Courses by year

A breakdown of the structure of the Natural Sciences degrees.

degree structure of the natural sciences programme

Each year of study at UCL is composed of different modules.  A typical "single" module is worth 15 credits and every year you will take courses which total to 120 credits of study (e.g. 8 x 15 credits). A 15 credit module is expected to make up 150 hours of study, be that contact time in lectures, laboratory, seminars, tutorials or computer classes, private study in the evenings or weekends as well as assessment time, revision and a final exam if applicable. The first year of the Natural Sciences programme is made up of eight 15 credit modules, four in the first term and four in the second.  In later years the split between modules over the two terms may not perfectly balanced and some modules may also run over both the first and second terms.  Most modules you will take at UCL are single 15 credit modules, but some 30 credit modules do exist (typically for modules with both lectures and laboratory work in subjects like Chemistry) as well as larger modules (typically for research projects in the fourth year).

You can find the term dates on the Life at UCL website, a typical term is composed of five weeks of study, followed by one reading week and then another five weeks of study in each of the first and second terms and a final, shorter, third term for examinations.  Term dates for the 2023-24 academic year can be found here.

Below is the overall structure of the programme in each year, if you want to see what you could be studying in each stream, check out the core streams page.

The first term of the first year is comprised of students taking three "foundation courses" that introduce them to the broad scientific areas offered on each stream. Students choose these courses during induction week and take them for the duration of the first term. They decide which two subject areas students will follow on into streams during the first term. 

The six foundation modules currently offered are:

In the second term of the first year, you will take two modules in each of your chosen streams.  Note that all assessments (including coursework and examinations) must be taken for the eight modules taken in year one (including in the foundation module area that you did not continue in).

It is not always possible to switch between streams after the first term, as the streams are designed to ensure that the prerequisites for higher-level courses have been completed.  

The second year of study marks the continued consolidation of the two stream areas chosen. Both streams have equal weighting, amounting to 45 credits of study per stream. 

One notable flexibility of the Natural Sciences degree at UCL is that students have the option (timetable permitting) to pick 15 credits on an elective module during the second year of the programme.  Often students take modules related to their streams; however, examples of modules from outside main subject areas of study have in the past included modern foreign languages, management, history of art, economics, and anthropology. Students have the option to take a course that is at first- or second-year level, subject to space on the module and timetabling not clashing with core modules. 

Towards the end of the second year, you will choose which one of your streams you want to have as a major stream and which as a minor*, which can affect some of the third-year stream module choices.

*Note that almost every stream combination allows either stream to be a major or minor; the exception to this is mathematics and statistics, which can only be a minor stream.

The third year of the Natural Sciences degree marks the start of increased specialisation.  After choosing one of their streams as a major stream, students take 75 credits in this field in the third year, with the remaining 45 credits in the minor stream. The major stream's 75 credits comprise 60 credits of taught courses and a 15-credit literature review.  

Students have the opportunity to finish with a BSc in Natural Sciences after the third year or continue on into the fourth year of study to study for an MSci in Natural Sciences.  To progress to year 4 of the MSci programme, you must have a 3rd-year average of 60% or better and a nominal BSc award of an upper second or better. Students who do not fulfil the required criteria to proceed at the end of the 3rd year may be considered for graduation with the award of a BSc Honours degree.

Natural sciences also offers a study abroad year.  

Building on the foundations of prerequisite courses in earlier years of the degree, the fourth year offers students the opportunity to study the most specialist courses in a range of top-rated UCL departments.

Natural Sciences students typically spend the MSci year essentially embedded in the department (or faculty research area) that corresponds to their major stream. All 120 credits in the MSci year must be taken in modules that are at the master's level. The fourth year also includes a mandatory MSci research project, which is worth 45 - 75 credits of study (depending on the discipline), as well as master's-level modules that feature in their major stream field.There is also the possibility to choose up to 30 credits of study in the minor stream area, subject to relevant prerequisites.

You will not only take subject-specific courses as part of your streams, but you will also take dedicated natural sciences only core modules in your first three years.

In year one, you will take a dedicated 15-credit mathematics module in the first term, depending on which streams you take:

You will also take a 0-credit module called Science and Society (NSCI0010). This module in the first term of year one aims to get you thinking about the role of science in society and how multi- and interdisciplinary approaches can help address global challenges. Through a variety of different assessments and reflections, you are encouraged to develop collaboration and communication skills as well as core academic skills you need to succeed at university and beyond.  Although the mark from this module appears on your transcript and academic record, it will not count towards your degree grade calculation.

In year two, you have the ability to choose one 15-credit core module from:

  • Programming for Scientists (NSCI0036) – students learn the fundamentals of coding in the Python programming language, one of the most popular programming languages which is widely used in science and other disciplines. They perform computations, analyse and present data, and make predictions and will be in a position to learn more sophisticated computational techniques, including mathematical modelling.  (Students taking Mathematics and Statistics stream take this module as part of their stream and must choose an additional core module also).
  • Science for All (NSCI0038) – students reflect on and understand inequity in science learning and in the production of scientific knowledge; and to learn about methods and practices being developed to address some of the issues. They will think about creative forms of engagement through visiting a number of sites where informal science learning may take place and learn how to conduct effective evaluations. Building on this reflective and theoretical foundation, they work in teams to plan, create, and evaluate a science outreach activity.
  • Science Communication (NSCI0039) – students will examine various forms of science communication and consider how the content of the message may be affected through communication. They will also reflect on exclusionary practices in science communication to engage with the distrust felt by some members of society towards science and scientists.  They learn how to craft effective communications for different types of audiences and explore some possible ways of challenging exclusionary practices.
  • In year three, unless you are completing a study abroad year, you will take a 15-credit Literature Project (NSCI0004) module which spans the first and second terms.  This involves undertaking a critical review of literature in a topic area agreed with a supervisor and undertaking a subject area within their major stream, producing a final report (around 3000 words). 

Natural Sciences also offers a few other modules in year three:

  • In year three, there is also the possibility for you to take a 15-credit Research Project (NSCI0026) module, which is designed principally for students who finish with a BSc but would like to undertake a research project as an undergraduate. After developing a research proposal with a supervisor, you will undertake a short research project over the course of a term and then write up a research report (maximum length 3000 words).
  • In year three, if you are on the Mathematics and Statistics stream, you will take a 15-credit module, Scientific Computing Project (NSCI0011), which looks at some of the current and contemporary computing methods employed in different scientific research fields, including models of small world networks in brain circuits and solutions to non-linear differential equations. The module may also be taken (if agreed by stream leaders) if it is relevant to your area(s) of study in other streams.

Information on all current modules can be found on the UCL Module Catalogue, as well as links to the modules timetabling, you can also find more information on timetabling on the UCL Common Timetable page.