Cell Biology BSc (Honours) 2022 entry

The BSc (Hons) in Cell Biology involves advanced study of the molecular structures and biochemical processes essential to cell function. It provides the basis for understanding the physiology and development of animals and plants, as well as many aspects of pathology. The course includes modules that emphasise structure and function in the cells of animals, plants, and microbes, in addition to how cells interact as they form tissues and organisms.

How to apply Register your interest

UCAS code

C130

Course type

Bachelor of Science (single Honours degree)

Course duration

Four years full time

Start date: 5 September 2022
End date: 30 September 2026

Entry requirements

These grades are the overall standards required to consider you for entry. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

- Standard entry grades: AAAB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.
- Minimum entry grades: AABB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.
- Gateway entry grades: BBBB
- Standard entry grades: AAB, including Biology and one other science from the following:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.
- Minimum entry grades: ABB, including Biology and one other science from the following:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.
- Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of the following subjects:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.
- Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL5 in one of the following subjects:
  - Chemistry
  - Mathematics
  - Physics.

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

Direct entry to second year

Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about English language requirements.

How to apply

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied Biology (or Human Biology) at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level or equivalent. Preference will be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications over and above the stated minimum requirements.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.

Other qualifications

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Reputation

The School of Biology was ranked first in Scotland by the Guardian University Guide 2022 and second in Scotland by the Complete University Guide 2022.

The University of St Andrews as a whole was voted top in the UK for student academic experience in The National Student Survey 2021. More than 93% of St Andrews final-year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.

The School of Biology conducts world-class, innovative multidisciplinary research, and in the UK Research Excellence Framework 2014, Biology was ranked second in the UK based on the impact of its research.

Video transcript

- If you're thinking of applying to St Andrews, you definitely should.

It's so rewarding. There are so many things you can do here.

Although it's a small town, the opportunities are completely endless.

>>FIONA: St Andrew's location is stunning. A small seaside town on the east coast of Scotland.

>>PROFESSOR JUDITH WOLFE: Close enough to places like Edinburgh, and frankly to all of Europe. We are connected while also being our own place.

>>HENRY: For me, the best thing about St Andrews is the fact that it's such a small town, but yet it's got so many different opportunities within it.

>>THOMAS: Whether it's the societies or the sports clubs that you can get involved with. It's so much more than just academia.

>>DR JAMES RAE: St Andrews is a fantastic place to study because you get a university that has a strong research focus, but it's also a university that really values its teaching. We do that through having small class sizes, and through, I think, a really, a kind of strong community feel.

>>AABIYAH: The lecturers are really, really helpful. There's not this kind of hierarchy or anything. Everyone's really, really friendly and everyone's really trying to help out.

>>PROFESSOR KISHAN DHOLAKIA: Why does a person go to University? They want to expand their mind. They want to push the boundaries of what they know from a personal level and an academic level. It's not just education, it's research. Because they want to go to a place that is pushing the frontiers of human knowledge.

>>DR DHARINI BALASUBRAMANIAM: We look for people who are willing to question what they are taught and willing to explore their subject in depth.

- We want people who are curious, who are motivated, who want to understand the world around them, and then apply that to make ideally the world a better place.

>>PROFESSOR CLARE PEDDIE: The University degree at St Andrews reflects the Scottish degree system. Students coming into first and second year can take subjects outside their intended degree specialisation and then specialise in their degree subjects in third, and fourth, and possibly fifth year.

- It just offers an opportunity to explore new subjects and it's kind of changed my way of thinking.

>>MARKUS: It really helped me to just explore different things and try out everything.

- St Andrews has a really big feel.

-You really get to know everyone. You see a lot of people that you know and you recognise.

>>RACHEL: Hall life plays such a big part in St Andrews. Living in halls has such a wonderful atmosphere.

>>SHUTONG: It is a really tight community.

- You get a lot of different students, you get to meet a lot of different people which you normally wouldn't meet.

- We come from very different educational backgrounds, so, therefore, we're all gonna have a different point of view. So, you know, you're not gonna have people that agree with you all the time or they're gonna pick up on things that you don't necessarily pick up on.

>>DR STEPHEN TYRE: With a St Andrews degree you can almost do anything because the skills that you learn here are attractive to employers.

>>PROFESSOR FRANK LORENZ MULLER: Our students go into all kinds of professional careers, whether that's the law, whether that's financial services, whether that's civil service or government. Many of them also go into further study.

- Our students tend to be in great demand from employers. We have companies that see character in graduates.

- The skills that students get here allow our students to be successful at getting jobs, and they seem to be equipped very well for a wide range of jobs.

- If you're thinking of applying, do it. Absolutely do it. It's been one of the best decisions that I've made.

>>SARA: St Andrews really isn't a place to be afraid of, but going to college is scary, because you don't know what you're gonna have when you get there, but it's really great here because it's so easy to feel like you have everything.

Course information

The BSc in Cell Biology is a four-year course run by the School of Biology. Students are provided with high-tech equipment, laboratories and expertise to facilitate learning and to develop the skillset of a modern cell biologist.

In the first two years of your degree you will be introduced to core material relevant to all biology degree programmes such as animal and plant biology, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics. Alongside Cell Biology in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.

In third year, there is a shift from core, broad-themed modules to more specialised modules that allow students to prepare for their Honours degree. In fourth year students continue specific research in their chosen area through student-led, inquiry-based learning as well as a final research project.

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.

Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.

Centres of research within the School of Biology offer students the experience of working alongside experts and the opportunity to develop their own research in Honours years.

These facilities include:

The Scottish Oceans Institute houses a modern aquarium and laboratories for molecular, developmental and physiological studies of marine systems. The institute is ideally placed on the seashore near grey and common seal colonies and bottlenose dolphin feeding areas.
The Centre for Biological Diversity has excellent facilities for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary research on small animals (including birds, insects and fish) and on plants.
The Biomedical Sciences Research Complex offers large multi-group laboratories which focused on structural biology, molecular microbiology, virology, chemical biology, cell biology and molecular medicine.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours) you will take the required modules in Cell Biology alongside modules in at least one other subject.

Typically, you will take core Cell Biology modules during your first two years, and advanced modules during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).

Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.

In first year, modules introduce you to core subject material relevant to all biology degree programmes. Both of the following modules are compulsory.

Biology 1: provides an introduction to molecular and cellular biology. It covers cell diversity and the origins of life, cellular structures and fundamental processes.
Biology 2: provides an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth and addresses key elements of organismal and ecological aspects of life.

In second year, modules are chosen which will best prepare you for your intended degree (or group of possible degrees) and new topics are introduced in some second-year modules such as evolutionary biology and ecology. Students intending to study Cell Biology at Honours level must take the following modules:

Cell Biology: introduces the concept of ‘a cell’, moving on to discuss different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
Cell Systems: explores how cells interact with one another to form complex tissues and organisms.
Research Methods in Biology: develops essential academic and transferable skills, with major emphasis on problem solving. This is achieved through a combination of interactive lectures, independent data-handling workshops and group work on a mini research project.

and one of:

Applied Molecular Biology: examines case studies to provide examples of how molecular biology techniques are applied in research to address real-life questions and problems.
Biochemistry: a number of central metabolic pathways and their control are studied in detail, alongside examples of their importance in disease and recent metabolomic studies.
Molecular Biology: provides an introduction to modern molecular biology, covering fundamental biological processes such as transcription, translation, DNA replication and repair.

In third year, you will continue to specialise in Cell Biology via a wide range of modules covering core topics. Modules that have been offered in previous years include:

Gene Regulation
Genes, Cells and Development
Infection and Disease
Membranes and Cell Communication
Protein Structure and Function.

In fourth year, you will study your chosen subject area at a deeper scientific level and will also have the opportunity to select from a wide range of small, group-specialised modules. These modules are taught by academics at the forefront of their discipline.

In this year, students also undertake a substantial final-year research project. This research project is designed to develop skills in experimental design and problem-solving, the evaluation and interpretation of data, and communication skills. The project occupies half of the year and is supervised by a member of academic staff.

The compulsory modules listed here must be taken in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules appropriate to the programme for the current academic year can be found in the programme requirements.

Teaching

Teaching format

The BSc in Cell Biology is taught through a combination of:

lectures
seminars
tutorials
practical classes
field work
research projects.

Typical class sizes:

First year: lectures 250 to 330 students, practicals 80 to 100 students
Second year: lectures 80 to 175 students, practicals 40 to 60 students
Third year: lectures 20 to 140 students, practicals 20 to 60 students
Fourth year: 5 to 25 students per module

The practical elements of the course taught in the laboratory and in the field enable you to learn the wide range of skills required of a modern biologist. Students are provided with teaching microscopes and are taught in state-of-the-art teaching laboratories. Alongside the development of practical biological skills, students are also given the opportunity to expand on their presentation and IT skills.

Fourth-year teaching differs from the typical lecture, seminar and tutorial format which students will experience from years one to three. Fourth year allows you to focus on a major project which occupies half of the year. Working on this project will enable you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees. The project can also lead to your first publication in a scientific journal.

When not attending lectures, tutorials and other timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:

working on individual and group projects
undertaking research in the library or in PC classrooms
preparing coursework assignments and presentations
preparing for examinations.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team with expertise and knowledge of Cell Biology. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of laboratory classes and seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

You can find contact information for all biology staff on the School of Biology’s website.

In addition to your studies in the School of Biology, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University.

The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.

Assessment

During first and second year, all modules are assessed by an equal weighting of coursework and written examinations.

In third year, most modules give a higher weighting to examinations, and in fourth year some modules are entirely assessed by coursework, while others still include written examinations in addition to coursework.

Most examinations are held at the end of the semester during a dedicated exam diet and revision time is provided beforehand.

The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. Please note that some Schools offer qualified entry to Honours, and this will be clearly specified in the programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

Meet us online

If you're interested in studying at St Andrews, join us on a visiting day or online information session to find out about our courses, how to apply, and to meet current students.

Virtual visiting days

Fees

Tuition fees for entry

Home-funded	£1820
RUK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) and Republic of Ireland	£9250
Islands (Channel Islands, Isle of Man)	£9250
EU and overseas	£26350

For overseas students, tuition fees will be fixed at this level for the duration of your programme.

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Your future

Careers

Graduates with a Cell Biology degree are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies.

Biology graduates have found success in a wide variety of careers including:

researchers in academia and the pharmaceutical, biomedical industries
researchers and advisers in government
journalists
advisers, researchers and managers in the National Health Service
teachers
forensic scientists
management consultants
marketing and advertising experts.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Study abroad

Biology students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to apply to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.

Student life

The University of St Andrews offers an array of events and opportunities which result in a truly unique student experience. Students participate in a range of traditions, notably, the red academic gown and the academic family, where older students adopt first-year students as ‘children’ and help guide them in a system of mentoring. These traditions, and the choice of over 150 sports clubs and student societies to choose from, ensure a community feel amongst students from first year onwards.

Students of Cell Biology may be interested in joining the popular student-run Biology Society, which organises regular social meetups and biology-related events throughout the year.

Cell Biology students have lectures and practicals in purpose-built facilities on the North Haugh. Also at the North Haugh, students can study and access library resources at the JF Allen Science Library. The Bell Pettigrew Museum in the Bute building houses a spectacular zoology collection which includes the arrangement of species to show evolutionary relationships between animals.

The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As University buildings are located throughout the town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings, parks and beaches, providing a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. Find out more about the town of St Andrews.

Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.

A big motivation of mine for studying at St Andrews was the excellent research that is being carried out. As a biologist with the aim of going into research, it was important to me that the university had the facilities and people that would drive me in that direction. I love how personal the teaching style is here – students are welcome to chat to the lecturers and they are always happy to help.

Rebekka (Vienna, Austria)

Rebekka head shot from biology testimonial

Contact

School of Biology
University of St Andrews
Biomedical Sciences Research Complex
North Haugh
St Andrews
KY16 9ST

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 3401
Email: biology@st-andrews.ac.uk

School of Biology website

Policies

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.

Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.