Biological Sciences
Investigate the behaviour of living systems from the level of molecules and cells up to whole organisms and ecosystems and gain enhanced research skills and experience.
Combine biological thinking with research-focused practical skills
Develop a scientific expertise and data analysis skills to become a problem-solving Biological Scientist
Deepen your understanding of Biological Sciences by working in an active research environment on a substantial research project
Course key facts
Qualification
MSci
Duration
4 years
Start date
October 2026
UCAS course code
C103
Study mode
Full-time
-
Fees
Not set Home
Not set Overseas
Delivered by
Location
-
South Kensington
-
Minimum entry standard
AAA (A-level)
38 points (International Baccalaureate)
Course overview
Come and study at one of the largest Life Sciences departments in Europe.
Develop a deep understanding of Biological Sciences on this four-year course, where you will acquire the key scientific skills required for a range of research-informed graduate careers in the Life Sciences.
You will examine the behaviour of living systems from the level of molecules and cells up to whole organisms and ecosystems. Through this work, you will gain a detailed knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of life and explore the diversity, evolution, and relationships of the organisms on our planet.
Your studies will be complemented by a dedicated Life Science skills programme. This provides training in quantitative skills, programming, statistics, and scientific writing and presentation.
In Year 2, you will have the first chance to select from a series of optional modules, and you can further specialise in Year 3 in areas including ecology, immunology and infection, systems biology, microbiology, plant sciences, developmental biology and neuroscience.
Laboratory, computational and field work will help you develop the skills to design and carry out biological experiments and analyse the resulting data.
With access to the thriving research environment at Imperial, you will be taught by world leaders as you learn how to solve complex real-world problems.
Your studies culminate in the final year with a seven month research project, complemented by research skills training to develop your ability to critically engage with current research topics and methodologies.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You will study the following core modules during your first year.
Core modules
You will gain an overview of the biochemistry of enzymes, membranes, and metabolism, in a diversity of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. You will develop the necessary mathematical skills needed to analyse these systems quantitatively, and the necessary practical skills to purify proteins and assay enzymes.
You will gain an overview of the tree of life, especially in regard to animals, plants and fungi, and to allow you to gain a more detailed knowledge of the relationships, evolution, and key features of certain groups of organisms.
You will address central information transfer pathways in the cell (replication, transcription and translation), and develop your skills in analysing genetic systems in model organisms. You will explore examples of cellular interactions: neuronal signalling, vertebrate immunity, and viral infection. In the practical work you design experiments to investigate your own hypotheses.
In this module you will explore how the planet's biological diversity is organised by ecological processes into ecosystems, communities, and populations. You will develop your skills in statistics, experimental design, and practical fieldwork.
The module has four main themes - mathematics, communication skills, statistics, and bioinformatics. You will be introduced to programming and computer literacy skills in Python, and in R through statistics; and it will incorporate some other core skills such as the use of lab notebooks and critical reflection on feedback.
You will take the following core modules.
You will also choose one I-Explore module, and three optional modules, one from Groups A, B and C.
Core modules
- Applied Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Bioinformatics, Statistics and Programming
- Tutored Dissertation
You will also choose one I-Explore module.
Optional modules – Group A
- Essentials of Ecology
- Molecular Microbiology
- Cell and Developmental Biology
Optional modules – Group B
- Immunology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Behavioural Ecology
Optional modules – Group C
- Molecular and Cellular Skills
- Computational 'Omics
- Vertebrate Form and Evolution
- Ecology Field Skills
You will study three optional modules, one from each of Group A, B and C, and develop a research project.
Please note: the modules offered change regularly and this list is indicative.
Core modules
- Research Project Preparation and Planning
Optional modules – Group A
- Bacterial Molecular Machines
- Stem Cells Regeneration and Ageing
- Metabolic and Network Engineering
- Medical Microbiology
- Biodiversity Genomics
- Current Topics in Developmental Biology
- Advanced Topics in Infection and Immunity
- African Biology Field Course
Optional modules – Group B
- Mechanisms of Gene Expression
- Integrative Systems Biology
- Evolutionary Applications
- Advanced Topics in Parasitology and Vector Biology
- Symbiosis Planet Immunity and Disease
- Advanced Immunology
- Disease Ecology and Epidemiology
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Optional modules – Group C
- Molecular Basis of Bacterial Infection
- Bioinformatics
- Synthetic Biology
- Systems Neuroscience
- The Microbiome
- Vaccinology
- Planet Biotechnology and Development
- Global Change Biology
You'll take both of these core modules in your final year.
Year 4 will focus on research skills and practice. There will be no didactic lectures and students will be immersed in research focussed activities that will develop a broad range of skills and knowledge to prepare them for and support them during their extended 6-month research project.
You will attend seminars and practice research methods of investigation, analysis, and communication. You will implement your research proposal prepared in year 3 by conducting an individual research project as part of an established departmental research group.
You will present your findings within the group and to wider departmental audiences in written formats as well as poster and oral presentations. The projects will reflect the current research focus of the departmental staff and their collaborators, and students will choose from a selection of projects that are appropriate for their graduating degree.
Core modules
- Frontiers in Life Sciences Research
- Life Sciences MSci Research Project
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, laboratory work and tutorials
- Independent study
- Research project
Years 1 & 2
- 30% Title 1 goes here
- 70% Title 2 goes here
Year 3
- 30% Title 1 goes here
- 45% Title 2 goes here
- 25% Title 3 goes here
Year 4
- 10% Title 1 goes here
- 15% Title 2 goes here
- 75% Title 3 goes here
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Laboratory
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Tutorials
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Seminars
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Problem sessions
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Site visits
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Team-based learning
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Presentation
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Group project
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Research project
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Guided problem solving
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Fieldwork
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Exams
Year 1
- 40% Title 1 goes here
- 60% Title 2 goes here
Year 2
- 48% Title 1 goes here
- 52% Title 2 goes here
Year 3
- 44% Title 1 goes here
- 56% Title 2 goes here
Year 4
- 100% Title 1 goes here
Assessment methods
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Coursework
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Essays
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Individual research
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Laboratory write-ups
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Presentations
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Reports
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Written examinations
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Research dissertation
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Oral examination
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Progress tests
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
You can start your application via UCAS Hub. There you can add this course as one of your choices and track your application.
This department does not use a test as part of its selection process.
Predicted grades and scores in your application are important, but it’s not the only thing that drives the decision.
Our selectors will also consider things like your personal statement and your references to understand whether there is a good match between you and your chosen subject and department at Imperial.
You can read more about our selection process, including tips on writing a personal statement, in our How to apply section.
Assessing your application
Admissions Tutors consider all the evidence available during our rigorous selection process and the University flags key information providing assessors with a more complete picture of the educational and social circumstances relevant to the applicant. Some applicants may be set lower offers and some more challenging ones.
Generally, the department does not hold interviews.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
It is possible to transfer from the Biological Sciences MSci degree onto one of the Biological Sciences BSc degrees, normally up to the end of year 2, subject to satisfactory progress and space being available.
It is not possible to transfer from the Biological Sciences degree onto a Biochemistry or Biotechnology degree.
Fees and funding
Home fee
2026 entry
Not set
As a guide, the Home fee for 2025-26 was £9,535 per year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a Home student, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the UK government to cover the entire cost of tuition for every year of your course.
The loan is paid directly to the university.
You will start repaying it only after you leave your course, have a job, and are earning above a certain amount.
Once the repayments start, the amount you pay each month depends on how much you earn, not on how much you owe in total.
Home students can apply for a means-tested Maintenance Loan to help with their living costs.
How you apply for student finance depends on whether you have studied before and where you’re from or normally live. Find out more on the UK government's website.
The Imperial Bursary is available to all Home undergraduate students with a household income below £70,000 per year.
The amount awarded is based on your household income, with up to £5,000/year available for students from the lowest income households.
It's money which you don't need to pay back, and it's paid on top of any government funding you may also receive.
It is available for each year of your course, as long as your annual household income remains below £70,000.
You might need to budget for additional costs related to your course that aren't covered by your tuition fees – like field trips, books and protective clothing.
Our extra costs page outlines the additional costs related to courses in each of our departments. It's not an exhaustive list and any additional costs you could incur will be determined by the course and modules you choose.
Overseas fee
2026 entry
Not set
As a guide, the Overseas fee for 2025-26 was £43,300 per year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
You might need to budget for additional costs related to your course that aren't covered by your tuition fees – like field trips, books and protective clothing.
Our extra costs page outlines the additional costs related to courses in each of our departments. It's not an exhaustive list and any additional costs you could incur will be determined by the course and modules you choose.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
94% Of Imperial Life Sciences graduates in work or further study*
- 94% Of Imperial Life Sciences graduates in work or further study*
- 6%
83% Of Imperial Life Sciences graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 83% Of Imperial Life Sciences graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 17%
*2021-22 graduate outcomes data, published by HESA in 2024
Develop the essential core knowledge and skills for a life sciences career.
You’ll be highly sought after for roles in the pharmaceuticals industry, biotechnology, biomedical science, food technology and agrisciences.
Pest, disease and environmental management is another potential career path open to you.
Previous graduates have also advanced to roles with laboratories involved in medical research and public health, as well as the education sector and the media.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 5398
- Email: lifesciences.admissions@imperial.ac.uk
Visit the Department of Life Sciences website
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Request info
Learn more about studying at Imperial. Receive useful information about our life in our undergraduate community and download our latest Study Guide.
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Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
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Course data
Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications