Life Sciences BSc

Compulsory

• Medical Biochemistry

  This module aims to introduce students to important classes of biomolecules and the ways in which these molecules are involved in biomedical pathways.

• GY100E - BioSphere

  This module provides students with an understanding of Earth's ecological systems and their relationships.

• SP1606 - Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology
  The aim of this module is to provide students with a foundational knowledge of human anatomy and physiology in relation to sport, health and exercise contexts. Specifically, students will develop understanding of the organisation of the human body from molecules, organelles and cells to organ systems. Students will also carry out laboratory-based measurements and evaluation of human physiological function.
• BB1720 - Biology of the Cell
  In this modules students will receive a broad introduction to the understanding of living organisms at the cellular level through the study of genetics, cell biology and microbiology.
• Experimental Design and Bioinformatics

  To develop the competencies required in basic laboratory skills, experimental design and data analysis

• Critical scientific reading and communication

  This module shows how the different areas of life sciences intersect using recent peer reviewed papers as an illustrative tool. Ethical issues surrounding genetics, medicine and science will be discussed. This assessment won "Most Innovative Form of Assessment" for the College at the 2019 Teaching Awards.

• PY1611 - Brain and Cognition

  This module provides a grounding in cognitive and biological psychology.

Compulsory

• Elective Study
• BB2707 – Career planning and Entrepreneurship

  This module aims to develop recognition and competencies needed to gain employment and awareness of entrepreneurial skills.

Optional

• GY200D - Climate Change

  An understanding of the evidence for, and mechanisms behind, climate change. The module will allow students to explore data and analytical approaches to climate change and to unpick the precise mechanisms through which changes to the climate system are happening

• BB2713 - Developmental Genetics and Stem Cell Biology
  This module provides students with an understanding of embryogenesis and foetal development through the study of developmental mechanisms in model organisms and the role of stem cells in development.
• PY2602 - Developmental Psychology
  This module examines key questions in developmental psychology and evaluates methodological approaches to study human development. The module provides the core requirements for BPS accreditation with regard to developmental psychology.
• BB2709 - Genetics, Genomics and Human Health
  This module provides students with a deeper understanding of molecular and cellular aspects of microbial genetics, new tools of genetic engineering, present day genomic technologies and the post genomic era.
• BB2711 - Human Pathology and Immunology
  This module provides students with an understanding of clinically important human disease with emphasis on underlying molecular mechanisms, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment including the innate and adaptive immune system and conditions associated with the dysregulation of the immune system.
• BB2716 - Medical Microbiology
  This module aims to give an understanding of medically important pathogens and infectious diseases, including epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical symptoms, therapeutics, vaccination and public health importance.
• SP2606 - The Psychology of Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity: Theory and Application
  The aim of this module is to support the student to synthesise and critically evaluate contemporary sport and exercise psychology research – including that of Brunel academics. Broad topics covered include individual differences, exercise and cognitive function, decision-making and attention. An inclusive, blended learning approach is used to further the student’s learning, using online preparatory activities (e.g., webinars), guided discovery reading, lecture-seminars and team-based learning workshops – which comprise regular formative assessment, independent problem-solving and peer learning. The summative assessment gives the student an opportunity to showcase their own unique research project, in which they collect data as part of a team.
• GY200C - Sustainable Development and Political Ecology

  Learn to understand environmental questions through a lens of political ecology. The module will provide opportunities to reflect on and develop own attitudes and values in relation to the environment. 

• Analytical and Clinical Biochemistry

  This module aims to provide an understanding of a range of biochemical techniques used for clinical research and diagnosis.

• Cognitive Neuroscience

  This module aims to introduce students to: the different modes of human cognition (perceiving, imagining, reasoning, remembering, and language), to the main techniques used to study cognition, to the main empirical results in cognitive psychology, and to the main theories of cognition including historically important theories.

• Biomedical sciences training

  The aim of this study block is to develop students’ understanding of the nature of different research models as well as their quantitative data analysis and laboratory research skills.

• GY200G – Eco systems stressors

  This module provides students with an understanding of pressure on Earth's ecological systems alongside the observed and predicted impacts.

• Bioinformatics and Big Data analysis

  This module introduces the basics of R programming to read data and to perform simple analyses and graphs. Students will perform the statistical analysis mastered in their first year using R.

• BB2704 - Molecular and Cellular Biology
  This module aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of molecular biology of enzymatic processes within prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
• SP2605 - Physiology of Sport and Exercise

  The aim of this module is to provide an overview of the body’s immediate response to, and recovery from, a single bout of exercise. Students will critically analyse and interpret experimental data.

  This will illustrate how the physiological systems of the body respond over time and adapt to the stress of repeated bouts of exercise, including how the body adjusts to environmental extremes (e.g. heat, cold and altitude).

• SP2720 - Research methods

  This module teaches students to develop research skills in sports science and an understanding of statistical analysis and representations of data. 

Compulsory

• LS3600 - Final Year Research Project
  In your final year students will conduct an independent empirical research project under the supervision of an academic in the Department of Life Sciences. Final year projects are often the most fulfilling aspect of the course. Projects may take a variety of forms (from lab-based research to complex data analysis), but will be related to the area of specialisation of a student’s Major Stream, and potentially also related to their future career plans. Your project experience is often what sets you apart as an individual and employers usually ask about your project in interviews.
• Elective Study
• LS3800 - Research Methods, Culture and Communication

  This module introduce students to professional research seminars and teaches them to develop skills in understanding and assessing different research approaches and methodologies across Lifesciences.

Optional

• BB3704 - The Biology and Treatment of Cancer
  This module aims to provide a detailed understanding of cancer, including the genes involved in carcinogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment.
• PY3618 - Drugs, Hormones and the Brain
  This module aims to study the principles of neurotransmission, synaptic physiology and plasticity, to survey findings in psychopharmacology on the neurochemical basis of psychological disorders, pharmacological approaches to treatment, and mechanisms of action for recreational drugs or drugs of abuse, and to survey findings in behavioural endocrinology on relationships between hormones and behaviour.
• BB3706 - Gene Therapy and Related Technologies
  This module aims to provide an understanding of the genetic basis of human disease, its origins and the importance of molecular technologies to provide information to treat to genetic defects. It will introduce how the human genome project was achieved using DNA sequence technologies and how this information was used to create the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE). Novel mechanisms that control of gene expression at the RNA level in the form of non-coding (NC) RNAs is discussed. This module then describes treatment of diseases by gene therapy.
• BB3701 - Genomic Medicine
  This module aims to introduce students to the principles of understanding medicine from the post-genomic perspective, to explore genome organization by integrating genomic, molecular and cell biology approaches, and to use this integrated view of the human genome as a tool for understanding mechanisms responsible for a specific set of Mendelian diseases known as genome instability syndromes and common diseases in the context of genome wide association studies (GWAS).
• BB3720 - Medical Immunology
  Study advanced immunology with up-to-date knowledge of molecular and cellular interactions in the immune system, and learn to apply immunological principles to the current understanding of various biological and clinical processes and mechanisms including cancer, transplantation, autoimmunity, pregnancy and aging, and immune intervention. Teaching will include information of the current research undertaken in Biosciences.
• BB3716 - Microbial Pathogenesis
  This module aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of cellular and molecular basis of microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction.
• BB3733 - Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology
  This module aims to give students an understanding of drug metabolism and the mode of action of specific drugs.
• PY3601 - Practical Investigations of Mind and Brain
  This module aims to review the key techniques for studying the relationship between the brain and the mind, or in other words, between the physical world (i.e. neuronal brain events) and the phenomenal world (i.e. perceptual, subjective, experiences), and to provide a practical introduction to the implementation of psychophysical and neuroimaging approaches in psychology research.
• SP3606 - Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology

  The aim of this module is to familiarise students with contemporary topics in applied sport and exercise psychology (e.g. imagery, anxiety and performance and exercise as a mental health intervention), as well as encouraging deep thinking about the links between research and applied practice. The content covers relevant concepts, theories and research to derive applied interventions.

• GY300E - Nature based climate solutions

  The module describes, explains and classifies a range of current nature-based climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. You'll learn about the conflict between individual and population level needs, and how ecological principles and conservation practices affect nature-based climate solutions.

• SP3609 - Physiological Limitations to Exercise Performance

  The aim of this module is to provide sound knowledge of the physiological determinants of exercise performance, specifically focusing on the high-performance athlete. Students engage in detailed study of the physiological limitations to exercise and critically assess the influence of environmental extremes on exercise performance.

• BB3711 - Epidemiology and Disease Prevention

  This module aims to give students an understanding of biomedical studies using human data at population level.

• BB3703 - Medical Biochemistry
  This module aims to give students an understanding of selected specialist areas in biochemistry: steroid hormone biosynthesis and actions, cholesterol and calcium homeostasis.