Natural Sciences BSc

The course is accredited by the Society for Natural Sciences. The accreditation recognises the strength of the degree to students in interdisciplinary science education.

This means the programme has achieved the standards set out in the society’s accreditation framework. It provides students with excellent learning opportunities and skills development to prepare them for future careers in research, education, business or industry.

International study

If you are interested in studying abroad for a full academic year, choose our BSc Natural Sciences with International Study or MSci Natural Sciences with International Study. It is also possible subject to the necessary progression requirements being achieved, to transfer to these programmes once you are here.

We currently have 26 partners worldwide including partners in North America, Europe, Australasia and South East Asia. Studying abroad gives you the chance to learn about your subjects from a different perspective as well as building your independence and communication skills.

In order to undertake International Study, you will need to achieve the relevant academic requirements as set by the university (60% average in Y1 – 65% for some partners) and meet the selection criteria of both the university and the partner institution.

The marks on your year spent abroad do not count towards your final mark.

Study in  Malaysia

If you are studying specific combinations of subjects then you can spend all or part of your second year at our Malaysia campus. The modules you will study will be the same as if you were in the UK (or comparable) which means unlike study abroad you can still complete your degree in three years. All teaching is in English.

Placement year

Natural sciences students have the option to transfer during their degree to a named ‘Natural Sciences with Placement Year’ programme. 

Previous students have spent time working for companies including:

• Accenture
• KPMG
• EMEC (East Midlands Environmental Consultants)
• RSPB
• Rolls Royce

A placement provides a unique opportunity to put theory into practice, gain practical experience and build further skills and competencies that will put you a step ahead on the graduate career ladder. Students looking for placements are provided with support through the Careers and Employability Service and a few specialist teams in specific subject areas.

While out on placement each student will be appointed a Placement Tutor who will stay in touch throughout the placement to make sure that everything is going well. Once you have transferred the name of your degree programme will change to include the statement ‘with placement year’, for example, MSci Natural Sciences with placement year. It will then become a five-year course.

Year in Computer Science

You can add to this degree by spending an extra year in the University’s School of Computer Science. This is designed to provide you with training in software development and computing skills to enhance your studies and your career options. You will be able to transfer into this programme from the BSc or MSci course (subject to progression criteria).

You will graduate with a named degree BSc Natural Sciences with a Year in Computer Science.

We recommend that students considering either the Placement Year or the Year in Computer Science programmes apply for the International Study programme as this matches the duration of the programme you will study.

Tuition fees 2025/26 (UK undergraduate students) 

The UK Government is intending to increase the tuition fee cap for UK undergraduate and Initial Teacher Training students studying in England to £9,535 for the 2025/26 academic year. This is an increase of £285 per year. Course pages will be updated to reflect the latest tuition fees as more information becomes available. For more information, visit the Government’s website and take a look at our FAQs.

Additional costs

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

Printing

Due to our commitment to sustainability, we don't print lecture notes but these are available digitally.  

Books

You will be able to access all of the books you’ll need through our libraries, but you may wish to purchase your own copies of books you use often. If you do most books cost around £20-£50.

Equipment

If your subject stream requires you to work in the laboratory (eg Biology and Chemistry), your tuition fees will cover the cost of a protective lab coat and safety goggles. if you lose these, you are responsible for the cost of replacing them (around £25).

While the calculator you used for your former study is usually sufficient some students will choose to purchase a new calculator which will cost around £10.

Students may want to purchase a Molecular Model Kit to help with visualising molecules in Chemistry these cost £20.

Personal laptops are not compulsory as we have computer labs that are open 24 hours a day but you may want to consider one if you wish to work at home. Find out more about IT equipment. 

Field trips

Depending on which pathway you choose there are optional field modules in Earth Science and Ecosystems and Environment which may incur a cost. These range from £30-50 for UK-based day trips to as much as £400 for overseas residential trips. A full list of approximate expected prices for is available at the start of each year.

Other costs

Students will be responsible for the cost of hire of their gown for graduation (around £50) and may need to pay for additional guest tickets.

In addition there may be costs issued by the university for replacement student ID cards, additional transcripts or certification letters, reassessments and library fines.

Scholarships and bursaries

Home students*

Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.

* A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.