Biological Sciences study guide 2024/25
What you can study
Biological Sciences at Bristol is distinct: we cover all aspects of biological life, from genes and cells to populations and ecosystems. Our focus on animals, plants and microbes covers the molecular to the ecological, reflecting how interdisciplinary modern biology has become.
You will find units on:
- evolutionary biology
- animal behaviour and sensory biology
- plant and agricultural sciences
- ecology and environmental change
Pre-requisites
At UK universities, students specialise from their first year and rarely take units outside their degree subject. This means that:
- Year 1 units are suitable for all students.
- Year 2 units require some university study in the discipline.
- Year 3 units require a strong background in the discipline.
Year 1
Pre-requisites: suitable for all students
Teaching Block 1
- Diversity of Life Part A - BIOL10010
- Life Processes Part A - BIOL10009
Teaching Block 2
- Current Topics in Biology - BIOL10001
- Diversity of Life Part B - BIOL10007
- Life Processes Part B - BIOL10008
Year 2
Pre-requisites: some university study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Evolutionary Biology - BIOL20028
- Molecular Genetics - BIOL20015
- Quantitative and Computational Methods - BIOL20020
Teaching Block 2
- Animal and Plant Physiology - BIOL20022
- Animal Behaviour - BIOL20023
- Cell and Developmental Biology - BIOL20024
- Ecology and Conservation - BIOL20025
- Neuroethology - BIOL20026
- Plants and Planet - BIOL20021
Year 3
Pre-requisites: strong background of study in the discipline.
Year 3 Biological Sciences units all run in Teaching Block 2 (spring semester).
- Animal Communication and Cognition - BIOL30018
- Blue Planet - BIOL30020
- Evolution: from Genomes to Biodiversity - BIOL30021
- Plants and Sustainable Food Production - BIOL30023
- Staying Alive: the Sensory and Behavioural Biology of Survival - BIOL30024
- The Future of the Green Planet - BIOL30022
Application queries
Contact the Centre for Study Abroad inbound team if you have any queries about the application process for the study abroad programmes:
Phone: +44 117 39 40207
Email: cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk