Modules

In this section you will find the full description for each module on each year of your degree course or taught postgraduate programme.

The lists are divided into the year of the degree programme in which the modules are normally taken. Note that the module codes beginning BIO1XXX indicate a Stage 1 module, BIO2XXX Stage 2, BIO3XXX Stage 3, and BIOMXXX a Postgraduate level module.

If you have any queries about a module's content, please contact the module lead. For queries about timetabling or choosing modules, please contact info.peterchalk@exeter.ac.uk (Streatham Campus) or info.penryn@exeter.ac.uk (Penryn Campus).

Module descriptions

• Academic year 2023/24
• Academic year 2022/23
• Academic year 2021/22
• Academic year 2020/21
• Academic year 2019/20
• Academic year 2018/19
• Academic year 2017/18

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Programmes

If you have any queries about any of the programme specifications then please contact a member of the education team on info.peterchalk@exeter.ac.uk (Streatham Campus) or info.penryn@exeter.ac.uk (Penryn Campus).

Programme specifications

• Academic year: 2023/24
• Academic year: 2022/23
• Academic year: 2021/22
• Academic year: 2020/21
• Academic year: 2019/20
• Academic year: 2018/19
• Academic year: 2017/18
• Academic year: 2016/17
• Academic year: 2015/16

Study abroad

Students on these programmes spend the third year of a four-year degree studying at an exchange university partner. The student enrols as a full-time student at one of our partner universities to spend one year living and studying there.

Our Exchange Partner Universities

We have over 30 exchange partner universities around the world including Europe, North America, the Far East and Australia. An up-to-date list of ever-increasing partners may be found here: Where can I study abroad?

All of our partners offer approved training in bioscience subjects and also include:

• new opportunities (e.g. palaeontology, icthiopathology, volcanology)
• programmes with specialisms (e.g. biochemistry, natural sciences)
• courses with local expertise (e.g. shark biology, rock mountain ecology)

Students are also encouraged to choose subjects outside science for a (programme-specific) fraction of each term.  Scuba diving, comparative theology, photography, astronomy, performance, classical music are a few recent choices by Exeter students.

The choice of university is a personal one and depends upon your academic pursuits and what constitutes a character-building adventure for you. A near-complete list of considerations, along with collected information from past students are given on the Go Abroad website.

Admission and Application

All Bioscience programmes have a Study Abroad counterpart programme. Entry to a Biosciences study abroad programme requires you to apply during your UCAS application.  However, you may apply to transfer to a study abroad programme at the end of the first year of a three-year programme whilst studying at Exeter. Please note that transfer is not guaranteed.  Permission to take part in Study Abroad in all cases will depend on your academic progress and the places available in your chosen country.

The selection of your host institution starts at the beginning of a student's second year. Students should refer to the international office how-to-apply pages. The international office works in collaboration with the study abroad tutors to manage the placement process.

Assessment

The year abroad is assessed entirely by the host institution who provide a transcript of your studies. Students should keep as evidence of their study. Grades will be translated back to an Exeter percentage and classification according to a predetermined conversion (see programme-specific links below).

More Information

The international office contains up-to-date information on the choice of institution and application process.  They may be contacted by email, telephone or 15-minute consultation on campus.

For programme-specific information, current students should visit the associated ELE page or contact the associated study abroad tutor as outlined below.

Streatham campus programmes

Contact: Dr Sam Stevens

Penryn campus programmes

Contact: Dr Sarah Hodge

Flexible Combined Honours programmes

Contact: Dr Marion Gibson

Placements

Our professional placement programmes are available to enhance the student experience through a year-long placement within industry or another organisation undertaking an agreed project, within or allied to Biological Sciences.  These placements are very varied, and include marine conservation, cell biology, drug design, medical affairs, drug safety, clinical research, industrial microbiology and biofuels research.

Currently, Biosciences students are in placements at:

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Dartmoor Zoological Park
• National Marine Aquarium
• Shell, Houston
• Argonaut Therapeutics Ltd
• Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)
• Worthing Hospital, Sussex
• Anthony Nolan
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
• MedImmune
• Johnson & Johnson
• Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

 Find out more about the professional placement programmes.

Handbooks

Here you can find the handbooks for current students in the School of Biosciences:

Undergraduate students‌‌

• Streatham Campus Undergraduate student handbook

Postgraduate students

• Streatham Campus Postgraduate taught (MSc) handbook
• CLES PGR Student Handbook

Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC)

We are committed to enabling all students to communicate their views and to receiving suggestions to influence changes to our policies and procedures.

Biosciences has an undergraduate and postgraduate Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC), which gives you the opportunity to voice your opinions about studying with us and to comment on a wide range of issues and possible developments.

The SSLC is presided over by Subject Chairs (a student elected by the Students’ Guild) and composed of elected student representatives from each year and programme and appropriate staff representatives. Training for Subject Chairs is provided by either the Students’ Guild or FXU depending on whether you are based in Cornwall or Exeter. A standard agenda is provided by the Taught Faculty, and minute taking is provided by the discipline Administrator. 

Find out more on the Students' Guild website

Forms

Forms and documents

Here you will find links to forms and documents available to current students and staff in Biosciences.

Streatham-based undergraduate and taught postgraduate students should refer to resources available on the Streatham Student Office ELE page. Further enquiries, including requests to change modules, should be addressed to info.peterchalk@exeter.ac.uk.

Penryn-based undergraduate and taught postgraduate students should refer to resources available on the Education Support Services Cornwall ELE page. Further enquiries, including requests to change modules, should be addressed to info.penryn@exeter.ac.uk.

Undergraduate study

• Applying for mitigation
• Undergraduate Degrees and Awards Assessment Procedures

Postgraduate study

• Applying for mitigation
• Postgraduate Degrees and Awards Assessment Procedures‌

Health and safety

Health and Safety information, including risk assessments and the Biosciences Code of Practice, can be accessed here.

Students with a safety-related query should contact their personal tutor or module lead as appropriate.