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Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology


BSc Biology: First year
Code Module name Credits
BL1101 Biology 1 20 AND
BL1102 Biology 2 20 AND
Remaining credits from Level 1000 options

Further requirements

Choose 120 credits in the academic year


BSc Biology: Second year
Code Module name Credits
^ BL2300 Research Methods in Biology 15 AND
^ View list 45 credits from Module List: BL2000 - BL2099, BL2301 - BL2310 AND
BL2301 Cell Biology 15
BL2302 Molecular Biology 15
BL2303 Evolutionary Biology 15
BL2304 Invertebrate Zoology 15
BL2305 Cell Systems 15
BL2306 Biochemistry 15
BL2307 Ecology 15
BL2308 Vertebrate Zoology 15
BL2309 Applied Molecular Biology 15
BL2310 Comparative Physiology 15
Note:
- Not all modules are available in every academic year and/or semester
- Individual modules may have requisites to satisfy to be eligible to select them

For further details, see the module catalogue entry for each individual module above
Remaining credits from Levels 1000 and 2000 options

Further requirements

Choose 120 credits in the academic year
Choose a minimum of 80 Level 2000 credits

Automatic entry to Honours requires

  • pass and have an average grade 11 or better in modules marked ^

Entry to Honours

Students who meet the requirements specified above, and who meet all other programme requirements, will be given automatic entry into Honours programmes.

See: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/teaching-and-learning/policies/honsentry.pdf )

BSc Honours

The general requirements are 480 credits over a period of normally four years (and not more than five years) or part-time equivalent, of which the final two years form an approved Honours programme of 240 credits, of which 90 credits are at 4000 level and at least a further 120 credits at 3000 and/or 4000 levels.


BSc Biology: Third year
Code Module name Credits
BL3320 Statistical and Quantitative Skills for Biologists 10 AND
( BL3000 Field Course 10 OR
BL3321 Advanced Critical Analysis Reading Party 10 OR
BL3322 Basic Biochemistry Laboratory 10 ) AND
View list 100 credits from Module List: BL3301 - BL3319, BL3323, PN3312 - PN3313
BL3301 Protein Structure and Function 20
BL3302 Gene Regulation 20
BL3303 Membranes and Cell Communication 20
BL3307 Evolution 20
BL3308 Aquatic Ecology 20
BL3309 Ecosystems and Conservation 20
BL3310 Bioenergetics 20
BL3311 Infection and Disease 20
BL3315 Developmental Biology 20
BL3316 Animal Plant Interactions 20
BL3318 Biology of Marine Organisms 20
BL3319 Animal Behaviour: A Quantitative Approach 20
BL3323 Terrestrial Zoology 20
PN3312 Pharmacology 20
PN3313 Neuroscience 20
Note:
- Not all modules are available in every academic year and/or semester
- Individual modules may have requisites to satisfy to be eligible to select them

For further details, see the module catalogue entry for each individual module above

Further requirements

Choose 120 credits in academic year


BSc Biology: Fourth year
Code Module name Credits
( BL4200 Literature-based Research Project 30 OR
BL4201 Experimental Research Project 60 ) AND
View list Between 30 and 90 credits from Module List: BL4210 - BL4301, ID4001, PN4230 - PN4231, PN4234 - PN4235 AND
BL4210 Practical Skills for Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 15
BL4211 Antimicrobials - Mode of Action and Resistance 15
BL4212 How Enzymes Work 15
BL4213 Molecular Virology 15
BL4215 Bacterial Virulence Factors 15
BL4216 Structure-based Drug Discovery 15
BL4220 Geomicrobiology - from Gold Mines to Global Warming, how Microbes influence our Planet 15
BL4222 Metabolic and Clinical Biochemistry 15
BL4223 Molecular and cell biology of eukaryotic DNA replication 15
BL4224 Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Trafficking 15
BL4225 Advanced Microscopy and Image Analysis - Seeing is Believing 15
BL4226 Chromatin and Genome Stability 15
BL4230 Neurodegeneration and Aging 15
BL4231 Neuromodulation 15
BL4232 Neuroethology 15
BL4234 Synaptic Transmission 15
BL4235 Motoneurons: From Physiology to Pathology 15
BL4248 Human Physiology of Diving 15
BL4249 Scientific Diving 15
BL4251 Tropical Marine Biology 15
BL4254 Fisheries Research 15
BL4255 Marine and Environmental Biotechnology 15
BL4256 Marine Bioacoustics 15
BL4258 Foraging in Marine Mammals 15
BL4259 Marine Mammals and Man 15
BL4260 Biological Oceanography 15
BL4262 Environmental Drivers of Marine Habitats 15
BL4263 The Question of Culture in Cetaceans 15
BL4266 Conservation Research Methods 15
BL4268 Science Communication of Biodiversity and Conservation 15
BL4270 Plant-environment Interactions 15
BL4273 Bioinformatics for Biologists 15
BL4274 Evolutionary Developmental Biology 15
BL4275 Evolution in Action 15
BL4278 Biology of Dinosaurs and Other Extinct Vertebrates 15
BL4280 Evolution and Human Behaviour 15
BL4281 Animal Communication and Cognition 15
BL4282 Biology and Behaviour of Social Insects 15
BL4284 Breeding Systems and Sexual Conflict 15
BL4285 Complex Systems in Animal Behaviour 15
BL4286 Advanced Topics in Evolution 15
BL4288 Major Review Paper in Evolutionary Biology 15
BL4289 Animal Cognition 15
BL4301 Polar Ecology: A field course in Antarctica 15
ID4001 Communication and Teaching in Science 15
PN4230 Neurodegeneration and Aging 15
PN4231 Neuromodulation 15
PN4234 Synaptic Transmission 15
PN4235 Motoneurons: From Physiology to Pathology 15
BL5440 Major Review Paper in Evolutionary Biology 15
BL5441 Animal Cognition 15
BL5442 Advanced Biological Statistics 15
Note:
- Not all modules are available in every academic year and/or semester
- Individual modules may have requisites to satisfy to be eligible to select them

For further details, see the module catalogue entry for each individual module above
View list Between 0 and 30 credits from Restricted Module List: BL5440 - BL5442
BL5440 Major Review Paper in Evolutionary Biology 15
BL5441 Animal Cognition 15
BL5442 Advanced Biological Statistics 15
Note:
- Not all modules are available in every academic year and/or semester
- Individual modules may have requisites to satisfy to be eligible to select them

For further details, see the module catalogue entry for each individual module above

Further requirements

Choose 120 credits in academic year


Other information

With the permission of the Director of Teaching up to 20 credits per programme may be taken in a module outwith the specified modules in all School of Biology Programmes. Where there are choices between modules in the programmes, some options may have pre-requisites therefore the 1000- and 2000-level modules taken may limit choices. The availability of 4000-level modules in the School of Biology will be dependent on sufficient student demand.

Study abroad

In the case of students who spend part of the Honours programme on a recognised Study Abroad scheme, the Programme Requirements will be amended to take into account overseas courses which are approved by the relevant St Andrews School in the Learning Agreement (see www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/study-abroad/academic ).