Health Sciences (with Foundation Year) BSc (Hons)

Big data – it’s a phrase that a lot of people would argue is overused, or at least not always used in the appropriate context. So, what is it really? How is it made and how do we make sense of it?

You learn how big data is not just abundant but a growing field in so many aspects of our society from policing and conservation to health and bioinformatics. You explore how groups and communities use and share big data to help keep themselves safe in disaster zones around the world. You begin to value the role data plays in helping to make sense of community relationships in society, from uncovering criminal networks, tracking disease outbreaks to developing a deeper understanding of our ecology.

Data might end up in a data-frame spreadsheet format but it doesn’t begin there. It is often created with people and animals engaging with each other and technology. You explore how search engines collate and store the data we need to help make predictions, enhance decision making, or simply to better understand society’s needs.

This module provides an overview of fundamental concepts in chemistry and their application in the context of environmental and life sciences

Chemistry is the study of the structure, properties and reactivity of elements and compounds, and plays a key role in all physical, life and applied sciences. The topics covered include the structure of the atom, the periodic table, chemical bonding, chemical reactivity, environmental science, biogeochemistry, pollution, green chemistry and climate change.

This module is based around a series of laboratory sessions. The first sessions emphasise important foundation skills, such as how to work safely in a practical environment and how to properly document practical work. These are followed by a series of sessions based on your wider academic interests including the basics of microscopy, handling microorganisms, safe handling food, using volumetric glassware and investigating acid base titrations.

You focus on how science can help address some of the global grand challenges that face society. A group project enables you to develop innovative answers to some of the biggest issues of our time based on health and wellbeing, resilient and secure societies, digital and creative economy, sustainable environments and learning for the 21st century. The themes reflect the University’s focus on externally facing research that makes a real, practical difference to the lives of people and the success of businesses and economies.

You build a foundation of science knowledge applicable to healthcare, within a health and social care arena. You learn through a variety of teaching methods, including lectures to provide the core underpinning knowledge, seminars, group work, and role play to develop your knowledge and understanding.

You explore the diversity of life on earth and the concept of evolution. You consider Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection to demonstrate relationships between species, the principles of taxonomy and speciation, and how they relate to the evolutionary tree.

You are introduced to the physiological processes, cellular organisation, homeostasis, metabolism, growth, reproduction, response to stimuli and adaptation - all hallmarks of living organisms equipping diverse species to survive and thrive.

You gain a basic knowledge of human body structure and to relate this knowledge to both the understanding of the mechanisms associated with the control and regulation of physiological processes of the major organs systems of the body. This will allow you to develop ability to apply, evaluate and interpret the knowledge to solve problems in the discipline. You also develop applied contexts of the knowledge such as the construction of biological profiles for human identification including sex, age at death, stature determination and biological affinity. The module will be delivered through lectures, computer- aided learning via interactive web-based activities and labs.

You study the breadth of health science, clinical and non-clinical support services within the National Health Service in the delivery of high- quality, person-centred care.

You learn through a variety of teaching methods, including lectures to provide the core underpinning knowledge, seminars, group work, and role play to develop your knowledge, understanding and confidence.

Service user/carer involvement provides you with a valuable insight into personal experience of current healthcare provision.

You will develop an understanding of key concepts necessary to underpin subsequent studies in chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical sciences and molecular biology. Building of the underlying principles of chemistry is essential to understand complex biological systems. This module will introduce the fundamentals of chemistry and link them to the key biomolecules and biochemical processes which form the basis of life.

You increase your understanding of biological processes at the cellular level. You will explore eukaryotic cell architecture and function with a molecular and mammalian focus, and learn about cell division and the cell cycle, genetic organisation of cells, DNA replication and gene expression. Your exploration of these aspects of cell and molecular biology will be supported by a series of laboratory-based sessions.

You are introduced to a range of microscopic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, microbial cell structure and function, microbial growth, microbial diversity, and the importance of microbes in the environment, industry and human health.

You gain an overview of normal histology and cytology of major organs and systems of the human body and molecular and cellular factors underpinning the pathology of common diseases. The causes, mechanisms and extent of disease are examined, as well as adaptations to injury, such as apoptosis and necrosis (death of living cells or tissues), autophagy, inflammation, wound healing, and neoplasia (abnormal new growth of cells).

You focus on treating and preventing disease. You study the nature of the adverse effects of drugs and other chemicals on living systems. You explore treatments of diseases in major organs and the effects of drugs used in chemotherapy.

You develop an independent approach to learning and have the opportunity to pursue a particular area of interest in healthcare. The topic for the project can relate to any area of healthcare practice.

You are introduced to recent advances that have taken place in our understanding of human reproductive and developmental biology. You examine the process of human development from the formation of gametes (gametogenesis) through to birth and identifying genetic disorders. To complement this, you see how to apply this knowledge in the areas of stem cells, IVF and genetic counselling.

You gain a solid foundation of the immune system and its role in protection against microorganisms and maintaining human health. You will learn about the functional organisation of the immune system, the immune cells and chemical mediators, antibodies, and cellular processes related to the innate and adaptive immune responses.

The life-course model is one of the most important ideas in public health. There are many influences on an individual’s health and well-being, including social, environmental, and economic factors. Some of these help promote health, such as a healthy diet, education and income. Others, like smoking and alcohol misuse, and poor education, have the opposite effect.

The life-course approach looks at the critical stages of life, and the different influences, good and not-so-good, on health. An evidence-based approach will help you understand key issues from preconception, to early years, adolescence, working life, into older age.

This module introduces you to a range of modern molecular biology concepts and techniques. General molecular biology, molecular biology of genetic diseases and the use of molecular biology for applications such as the production of recombinant proteins and biomedical science forensic applications will be addressed. The new age of molecular biology is underpinned by gene/genome sequencing, sequence analysis and sequence manipulation. You will be given a thorough introduction to the principles of sequence analysis and how these techniques have revolutionised all areas of molecular biology. Particular attention will be paid to the technique of PCR. The module will also introduce bioinformatics concepts around visualising and analysing DNA sequence data, as well as basic molecular data analysis. The module content will be delivered via a series of interactive lectures that will allow students to gain insight into the theoretical aspects of molecular biology and bioinformatics. A series of laboratory practical sessions will introduce the basic techniques that lie at the heart of modern molecular biology such as DNA purification, PCR, restriction digestion, nucleic acid analysis via agarose gels, and sequencing.

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

You will develop the necessary entrepreneurship skills to understand the process of business start-up and be introduced to the necessary tools to manage nutrition, medical, biotech and the health care sector ventures. You will gain an awareness of the real-world challenges associated with the launch of a healthcare product from laboratory bench to the bedside. You will learn to research the market for gaps, design a product to fill that unmet need, and develop a business plan.

You are provided with an overview of the health technologies that are employed within the health sector in order to prevent, manage and treat diseases.

Your main focus is on the impact of medical technologies, such as medicines, medical devices, diagnostic techniques and surgical procedures.

You explore how certain conditions are diagnosed and treated along with the different measures of efficacy of these technologies.

You develop your understanding of the molecular, cellular and whole organism ageing processes. This module addresses how ageing occurs by the accumulation of damage to molecules, cells and tissues, resulting in a loss of function and leading to an increased risk of death. Ageing is a major risk factor for a number of diseases including dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This module addresses advances in intervention mechanisms which have contributed to reduced disease risk and development in an ageing population.

You explore how modern clinical microbiology can be used to detect, diagnose and control infectious diseases. You extend your understanding of the molecular basis of microbial pathogenesis and it allows you to explore how modern molecular biology techniques have been employed to define the nature of host-pathogen interactions.

You complete an in-depth, independent investigation into a specialist aspect of your field of study. In your project you will bring together a range of practical and academic skills developed in previous years of study. Regardless of the nature of the project, this process acts as a capstone experience requiring analysis and critical evaluation of data as well as critical reflection on the potential risks, moral and ethical issues. This piece of work will involve a significant individual contribution on your part. You will be supported by the appointment of an academic staff member as your research supervisor. They will act as a mentor and guide you through the development and completion of your research project.

Finally, you will communicate your independent research by producing a research poster and journal article to allow you to develop essential skills which mirror professional practice when research is presented at scientific conferences and for publication.