Biochemistry

Biochemistry investigates the molecular machinery of life, using the tools and concepts of chemistry to understand how biological systems work at the level of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and the metabolic pathways that connect them. It is a discipline with immediate practical relevance: virtually every advance in medicine, drug discovery and biotechnology in recent decades has depended on biochemical understanding. At the University of Westminster, this three-year full-time degree provides a thorough grounding in biochemistry alongside a sandwich year and a year abroad, giving you both extended professional experience and international exposure as part of your undergraduate education.

A work placement component adds further professional depth.

You will study the structure and function of biological macromolecules, enzyme kinetics, metabolism, molecular biology, cell signalling and the biochemical basis of disease. Laboratory skills are central to the degree, and you will develop competence in a range of analytical and molecular techniques used in research and industrial settings. Westminster's biochemistry programme is explicitly oriented toward the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology sectors, and the placement year allows you to put your laboratory and analytical skills to work in a professional environment, whether in a research organisation, pharmaceutical company, clinical laboratory or biotech firm.

A typical entry tariff of around 104 points makes the programme accessible to students with a solid science background from a range of educational pathways.

Graduates work in pharmaceutical research and development, clinical trials, quality control, regulatory affairs, diagnostic laboratories, biotechnology and scientific publishing. The combination of biochemical knowledge, practical laboratory skills and professional placement experience makes Westminster biochemistry graduates well suited to roles that require both scientific understanding and the ability to work effectively in industry. Postgraduate study, including MSc programmes in biochemistry, pharmacology, bioinformatics or a clinical profession, is a common next step for those who wish to specialise.