Course Options and Advice

Information on programmes and course choices.

Degree programme structure

Students take 120 credits in each year of an honours programme (60 credits in each of the two semesters).

 

All students taking Biological Sciences complete Years 1 and 2 (the pre-honours years) on the same programme. At the end of Year 2, students choose on of the 12 specialised honours degree programmes in Biological Sciences, which are:

 

  • Biochemistry
  • Biotechnology
  • Cell Biology
  • Development, Regeneration and Stem Cells
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Molecular Genetics
  • Plant Sciences
  • Zoology

 

We also have students taking the Biological Sciences with Management programme, or our integrated masters programme, the MBiol. 

 

In each year of the degree, there will be compulsory courses and elective (optional) courses. Some courses are recommended or required for different degree specialisms. Guidance will be provided each year to help you find your way through these choices.

Year 1 students will be automatically registered for our four compulsory courses and two recommended courses:  

Compulsory Year 1 courses for all Biological Sciences students:

Recommended Year 1 courses for BIological Sciences students:

For students taking Biological sciences with Management:

You must take 40 credits of compulsory business courses (instead of the Biological Chemistry courses).

Altering your recommended optional courses:

Chemistry underpins many biological concepts, which is why we recommend you take Biological Chemistry, particularly if you haven't taken Advanced Higher Chemistry (or equivalent). For students without an Advanced Higher (or equivalent) we recommend taking both Biological Chemistry 1A and Biological Chemistry 1B. For many students with a strong background in Chemistry from high school, just taking Biological Chemistry 1B is enough.

Taking courses other than Biological Chemistry 1A/1B is possible. In general, Year 1 is the best time to take outside courses. You must check that any outside course will not create clashes on your timetable with your compulsory courses, that it is at the appropriate level and that you meet any pre-requisites.

You can discuss your course choices with your Student Adviser or Cohort Lead during Welcome Week. 


Students will be registered for our three compulsory Year 2 courses:

Additional course choices:

You will need to take 60 credits of other Level 08 courses during Year 2. Students taking the With Management programme will need to include Business courses. More information can be found in the "Guide for students entering Year 2 or 3". 

We offer a variety of courses in the School that you can choose to take. Some of these are recommended for particular honours programmes in Year 3. 

During Semester 2 of Year 1, we will host a meeting for the whole year group, at which the Director of Teaching will provide more information on what to expect in Year 2 and how to choose courses that will lead towards your preferred honours specialism in subsequent years. 

You can discuss course options with your Student Adviser or Cohort Lead.


Honours programme choice

At the end of Year 2, Biological Sciences students will have selected which honours programme to follow (and your degree programme will be updated accordingly). You will also be asked for your choice of honours programme, ranking your choices. You will be placed in the highest ranked programmes for which you are qualified by the Progression Board (which meets in June and in September).   

Students following the Biological Sciences with Management programme or the MBiol will not change programme, but will nonetheless indicate which areas of Biology are of most interest (this is so that we can make sure you take a coherent set of courses that leads towards an honours project in Year 4).

 

Year 3 course choices

Each honours programme has a set of Level 09 courses that must be taken and passed in Year 3. You will be automatically enrolled for these compulsory courses. 

There are recommended courses for each programme, and you can decide on other courses to take. More information can be found in the "Guide for students entering Year 2 or 3". 

During Semester 2 of Year 2, we will host a meeting for the whole year group, at which the Director of Teaching will provide more information on what to expect in Year 3 and how to choose courses and choose your preferred honours specialism. 

You can discuss course options with your Student Adviser or Cohort Lead.


All students admitted to Year 4 (the Senior Honours year) will be automatically registered for the compulsory courses for their honours programme. This will include the Honours Research Project course associated with your programme. Some honours programmes have additional compulsory courses. View the Year 4 section of the DRPS for your programme for details. 

You will also need to choose elective courses. You will receive an email toward the end of Year 3 to a form you will use to choose your honours electives. You will be asked to choose more electives than your programme requires you to take (ranked), then we will try to give you your top choices wherever possible. Before you need to make these decisions, there will be a meeting of all students in Semester 2 of Year 3, at which the Director of Teaching will tell you more about what to expect in Year 4 (you will also hear preliminary information about honours projects, which will form a large part of your Senior Honours year). We will also provide you with a Senior Honours Guide that outlines the elective courses available and details how students on each programme should make their selection.

Students taking With Management will be asked which Business courses they wish to take in Year 4. Students on the With Management programme and the MBiol programme will take an honours project and associated courses that aligns with their preferred Biology specialism.


For students taking MBiol, the fifth and final year will primarily focus on an independent research project working in a profesional area of your choice. The project will take between 9 and 12 months. You have the option to:

  • work in a research laboratory at the University of Edinburgh
  • work in a research laboratory at another University or research institution (in the UK or abroad)
  • opt for a year-long placement in a relevant industry

You will be able to practice, and continue to develop, your practical and research skills in a professional environment.


  • Students intending to take Honours in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology or Plant Sciences will be required to attend field courses in Year 4 (and sometimes in earlier years - for example students who take Field Zoology 3 in Year 3 or Field Ecology between Years 1 and 2).
  • Usually all programmes will attend a Residential or Field Course in Year 4.
  • All Residential and Field Courses will incur an additional charge (to assist the School in paying for your food, for example).  

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