Biology Courses

About Biology

Biology is the scientific study of living organisms including animals, plants, humans and microorganisms. It helps us to understand the way different species function, interact and evolve. Biological breakthroughs such as the mapping of the human genome and the creation of stem cells have had a major impact on our lives, and advances in biology have also led to improved food security, new medicines, vaccines and a better understanding of climate change.

Keen to study this fascinating subject? There are many different branches of biology to choose from, including genomics, biotechnology, microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, ecology, zoology, biochemistry and more.

What kind of careers could a biology course lead to?

When it comes to career options, you’ll have plenty of choices if you study biology. Most of the roles on offer fall into one of the following areas:

Science and research

• Biochemist
• Botanist
• Forensic scientist
• Epidemiologist
• Environmental scientist
• Research scientist
• Biologist
• Forensic scientist
• Zoologist
• Geneticist
• Ecologist

Medicine and healthcare 

• Nurse
• Healthcare assistant
• Doctor
• Pharmacist
• Dentist 
• Dental hygienist
• Healthcare assistant

Allied health

• Radiographer
• Paramedic
• Podiatrist
• Occupational Therapist
• Orthoptist
• Physiotherapist
• Dietitian
• Osteopath
• Speech and Language Therapist

Engineering

• Biomedical engineer
• Environmental engineer
• Biological engineer

How can I kickstart my biology-related career?

The entry requirements for biology-related careers vary widely. While some jobs require a degree, others are accessible with GCSE’s or A-Levels.

GCSE level career options

There are lots of biology-related careers you can access without a degree. For example, if you’ve got 4-5 GCSES including science subjects, you could become a student paramedic with an ambulance service trust. If a career in nursing appeals, you could start by working as a health care assistant, then complete a shortened nursing degree or a degree apprenticeship.

Here are some other careers you could opt for if you’ve completed your GCSE’s:

• Pharmacy assistant
• Occupational therapy support worker
• Dental nurse
• Veterinary nurse
• Physiotherapy assistant
• Radiography assistant
• Speech and language therapy assistant
• Botanical horticulturist
• Dietetic assistant

A level career options

If you’ve studied 2-3 subjects (including biology) at A-Level, or you have an equivalent level 3 qualification, you’ll have extra options when it comes to qualifying for your chosen career. For example, if you’re keen to become a paramedic, you could apply for a foundation degree, an honours degree or a diploma of higher education in Paramedic Science. If you’ve studied other science subjects as well as biology, you’ll be eligible to apply for a range of approved vocational degrees in areas like medicine, psychology, veterinary science, pharmacy and zoology.

Degree apprenticeships

 Degree apprenticeships are another excellent option if you’ve completed your A-Levels, particularly if you’d find it hard to survive on student loans. While these aren’t available for every career, the number of biology-related degree apprenticeships is growing every year. Roles you could train for include:

• Operating department practitioner
• Audiologist
• Speech and language therapist
• Healthcare scientist
• Medial engineer
• Occupational therapist
• Medical photographer
• Environmental practitioner
• Ecologist
• Bioinformatics scientist