Biochemistry

Biochemistry examines the chemical processes that sustain life, asking how the molecular machinery of cells carries out the processes of metabolism, gene expression, signal transduction, and energy conversion that keep organisms alive. It sits at the intersection of chemistry and biology, using the tools of organic and physical chemistry to understand how proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates function and interact in living systems. The discipline is central to understanding disease at the molecular level and to the development of new drugs and therapies.

At Swansea, this four-year full-time programme covers the chemical processes within living organisms and how cells work at the sub-cellular and molecular levels. You will study enzyme mechanisms, metabolic pathways, molecular genetics, protein structure and function, and cell signalling, building both the conceptual understanding of how living systems are organised and the experimental skills to investigate them. The programme engages with the interdisciplinary character of modern biochemistry, where the boundaries between chemistry, biology, and medicine are increasingly fluid.

The typical entry tariff is 120 points.

Graduates of biochemistry programmes work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in clinical and medical research, in healthcare science, and in academic research institutions. The combination of chemical and biological expertise developed by biochemistry is particularly valuable in drug discovery, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, and the growing field of personalised medicine. Many graduates go on to postgraduate research in biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, or structural biology, where the rigorous scientific training of the undergraduate degree provides excellent preparation for advanced experimental and computational work.