Biological Sciences MSci
London, Bloomsbury
On this four-year integrated master’s, you’ll develop a broad base of biological scientific knowledge, before choosing a research-intensive specialist pathway, working as a member of a research group alongside world-leading biological scientists.
Important notice
-This is the course information for 2026 entry. You can now view details for the 2027 entry.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
Programme starts
September 2026Application deadline
14 Jan 2026UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAA
- Subjects
- Biology required plus one from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- ABB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- Biology at grade A required plus one from Chemistry, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
- Points
- 38
- Subjects
- A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects including Biology at grade 6 and one from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 34 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects including Biology at grade 6 and one from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, with no score below 5. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Biology required plus one from Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics
A,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher). Biology required plus one from Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics at Advanced Higher.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
On this programme, you’ll address real research questions at one of the world’s leading biological science departments, with opportunities to hone your expertise and contribute to ongoing research in your chosen specialism.
You’ll spend your first year acquiring a foundational understanding across the different areas of biological science, and building the critical analytical skills and rigour needed to investigate and communicate effectively as a scientist.
At the end of your first year, you’ll be given a choice: remain on the generalist study path, or select one of six biosciences specialisms, that include biodiversity and conservation, genetics, computational biology and zoology. You can also choose to transfer between the BSc and the MSci, at any point before the end of the second year.
In the third year of the BSc, you’ll embark on either a lab-based, collaborative or literature-based research project. You’ll tackle current scientific areas of interest, working alongside world leaders in your chosen specialism as part of a research group at UCL or one of our partner institutions such as the Francis Crick Institute, Natural History Museum or the Zoological Society of London.
As an MSci student, your third year will be divided between advanced modules in areas like genetics and evolution, a literature-based research project and advanced skill building. This lays the groundwork for a year-long research project, designed and implemented with your project tutor, working in the same way as you would on a PhD.
There’s also a significant element of optional field work and travel, with field trips to Blakeney Point in Norfolk, the Lake District and southern Spain. MSci students can also spend a year studying abroad, and biodiversity and conservation specialists can enjoy a tropical field trip in Kenya.
What this course will give you
- Study at the UCL Faculty of Life Sciences, which during its history has been associated with multiple Nobel Prizes.
- Build valuable computational skills and experience, working with the latest research datasets and programming languages such as R and Python.
- Immerse yourself in research culture, and enjoy opportunities to work with prestigious research groups at institutes such as the Natural History Museum, the Francis Crick Institute or the Zoological Society of London.
- Leave well equipped to pursue a PhD, or to take any number of highly-skilled roles or internships in the healthcare, biotech or pharmaceutical industries.
- Develop entrepreneurial skills and explore the possibilities of launching a start-up through UCL Innovation and Enterprise (with over 300 start-ups launched since 2010, securing over £280 million in investment).
- Study in the heart of London at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, a district famous for its cultural and educational institutions.
- Broaden your horizons, with both national and international field trips and options to spend a year studying abroad for the MSci students.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a MSci (Hons) in Biological Sciences.
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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In Year 1, you’ll take eight 15-credit compulsory modules which provide a foundation to the biological sciences.
In Year 2, you choose to either stay on the generalist Biological Sciences programme, or transfer to one of the following specialised programmes:
- Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation
- Biological Sciences: Cell and Developmental Biology
- Biological Sciences: Computational Biology
- Biological Sciences: Genetics
- Biological Sciences: Human Genetics
- Biological Sciences: Zoology
In Year 2, each of these programmes consists of either five or six compulsory modules, along with three or four optional modules, depending on your chosen specialism.
In Year 3, you’ll complete an investigative research project (30 credits). The balance of compulsory and optional modules you study will vary depending on your chosen specialism, with optional modules comprising between 60 and 90 credits.
In years 1 to 3, there are compulsory Core Skills modules, aimed at developing the fundamental skills needed as a research scientist.
In Year 4, your final year, you’ll complete a 90 credit compulsory extended research project, along with optional modules to the value of 30 credits.
There are no other compulsory modules in the fourth year except for the Human Genetics degree programmes where students are required to take BIOL0034 Applications in Human Genetics.
Compulsory modules
The modules given below are based on the 2024-2025 academic year and are subject to change.
Compulsory module(s)
BIOC0001: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
BIOL0001: Quantitative Biology
BIOL0002: First Year Core Skills
BIOL0003: Introduction to Genetics
BIOL0004: Life on Earth
BIOL0006: Methods in Ecology and Evolution
CELL0007: Cells and Development
Optional modules
There are two optional modules that can be taken in the first year. You are required to select one optional module from the Term 1 list and one optional module from the Term 2 list:
Term 1 Optional Modules:
BIOL0005: Fundamentals of Biology OR CHEM0010: Chemistry for Biologists
Term 2 Optional Modules:
BIOL0055: Biodiversity and Conservation OR BIOC0004: Introduction to Microbiology
Compulsory modules
Route Options
In the second year, you will have the opportunity to either remain on the generalist Biological Sciences degree route, or select a specialist route in:
Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation
Biological Sciences: Cell and Developmental Biology
Biological Sciences: Genetics
Biological Sciences: Human Genetics
Biological Sciences: Zoology
Each route has a different combination of compulsory and optional modules. The modules given below are based on the 2024-2025 academic year and are subject to change.
Compulsory module(s)
1) Biological Sciences
BIOL0008: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology
BIOL0012: Animal Biodiversity
BIOL0013: The Biology of Development
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
BIOL0030: Energy and Evolution
2) Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation
BIOL0007: Introduction to Field Ecology
BIOL0012: Animal Biodiversity
BIOL0014: Fundamentals of Ecology
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
BIOL0029: Computational Biology
GEOG0020: Ecological Patterns and Processes
3) Biological Sciences: Cell and Developmental Biology
BIOC0005: Molecular Biology
BIOL0013: The Biology of Development
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
CELL0009: Intermediate Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function
4) Biological Sciences: Genetics
BIOL0008: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology
BIOL0010: Introduction to Human Genetics
BIOL0011: Evolutionary Genetics
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
BIOL0013: The Biology of Development
BIOL0029: Computational Biology
5) Biological Sciences: Human Genetics
BIOC0005: Molecular Biology
BIOL0010: Introduction to Human Genetics
BIOL0011: Evolutionary Genetics
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
BIOL0029: Computational Biology
6) Biological Sciences: Zoology
BIOL0008: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology
BIOL0011: Evolutionary Genetics
BIOL0012: Animal Biodiversity
BIOL0013: The Biology of Development
BIOL0014: Fundamental of Ecology
BIOL0015: Second Year Core Skills
Optional modules
You will select between 45 and 60 credits (depending on the degree route selected) from a wide range of optional modules in your chosen degree programme and from other approved disciplines within UCL.
Compulsory modules
Route Options
All students on the MSci programme (regardless of route) will have the opportunity to transfer onto the Biological Sciences: Computational Biology degree programme at the start of Year 3. Transfer to this route is subject to the modules selected in Year 2 and Year 2 grades. The year of entry for the Computational Biology route is subject to change.
Students who successfully applied to the International Programme will also transfer in Year 3. You will spend the entirety of your third year studying abroad. The Study Abroad Tutor will guide you on module selection in your third year. The International Programme is not available to students on the Computational Biology route.
Compulsory module(s)
Students on all routes (except for those on the International Programme) are required to take BIOL0044: MSci Investigative Project in Biological Sciences and BIOL0058 Core Skills Y3: Advanced Paper and Seminar Discussion. Each route may have additional compulsory modules. The modules given below are based on the 2024-2025 academic year and are subject to change.
1) Biological Sciences
No additional Compulsory Modules
2) Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation
BIOL0032: Species Conservation and Biodiversity
3) Biological Sciences: Cell and Developmental Biology
BIOL0022: Biology of Ageing
BIOL0025: Regulatory Genomics and Evolution
4) Biological Sciences: Computational Biology
BIOL0033: Molecular Evolution
BIOL0050: Advanced Computational Biology
5) Biological Sciences: Genetics
BIOL0021: Advanced Human Genetics
6) Biological Sciences: Human Genetics
BIOL0021: Advanced Human Genetics
BIOL0027: Diseases of Ageing
7) Biological Sciences: Zoology
No additional Compulsory Modules
Optional modules
You are required to select between 60 and 90 credits (depending on the degree programme) from a wide range of optional modules in your chosen degree route and from other approved disciplines within UCL.
Compulsory modules
Compulsory module(s)
Students on all degree programmes are required to take BIOL0041: MSci Extended Research Project in Biological Sciences (90 Credits)
There are no other compulsory modules in the 4th year except for the Human Genetics route where students are required to take BIOL0034 Applications in Human Genetics.
Optional modules
You are required to select between 15 and 30 credits (depending on the degree programme) from a wide range of optional modules in your chosen degree and from other approved disciplines within UCL.
Your learning
You’ll build your knowledge and skills through a varied range of teaching, lectures, seminars, tutorials, practicals, problem-based learning, e-learning and supported personal study.
From day one, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in UCL's world-leading research. You’ll engage with the research of academics from our research department or partner institutions, through access to their (often yet-to-be-published) datasets, and through direct work in the laboratory.
You’ll also get opportunities to study animals and plants in their natural habitats.
All students will have the option of studying at our Blakeney Point field station in Norfolk in Year 1. In Year 2, we run two field trips, which are only available to students on specific routes and may be compulsory on some routes. The first of these takes place in the south of Spain and the second is run in the Lake District, UK.
Students on the Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation and Biological Sciences: Zoology degree programmes will have the option to undertake our tropical field trip in Kenya (subject to completing pre-requisite modules).
Your typical contact hours vary between 10-20 hours per week, depending on module choice, and include lectures, seminars and e-learning activities.
You’ll also need to demonstrate a level of independent study (10-20 hours per week).
Your independent studies will increase in the third year, due to the greater emphasis on research. Third year contact hours vary between 10-20 hours per week.
Fourth year (MSci) students can expect to spend the majority of the working week working independently on their research projects, with approximately 5-10 hours per week of contact time for project supervision, research team meetings and taught modules.
Assessment
Your progress and achievements will typically be assessed through a combination of examinations and coursework. Coursework can include practical reports, tutorial exercises, essays, poster presentations, multimedia presentations, oral presentations, and scientific papers.
Assessment methods used may vary, depending on the optional and elective modules you choose.
Accessibility
The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.
Visit us
Online - Open day
Virtual Open Event: Biological Sciences BSc/MSci Q&A (AM)
Find out about UCL's Biological Sciences BSc/MSci by attending our online event. You'll have the opportunity to meet the course leader, learn about the structure and content of the programme, and ask any questions you might have about the course, application process, and life at UCL.
The foundation of your career
This master’s degree is designed to equip you with the skills and experience needed to progress to a PhD, and make a significant contribution to the field of biosciences research.
You’ll also be in demand for highly-skilled roles in areas such as public health and social policy, scientific consultancy, pharmaceutical companies, biotech and medicine.
Previous graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as Public Health England, HSBC, Price Waterhouse Coopers and the NHS. 80% of our students are in employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes 2021-2022).
Employability
As a graduate of this degree, you’ll develop a strong base of bioscience expertise and technical laboratory competencies, along with research, statistical and analytical problem-solving skills.
You’ll also develop a range of highly sought after transferable professional skills, such as teamwork, critical thinking, data literacy, analysis and visualisation, and presentation training.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2026/27) | £9,790 |
| Tuition fees (2026/27) | £42,700 |
UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases.
International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.
International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
You’ll need to purchase a lab coat, costing approximately £10-£20.
The programme offers optional field trips in every year. Should you choose to participate, you’ll be expected to be able to bring basic field equipment (including sleeping bag and torch), suitable clothing (including waterproofs and walking boots) and may be expected to pay some travel costs.
Students on the BSc Biological Sciences: Biodiversity and Conservation are required to take the compulsory field-based module 'Introduction to Field Ecology'.
The exact cost of each field trip will depend on the location, prevailing exchange rates, and the price of travel and accommodation.
For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1–2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme and 2026/27 entry.
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Shephard-Phillips Scholarship
Deadline: 6 July 2026Value: £18,000 per year (3 years)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UK
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
We’re looking for applicants with a deep interest and curiosity in biology.
You’ll be expected to apply quantitative evidence-based techniques (often involving mathematical or data analysis processes) to address complex bioscience problems that might require an interdisciplinary approach.
From day one, you should also be ready to acquire a wide range of new research and professional skills.
Your application should demonstrate how you’ve developed your interest in biology, and the steps you’ve already taken toward becoming a biologist.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Got questions? Get in touch
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