Biomedical Science with Foundation

Biomedical science sits at the frontier between basic biological research and clinical medicine, examining the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie human health and disease. It draws on biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, pharmacology, immunology, and physiology to investigate how the body functions, how disease disrupts those functions, and how diagnostic and therapeutic interventions can detect and treat illness. Biomedical scientists are central to the modern healthcare system, particularly in laboratory medicine, where they carry out the investigations that inform clinical diagnosis and treatment across pathology, microbiology, haematology, and clinical chemistry.

At the University of Reading, this programme is offered as Biomedical Science with Foundation, making it a four-year degree in total. The foundation year provides a structured introduction to the scientific concepts and study skills needed to engage fully with the degree, making it accessible to students who are approaching university from a non-traditional background or who want a more gradual entry into higher education before tackling the full degree curriculum. As you progress through the programme, you will study the core biomedical sciences in depth, developing both theoretical understanding and practical laboratory skills.

Reading's life sciences programmes benefit from well-equipped research facilities and teaching staff who are active researchers, and the programme is designed to develop you as a scientist capable of working in clinical, research, or industrial settings.

Graduates in biomedical science go on to work in NHS clinical laboratory settings, where further training leads to registration as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council. Others move into pharmaceutical or biotechnology research and development, medical device companies, public health organisations, or science communication. Some graduates choose to continue into postgraduate study, pursuing research degrees or clinical training routes such as medicine, clinical science, or immunology.

The combination of scientific rigour, laboratory expertise, and an understanding of human disease that this degree develops makes graduates valuable across a wide range of healthcare and life science careers.