Key information
- Duration:
- 4 years full time
- Typical A-level offer:
- CCC
View full entry requirements - UCAS code:
- C701
- Start date:
- September 2025
“The foundation year was an ideal introduction to life at uni. It eased the transition, both academically and socially, and was a fantastic opportunity to get to know people and facilities before the first year.”
Carina Hobbs Life Sciences (with a foundation year) BSc
If you want to learn from scientists tackling some of the world’s most important challenges – such as conservation, cancer and dementia – this Foundation Year is perfect for you.
On our Foundation Year, you’ll have the opportunity to explore exciting subjects in Life Sciences before you choose your degree. You’ll gain knowledge and experience of the content of different courses.
To prepare you for whichever course you pick, you learn both practical and academic skills in:
- biology
- chemistry
- mathematics.
This gives you the perfect grounding for your studies.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
The favourite thing to me about my course is how diverse it is. There are so many subjects you can cover and so many different people you can meet.”Rudie Kauhanen
Life Sciences (with a foundation year) BSc
from on .
- Video transcript
Rudie: The favourite thing to me about my course is how diverse it is. There are so many subjects you can cover and so many different people you can meet.
And I feel like regardless of which degree I end up picking, it's really going to set me up for the future working in an interdisciplinary way.
Modules
Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
- Video transcript
[Music starts – light pop – no vocals]
On screen text
Want to help shape a better world through science?
Want to tackle real world problems?
And create world-changing impact?
It all starts at the Sussex.
Our research focussed courses span the whole of Life Sciences:
Chemistry
Biochemistry
Neuroscience
Biology
Zoology
Ecology and Conservation
Biomedical Science
Genetics
Using the latest in cutting-edge advances.
Guided by world-leading experts.
Gain hands-on experience, in both our teaching labs and out in the field.
Influence important policies on things such as the pesticides that kill our wildlife, and policies that protect endangered species.
Work towards unlocking the secrets of the brain and ending the despair of cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Join a community of leading scientists and like-minded students striving to make the world a better place for all.
And follow in the footsteps of our 3 Nobel-prize winning alumni.
We’re here today, to train the scientists of tomorrow.
And you could be one of them.
Find out more about the School of Life Sciences at sussex.ac.uk
[Music ends]
Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
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Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
A-level - contextual offer
CDD, including grade C in a relevant science subject.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate and two A-levels - contextual offer
Grades CD in A-levels and Merit in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma) - contextual offer
MMP
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Enquiries
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+44 (0)1273 876787
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