Applied Biological Research

Applied biological research is a degree designed for students who want to combine rigorous life science training with genuine engagement in research practice, learning how biological questions are investigated and how scientific knowledge is built from hypothesis through experiment to evidence-based conclusion. It is grounded in the biological sciences but with a particular orientation towards the methods, questions, and skills of research itself, making it especially suitable for students who are drawn to the scientific process and who want to contribute to the advancement of biological knowledge.

At the Royal Veterinary College, a world-leading institution in veterinary and biomedical science, this four-year full-time programme gives you access to exceptional research environments and expertise. You will study core life sciences including cell biology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, and ecology, developing the scientific foundations that underpin biological research across its many fields. The RVC context gives the programme particular strengths in animal biology, comparative physiology, and biomedical research, and you will engage with research questions in these areas throughout the programme.

A sandwich year with a work placement and a year abroad are both incorporated, giving you extended professional and international research experience, while the work placement in particular provides direct exposure to professional scientific practice in a research or industry setting.

Graduates from applied biological research programmes go on to careers in biomedical research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, veterinary science support roles, conservation biology, and academic research institutions. The research skills and scientific rigour developed through this degree are highly valued by employers who need scientifically trained graduates who understand how to ask and answer empirical questions. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study or doctoral research, moving into careers as research scientists, laboratory managers, or academic researchers across the biological and biomedical sciences.