Human Biology and Health

Why study Human and Health Biology at Aberystwyth University?

Students on this course will be able to explore the specialist areas of Human and Health Biology which include:

• Facilities for high-throughput DNA sequencing, proteomics, metabolomics and spectroscopic platforms;
• Application of psychology to understand the process of behaviour change and its relevance to delay the development of chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes and cancer;
• Our modern physiological, biomechanical and psychological equipment including body scanning for bone health and body composition determination, cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic analysers, high-performance treadmills, cycles and rowers, along with computer-based digital video and a force plate to allow sophisticated analysis of movement;
• You will be taught by passionate, engaged, friendly and staff with expertise across the full range of Biological topics;
• Your academic studies will be bolstered by a wealth of laboratory and field classes which build real scientific skills essential for your future;
• Our teaching and E-learning facilities provide you with an outstanding learning experience integrating the classroom sessions and a vast repository of study resources;
• You will be assigned a personal tutor who can guide you through your time at Aberystwyth and help you to settle in when you first arrive;
• We have invested heavily and over a number of years in our research facilities, and project students may get the opportunity to work in the research units on Penglais, or in our dedicated research facility at Gogerddan just outside Aberystwyth.

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

Career prospects

Human Biology and Health graduates will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to enter a wide range of careers which include: 

• Bio-medicine
• Health and allied professions

This scheme is also a solid foundation for postgraduate research at Masters and PhD level.

The University has an excellent Careers Advisory Service and we have our own dedicated, professional Careers Advisor. We also have a member of staff who is Director of Employability for IBERS and we are constantly striving to embed and enhance the delivery of real-world skills into every module we offer.

What skill will I develop from studying Human and Health Biology?

Employability is embedded in our teaching. Our students leave Aberystwyth University with the skills including; 

• research and data analysis skills
• enhanced mathematical and computational skills
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
• a thorough grounding in information technology skills
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement.

If you are interested in undertaking work experience, then our sister course BSc Human and Health Biology C195 will allow you to undertake work experience for one year in an industry relative to this degree.