Our integrated Master’s in Biochemistry with Professional Training Year is aimed at aspiring researchers and those seeking a career in science. This five-year undergraduate course enables you to explore the current frontiers of knowledge in your chosen field and provides training in advanced research techniques.

Biochemistry is the study of biological systems at the molecular level and it has a rich history of scientific discoveries, from enzymology and metabolic pathways to the discovery of genes and the structure of DNA. Today the subject embraces important new areas, such as genomics, systems and synthetic biology.

During your degree, you will discover the key role that biochemistry contributes to advances in all biological disciplines, including medicine and biotechnology. You will receive extensive hands-on training in laboratory and (depending on module selection and availability) field research techniques, and develop widely transferable skills in computing, statistics, data analysis and presentation.

Your third year is spent on a professional work placement related to your degree. Experience shows that this greatly enhances your subsequent employment prospects.

This course will enable you to increase your scientific understanding, as well as developing both your academic skills (critical appraisal, evaluation and analysis of data) and practical, presentation and written skills.  Ultimately, we aim to produce graduates who are employable, well-informed, versatile and enthusiastic ambassadors for science.

The knowledge and skills developed during the MBiochem course will make you employable in a broad range of careers within all areas of biological and molecular sciences, including pharmaceutical industries, research, publishing and teaching. The skills acquired on the course are also an excellent grounding for many other career paths outside of science. Alternatively you may wish to further your studies with a higher degree.

Distinctive features

Our degrees are closely linked to the research interests of our staff, allowing you to experience the excitement of learning in an active research environment. We attract substantial external research funding and this will enable you make use of the latest equipment, techniques and facilities in your project work. The School also maintains a permanently staffed Field Station in Borneo, as well as leading the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, allowing access to a wide range of exciting training opportunities. 

This programme offers a high degree of flexibility giving you the freedom to shape your academic experience. You can choose to specialise in a particular area or to maintain a wide breadth of learning and explore the interdisciplinary research that underpins much of the School’s success. 

"One of the benefits of being a student at Cardiff School of Biosciences is having access to very high-quality, research-driven teaching.  All of the lecturers that we have here are researchers right at the edge of their fields, working on really frontier stuff.  It's really interesting and really captures your imagination." Robert Maddison - Undergraduate Student