Foundation Degree with Foundation Year Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The programme is intended to provide a broad and industrially relevant set of modules, preparing students for work in industries in the chemical science or bioscience sectors.

Graduates should be able to apply for a number of careers regardless of which options they have taken. Examples areas include: NHS careers, teaching, food safety, technical support roles in academic, government or private laboratories, specialist scientific sales and marketing,. Recent graduates have progressed to careers such as Assistant Research Practitioner at the Manchester Eye Hospital, laboratory work for a global company specialising in clinical trials, a neurology technician in the NHS as well as roles in the teaching and legal professions. Many of our graduates go on to further study such as masters in Physician Associate Studies, Medical Microbiology, Paramedic Science, Cognitive Neuroscience, Medical Biochemistry, Clinical Embryology and Assisted Reproduction Technology, Cardiology and Biopharmacy. Graduates have also gone on to study Ph.Ds in scientific research.

The course was developed in order to close a skills gap as identified by the Leeds LEP. The course was written after consultation with a number of local employers, who informed teaching, content and assessment methods. We have formed close links with other employers and continued to elicit feedback on how well the course prepares graduates for employment. Teaching is delivered in purpose-built laboratories with industry-standard equipment and is designed to develop the key skills and knowledge demanded by employers.

Throughout this course you will:

Have the opportunity to design and conduct your own research project.
Gain an understanding and appreciation of the chemistry and biochemistry of drug molecules: their design, synthesis and behaviour in the body
Develop a multidisciplinary understanding of the science of human life, health and disease at the molecular, cellular, system, organismal and environmental level.
Learn about microbial processes and applications, including the opportunities for humans to exploit and benefit from these.

This course is validated by Leeds City College

APPLY FOR FULL TIME

Fee	£6,000 for the Foundation Year. Foundation Degree fees £7,950 (per academic year)
Location	University Centre
Start Date	September 2021
Duration	3 years Full Time
Course Code	UCAS Course Code: CF12 Institution code: L21
Study Mode	Full Time

Studying during COVID-19

We will continue to follow government guidelines to ensure the safety of all our students and staff and have put in place additional safety measures, including the way we deliver your course.

For Semester 1, we plan to deliver your course through a mixture of online and face to face tuition and we will review this as Government guidelines change in response to COVID-19 developments.

Under the present guidelines, we plan to deliver your course 33.3% online and 66.7% face to face. We will timetable, where possible, so that you come into University Centre Leeds for a whole day and you will be in a bubble with your fellow students on your course.

Face to face contact will be delivered following guidelines on social distancing and increased health and safety measures. You will be made fully aware of the current measures in place and be expected to follow the guidance issued.

What you learn

Modules may include:

Year 0

Biology 1

Biology 2

Chemistry 1

Chemistry 2

Foundation mathematics

Academic skills

Year 1

Personal and professional development

Integrated biomolecular science

Physiology and pathology

Physical, inorganic and organic chemistry

Integrated practical skills

Biochemical processes

Organic chemistry

Mathematics

Year 2

Microbiology & biotechnology

Pharmacology & therapeutics

Immunology

Genetics

Medicinal chemistry

Biomaterials and solid state chemistry

Work related learning

Scientific investigation

Benefits/ skills you will develop

Throughout this course you will:

Learn new skills that will enhance your employability in the science sector.
Have access to labs and a large range of specialist pieces of equipment.
Learn to work independently and safely in a busy laboratory environment and develop skills that are relevant to many scientific industries.
Develop analytical and practical skills involving the use of a wide range of laboratory equipment and techniques as well as methods of scientific data collection, storage and processing.
Become technically competent in common laboratory procedures, learn to manage your own time and work in teams with professionalism
Use experiences to improve your performance through reflective practice.

Assessment

There will be regular short practice assessment activities (in the form of regular quizzes and tests) with feedback provided to guide your progress and development. Pair and small group activities will be regularly used in all modules, allowing you to improve communication and teamwork skills. Giving short oral and poster presentations will increase your confidence in speaking and presenting.

Preparation for practical activities will be available in the form of virtual experiments in which online feedback is instantly available. Real and simulated practical activities will also provide data and you will be given guidance on how to collect and process high quality data, and how to use it to form conclusions.

Modules will be formally assessed and graded through a range of methods, including traditional examinations, laboratory activities, problem-based group projects, oral and poster presentations, case-studies, research projects and essays.

This range of activities provides the opportunity for everyone to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that they have acquired throughout the course of their studies. The mix of practical and written assessments will provide evidence to employers of the level of laboratory skills and other abilities (such as teamwork, communication skills, ethical integrity, etc.), whilst also enabling you to demonstrate the theoretical knowledge and academic skills that you have developed.

Entry requirements

A typical offer is likely to consist of:

For admission to the Foundation Year

GCSEs: Science and Additional Science at Grade C or above (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards).

BTEC First Nationals: At least one overall Merit grade.

For admission to 1st year of the Foundation Degree

A Levels: 2xD grades one of which to be in a relevant subject.

BTEC Level 3 Diploma or Extended Diploma: MP, MPP grade in relevant subjects.

Access to HE Diploma: Overall pass with 60 credits, with 24 credits to be at a Merit grade in a relevant subject.

GCSE English: English Language Grade C or above (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards). Key Skills Level 2, Functional Skills Level 2 and the Certificate in Adult Literacy are accepted in place of GCSEs.

GCSE Maths: Maths Grade C or above (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards). Key Skills Level 2, Functional Skills Level 2 and the Certificate in Adult Numeracy are accepted in place of GCSEs.

GCSE Science: Science Grade C or above (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards).

IELTS: IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any component.

International qualifications: International qualifications will be assessed against these criteria.

Mature applicants: University Centre Leeds welcomes applications from mature* applicants who may not have met the academic criteria, but who can demonstrate a wealth of experience in their chosen field. Candidates in this category and otherwise are likely to be interviewed to assess their suitability for the course and may be asked to provide a portfolio of evidence to support their application.*21 years and over at the start of the course.

RPL claims: The course structure actively supports claims for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

What’s next

You can progress onto a top-up year to obtain a BSc. degree (with honours) or graduate with a Foundation Degree and move into employment. Typical areas that our graduates find employment in includes:

NHS (both laboratory and non-laboratory based work)

Laboratory research posts

Hospital research assistant positions

Paramedicine

Commercial laboratory-based companies in fields such as: