Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year, BSc (Hons) / MSci (Hons)

Clearing is open!

Apply now
Students in lab

This course is available through Clearing

Clearing Help and Support 0808 175 3071

Course Overview

BSc Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year – UCAS Code B146

BSc Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year and a Year Abroad – UCAS Code B10C

MSci Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year – UCAS Code B1MF

If you’re interested in medical sciences but don’t have the required entry qualifications to join our BSc programme or are a mature student returning to education, our BSc with a Foundation Year is the right course for you.

The foundation year of this four-year course will introduce you to the key concepts and knowledge you need to progress to the BSc in Applied Medical Sciences. Following successful completion of the Foundation Year with at least a 60% overall average, students will progress onto Year 1 of the BSc. Students may also progress onto Year 1 of the Medical Pharmacology BSc programme (B210) or Population Health and Medical Sciences BSc programme (B211).

You will cover the fundamentals of biological chemistry, metabolism and homeostasis, microbiology and disease, molecular biology, data handling and analysis, and laboratory skills.

Progressing to the full BSc programme, you will gain a thorough grounding in the science underpinning modern medicine, studying a wide range of topics including human anatomy and physiology, cell biology, genetics, pharmacology, and neuroscience, together with their clinical and applied relevance.

You will develop an in-depth understanding of how the human body works, what happens when it goes wrong, how we currently treat disorders, and the potential for novel therapeutics.

Why Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year at Swansea?

A combination of compulsory and optional modules gives you the scope to tailor your studies to your particular interests, career aspirations, or plans for post-graduate study.

You will benefit from access to the state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities at the Medical School, including the anatomy suite and research laboratories. Swansea University’s BSc in Applied Medical Sciences is one of the only undergraduate programmes of its kind in the UK that offers Year 1 students experience of cadaver-based anatomy. You will also join the Medical School’s dynamic research community when completing your final year research project. 

This course provides a comprehensive grounding relevant to careers in lab research, medicine and commercial enterprise in the life sciences.  We have 3 Employability strands to choose from in your second year (subject to eligibility):  Medical Science in Practice, Enterprise and Innovation, and Medical Science in Research.

Our 4-year BSc degree is part of our ‘Medical Science in Practice’ Pathway to Medicine programme. Provided you meet the minimum entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine, and have successfully completed the Pathway, you will be guaranteed an interview for our flagship Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBCh course, which is consistently ranked top 5 in the UK.

Your Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year Experience

You can choose to study Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year as a:

  • 4-year BSc,
  • 5-year BSc with a year abroad, or a
  • 5-year MSci with an integrated master’s level qualification

On successful completion of the Foundation Year, and providing you meet the entry requirements, you will have the choice to proceed on to your choice of BSc or MSci degree in Applied Medical Sciences.

Studying the 4-year BSc, you will undertake a mix of compulsory and optional modules, giving you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your particular interests, career ambitions, or plans for further study.

Adding a year abroad, as part of the 5-year BSc option, will allow you to add invaluable international experience to your CV while building intercultural communication skills that will improve your ability to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds. 

If you choose the MSci programme, after completing your foundation year, you will proceed onto a 4-year programme including an integrated master’s degree, with the extra year spent undertaking a research project.

Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year Employment Opportunities

With a strong entrepreneurial and innovation slant, our BSc in Applied Medical Sciences is ideal if you are interested in a career in emerging science, product development, pharmaceuticals, or biotechnology.

It also provides an excellent base for graduate entry into more clinically focused studies, including medicine, post-graduate research or Physician Associate Studies.

Examples of careers that graduates in this area have progressed to are included below:

  • Biomedical/NHS/clinical scientist (with further study/training)
  • Biotechnologist
  • Clinical data analyst/epidemiologist
  • Forensic scientist (with further study)
  • Medical doctor (with further study of a Graduate Entry Medicine degree)
  • Microbiologist
  • Pharmacologist/drug development roles
  • Physician Associate (with further study)
  • Product development or quality assurance in industry
  • Research scientist (may require further study such as a MSc or PhD)
  • Roles in industry, academia, or government laboratories such as Senior Scientist or Technical Expert
  • Science writer
  • Secondary school teacher (with further study)
  • Toxicologist

Modules

The 4-Year BSc structure is as follows:

In the foundation year you will learn the basics of human biology, biological chemistry, data handling and laboratory practice.

Year 2 is made up of compulsory modules covering human physiology, molecular genetics and microbiology.

In Year 3, you will choose from one of three Employability Strands (subject to eligibility): 

  • Medical Science in Practice - Are you interested in the contemporary practice of medicine in the UK? Do you want to learn more about the day-to-day role of a doctor? Led by one of Wales’ leading clinical educators, this strand provides students with an insight into these topics. If you meet the criteria, this option can help you to secure an interview for our Graduate Entry Medicine programme.
  • Medical Science in Research - Are you keen to answer the unanswered questions of the medical sciences and contribute knowledge to the scientific community? Through this pathway, you will learn how to perform, communicate, and critique research to fill important knowledge gaps. Many of our BSc students have progressed to postgraduate research programmes at MSc or PhD level, at Swansea University, or other UK or international institutions.
  • Enterprise and Innovation - If you would prefer to focus on translating ideas into real-world benefits, this option teaches you how to apply your knowledge to creatively develop new products and services. Students on this pathway may have the opportunity to complete summer placements in industry. You will also study specialised topics including infectious diseases, human immunology, neuroscience, and genetics.

In your third year, you will complete an independent research project under the guidance of a professional research scientist. Students have conducted projects in a broad range of areas, from novel treatments for leukaemia to giant viruses, to analysis of hospital data and applying virtual reality in healthcare. You will also study modules in areas such as reproductive biology, nanotoxicology and cancer pharmacology.

If you choose to undertake a year abroad, this will take place between the third and fourth years of study listed above. If you choose to study the MSci equivalent, you will study the four years above, followed by an additional year at master’s level, consisting of an independent research project.

Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year, BSc (Hons)

Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year, MSci (Hons)

Applied Medical Sciences with a Foundation Year and Abroad, BSc (Hons)