is so tight knit, and you’ll to get to know your course mates whilst honing your practical skills. You will gain plenty of hands-on experience, with over 40 days of fieldwork both in the UK and overseas, the cost of which is included in your tuition fee.

The skills developed throughout your studies are highly valued by employers, from scientific and technical skills including coding, modelling, lab skills and data analysis, to transferable skills such as communication, creativity and resilience.

The MSci is ideal if you have ambitions to continue in biological research and want a competitive edge in applying for a PhD or research jobs.

Studying biology at Bristol exposes you to the breadth of biological sciences, from enzymes to ecosystems. During your study with us you will gain knowledge of the diversity, evolution, function and interactions between animals, microbes and plants. Our programme reflects the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology, taking into account the past, present and future of life on Earth.

Our biology degree starts broadly and then introduces more choice in years two and three, allowing you to specialise or maintain breadth in your studies depending on your interests.

The additional fourth year of the MSci contains advanced skills training and a substantial research project, which is especially valuable for those aiming for a career in biological sciences.

This four-year course allows you to explore high-level mathematics at the leading edge of research. If you're driven by intellectual curiosity and enjoy the satisfaction of cracking difficult puzzles, this course provides you with core mathematical skills that will equip you for a variety of careers and give a strong basis for further study.

Our lecturers are passionate about their subject, with modules informed by cutting-edge research in fundamental mathematical abstractions, statistics and practical applications to global problems. You may be able to try units in quantum mechanics or mathematical biology, or take the opportunity to mentor and learn from students studying the same subject overseas.

Project work opportunities in each year of your course allow you to collaborate with staff and fellow students, preparing you for a substantial fourth-year project on a topic you are passionate about.

Year one consists of compulsory topics, covered in lectures, small-group tutorials and working through exercises independently and with peers, as well as freedom to explore a range of topics in collaboration with your personal tutor and fellow students.

In your second and third year you can start to shape your degree to fit your interests; continue with a varied degree or choose to specialise. You'll also have the chance to study units outside mathematics.

After your first year, support for your studies continues in the form of drop-in sessions with lecturers, exercise and feedback classes, and student-led Maths cafés.

Third- and fourth-year units specialise in exciting modern topics, informed by the strong research culture in our school.

The first two years of this course provide a background in mathematical analysis, modelling and scientific computation and their application to engineering. These core topics underpin the advanced material that follows.

As well as gaining first-hand exposure to pioneering research, in your third year, you will have a wide choice of options from across engineering and mathematics to fit your interests.

A major focus of the course is real-world problem solving, spanning many different application areas from robotics and social media to medicine and environmental modelling. Problems come directly from our industrial collaborators or address real challenges in current research. By working on these case studies and using theory and techniques from other units, you will be able to develop your mathematical modelling, collaboration and communication skills.

Biomedical engineering is an emerging field in the UK that involves applying physical, chemical, mathematical, computer science and engineering principles to the analysis of biological, medical, behavioural and health-related problems. Biomedical engineers develop innovative devices and procedures to help prevent, diagnose and treat diseases. It relies on an in-depth understanding of science and engineering fundamentals, combined with a broad knowledge of physiological and anatomical systems.

This program will enable you to gain expertise in this exciting field and covers both theory and practical applications. You will acquire analytical tools and a broad physical knowledge of modern engineering and science. This is combined with a fundamental understanding of anatomical and physiological systems, and familiarity with recent technological breakthroughs.

This innovative program aims to give you the knowledge, skills and practical training needed to work with wildlife, and places particular emphasis on wildlife health and conservation on a global scale.

Cutting-edge topics include animal capture and handling techniques; the assessment, stabilisation and transportation of injured animals; methods for improving the welfare of captive animals; concepts in behavioural ecology; endangered species breeding program; the reintroduction of captive populations to the wild; practical conservation strategies; and the management of protected areas. The curriculum also delivers a comprehensive introduction to wildlife disease ecology, surveillance and control.

A distinctive feature of this MSc is the large number of specialist lectures, workshops and seminars that are delivered by leading researchers, conservationists and wildlife veterinarians from outside the University. These provide valuable networking opportunities that will benefit you in your future career.

Digital technologies drive economic growth, yet create new cyber risks demanding ever more sophisticated solutions. There is worldwide demand for new and innovative approaches to tackle global cyber-threats specific to large-scale infrastructures, from energy production to finance through to healthcare and smart transportation. The cyber security of such infrastructures is paramount – their disruption can have large-scale impacts on society as well as massive business losses. There is a major shortage of cyber security professionals globally, and the specialist nature of critical infrastructures makes the problem even more acute.

A strong ethos of rigorous experimental and empirical cyber security research underpins the MSc, facilitated by a state-of-the-art testbed for studying critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and Internet of Things (IoT) security, and bespoke teaching equipment. You’ll learn to apply foundational cyber security techniques to infrastructure and will develop the skills for engineering scalable solutions. You'll be exposed to real-world problems that are practical and challenge-oriented, but underpinned by rigorous research.

This MSc aims to:

• Enable a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, design principles, building blocks and methods to understand and mitigate against cyber security threats;
• Give you hands-on experience of working with devices, systems and networks utilised in realistic infrastructure environments;
• Equip you with the ability to apply security principles and technical knowledge to analyse complex real-world infrastructures systems (including software systems, networks, control systems and IoT) to identify potential security issues and solutions;
• Provide you with the skills to reason critically about complex problems that require evaluation and analysis from a multi-dimensional perspective including technical, human and organisational aspects.

In your first year you will gain a broad training in biomedical science and will begin to study the cellular and molecular basis of human diseases as well as basic biochemistry, cell biology, pathology and microbiology.

In your second year you will study molecular genetics and learn skills in recombinant DNA technology, which underpins research in many cutting-edge laboratories.

In the final year, you will choose options from approximately ten different units. You will also undertake a research project or scientific dissertation, working in a research group in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine or in one of the surrounding hospitals. These units and the research project reflect our research strengths in the areas of cancer biology, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, and infection and immunology.

A four-year BSc Cellular and Molecular Medicine with Study in Industry is available by transfer after securing a placement during the second year.