Biology with French

Biology encompasses the study of life at every level of organisation, from the molecular machinery inside a single cell to the behaviour of complex ecosystems and the evolutionary processes that have generated biodiversity on Earth. It is a discipline of extraordinary breadth, touching on drug design, the molecular basis of disease, the ecology of natural habitats, the conservation of endangered species and the foundations of medicine, agriculture and biotechnology. Studying it alongside French gives you a powerful combination of scientific knowledge and linguistic and cultural competence in one of Europe's most significant languages.

At the University of St Andrews this four-year full-time programme develops your biological knowledge and practical research skills across the full range of the discipline, from molecular and cellular biology through ecology and evolutionary biology to the study of animals and plants in their natural habitats. You will engage with contemporary questions in biology, including the molecular basis of neurological diseases, the migration and conservation of marine mammals, and the application of biological knowledge to medicine and environmental management. The French strand develops your language skills to an advanced level alongside your understanding of French-language literature, culture and intellectual life.

A year abroad gives you the opportunity to live and study in a French-speaking environment, deepening both your linguistic competence and your personal independence.

Graduates with this combination are well placed for careers in scientific research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical science, conservation, environmental management, education and science communication, as well as in international roles where French is an asset. Many pursue postgraduate study in biology, ecology, biomedical science or French, and the combination of scientific training and language competence opens a wider range of opportunities than either would alone.