The Natural Sciences degree programme has a wide choice of subjects and there is choice between modules within subjects. It is a flexible degree programme and with most subjects you can delay choosing your subjects until you get to Durham and you can also change the shape of your degree at the end of the first year. The University operates on a system of undergraduates studying 120 credits each year drawn by combining modules offered by departments.
There are two types of degree that you can obtain a 3-year BSc (CFG0) or a 4-year MSci (FGC0). The MSci is only available in certain subjects namely Biology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Maths and Physics. Both the BSc and the MSci contain BSc Joint Honours and MSci Joint Honours degrees as well as the more broad BSc Natural Sciences and MSci Natural Sciences degrees.
You should note that not all combinations of all modules in all subjects are feasible. Choices are constrained by the limits of the University timetable which changes every year.
For an MSci in Natural Sciences you must be taking at least one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics. Biology has a very limited range of modules at fourth year level so Biology can only be included in a Joint Honours degree with Chemistry or Physics. An MSci can be a slight variation from one of the MSci Joint Honours degrees below. Alternatively it could be just one of the subjects above (eg Chemistry) with modules from other subjects (eg Anthropology and Philosophy) for the first three years. In this case your fourth year would have to consist of all six modules from the subject listed above (Chemistry in this case).
The MSci is available as a Joint Honours degree in one of five pairs: Biology and Chemistry; Biology and Physics; Chemistry and Maths; Chemistry and Physics; Maths and Physics.
Students on the programme design their own programme, so depending on their choices they learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes, fieldwork, informal but scheduled one-to-one support, and self-directed learning, such as research, reading, and writing. All of these are supported by a virtual learning environment.
Tutorials, seminars, workshops, and practical classes are much smaller groups than lectures, small enough to allow one-to-one interaction with a member of staff. Practicals also allow hands-on experience of the work of professionals in the disciplines studied on the programme. The same is true of fieldwork and consists of engaging in, for example, geological, biological, geographical, or anthropological work in the field with members of academic staff. This emphasis on small-group and practical teaching reflects a conscious choice to enhance the quality of the learning experience rather than the number of formal sessions.
The degree programmes are designed to feature fewer formal sessions and more independent research as students move from their first to their final year. Small-group teaching and one-to-one attention from the personal academic advisor (provided for all students when they enter the programme) are part of the learning experience throughout, but by the final year classroom time gives way, to some extent, to independent research, including a major project that makes up a minimum of a third of final year credits. In this way, the degree programme systematically transforms the student from a consumer of knowledge in the classroom to a generator of knowledge, ready for professional or postgraduate life. These formal teaching arrangements are supported by “drop-in” surgeries with teaching staff and induction sessions that begin in the week before the start of the programme and continue at key times throughout each year of the programme. Students can also attend an extensive programme of research-focused seminars where staff and visiting scholars in various academic departments present their cutting-edge research.
Course Details - Modules
For more information on the content of this course, including module details, please see our website: https://www.dur.ac.uk/courses/info/?id=17488&title=Natural+Sciences&code=FGC0&type=MSCI&year=2022#coursecontent
Course Details – Assessment Method
Assessment Methods are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
FGC0
Institution code:
D86
Campus Name:
St Mary's College
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
Specific subjects excluded for entry:
General Studies and Critical Thinking.
Information:
Specific subjects may be required depending upon the combination of subjects to be studied. Please see the course database for more information.
Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A Levels.
Departments will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. In the absence of 3 Advanced Highers, where these are not offered by the applicant’s school, offers comprising of Advanced Highers and Highers or a number of Highers may be made on a case by case basis.
We require 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham.
Specific subjects may be required depending upon the mix of subjects to be studied.
General information on subjects/grades required for entry:
HL 7, 6, 6 or 6, 6, 6 will be required depending on subjects to be studied.
Specific subjects may be required depending upon the mix of subjects to be studied.
Subject specific A Levels may also be required.
Specific subjects may be required depending upon the mix of subjects to be studied.
Subject specific A Levels may also be required.
Specific subjects may be required depending upon the mix of subjects to be studied.
Our contextual offer for this programme is 2 A level grades lower (or equivalent). The exact grading is dependent upon subject choices as we are not able to reduce subject specific requirements, e.g. if Maths is chosen, you will still be required to meet A*A in Maths and Further Maths, but the 3rd subject will be reduced to C. To find out if you’re eligible, please visit: www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/contextualoffers/
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
https://www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/entry/
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Minimum Further Information are not listed for this Course.
English language requirements
Test
Grade
AdditionalDetails
Durham University welcomes applications from all students irrespective of background. We encourage the recruitment of academically well-qualified and highly motivated students, who are non-native speakers of English, whose full potential can be realised with a limited amount of English Language training either prior to entry or through pre-sessional and/or in-sessional courses.
It is the normal expectation that candidates for admission should be able to demonstrate satisfactory English proficiency before the start of a programme of study, whether via the submission of an appropriate English language qualification or by attendance on an appropriate pre-sessional course.
Acceptable evidence and levels required can be viewed by following the link provided.
