Biology [with Foundation year]

Biology is the scientific study of life in all its forms, from the chemistry of individual cells and the mechanisms of inheritance to the ecology of entire ecosystems and the evolutionary processes that have produced the extraordinary diversity of living organisms on Earth. It is a discipline that requires both careful observation and quantitative analytical thinking, and its practitioners work at the frontier of some of the most important challenges of our time, including infectious disease, biodiversity loss, food security, and the development of new medicines and biotechnologies.

At Anglia Ruskin University this four-year programme includes a foundation year that provides a thorough scientific and academic grounding before you enter degree-level biology study. The foundation year is designed to build your confidence and capability in the biological, chemical, and mathematical sciences that the degree builds upon. Across the main programme you will engage with cell and molecular biology, genetics, evolution, and bioinformatics alongside plant science, microbiology, biotechnology, and the ecology and field skills that studying whole organisms in their environments requires.

You will learn to evaluate aspects of all life on Earth and to understand the ways in which biodiversity is under threat, developing both laboratory and field competence.

Biology graduates work in research, healthcare, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, environmental management, conservation, agriculture, education, and science communication. The foundation year makes this programme accessible to students who need an additional year to build scientific confidence and skills before engaging with degree-level material. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study to specialise in a particular area of biology or to prepare for professional roles in medicine, veterinary science, or environmental consulting.