1. GO TO 
2. Entry requirements 
3. About UCAS points 
4. Alternatives to A Levels

What topics does a Natural Sciences degree cover?

A wide variety of modules may be available to you, depending on the path you take through your degree. They could include:

• Cell biology and mechanisms of disease
• Chemistry of the carbon-based compounds
• Control systems
• Electromagnetism, optics, relativity and quantum mechanics
• Foundations in natural science
• Frontiers in science
• Genomes, genes and genomics
• Global environmental challenges
• Machine learning
• Mathematics and computing: integrative tools for natural sciences
• Nuclear and solar energy
• Palaeoclimatology
• Physical and analytical methods in biochemistry
• Quantitative skills
• Science communication
• The physics of the universe

How will you be assessed?

Assessments are usually carried out by a mixture of the following and will vary from module to module.

• Essays
• Field exercises
• Final year project
• Lab reports
• Literature reviews
• Poster presentations
• Practical reports
• Problem sheets
• Short-answer tests
• Written exams

Why study Natural Sciences?

A Natural Science degree allows you to specialise during your degree, building skills and knowledge in your areas of interest. You’ll gain:

Career-specific skills:

• Subject-specific knowledge in broad and specialist areas
• Specialist technical skills, including lab skills
• Experiment design and analysis

Transferable skills: 

• Analytical and critical thinking
• Communication skills
• Data handling
• High levels of literacy and numeracy
• Interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving
• IT literacy
• Organisation and time management
• project management
• Teamworking

Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying Natural Sciences?

Some universities offer Natural Science students a scholarship, bursary or grant. It’s worth seeing if you are eligible, how to apply and what it covers e.g., materials, tuition fees or living costs. 

What do Natural Sciences graduates earn?

Natural Sciences graduates may start with a salary of around £20,000. Those who have pursued postgraduate training will have higher entry salaries.

As your career progresses, your average salary will depend on the sector you’ve entered. It could range from £30,000–44,000 for a senior research scientist in biotechnology, up to £90,000 for a consultant clinical scientist in the NHS.

What jobs can you get as a Natural Sciences graduate?

A Natural Sciences degree could equip you for various scientific roles across sectors like conservation, energy, the NHS or the pharmaceutical industry. Softer skills can be used in careers from management to finance, marketing or retail. To become a clinical or healthcare scientist requires further training, with entry to NHS England’s Scientist Training Programme (STP) being highly competitive.

• Biotechnologist
• Civil servant
• Clinical scientist
• Chartered accountant
• Lab technician
• Lecturer or teacher
• Nanotechnologist
• Neuroscientist
• Pharmacologist
• Research scientist
• Science journalist

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

At postgraduate level, the broad base of Natural Sciences is often found only within research degrees. Applicants require an undergraduate degree in a science-related subject.

• Natural Sciences MRes or PhD