Biological sciences

Inspire change for a more sustainable future
Elephants in nature

Why Plymouth?

  • <
    Royal Society of Biology accredited degrees

  • (Hands-on fieldwork both locally and around the world a fundamental part of your degree

  • >Unique location: many amazing ecosystems right on our doorstep

  • 6Benefit from an extensive network of placement providers

  • @Skills-based degrees popular with employers

Which undergraduate course?

The wings of butterflies are composed of tiny scales. Black areas are pigmented with melanin, but red, green and blue are caused by microscopic layers of chitin that diffract light giving the appearance of colour. This is known as structural colouration.

BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences
Biology with Foundation Year. shutterstock. paint

BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences with Foundation Year
The skin of the jewelled chameleon, native to the central highlands of Madagascar. It has been declared as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List due to bush fires and habitat loss caused by both local human activity and anthropogenic climate change.

BSc (Hons) Conservation Biology
The pink feather colour of Flamingos is due to carotenoids they obtain through crustaceans and Cyanobacteria in their diet. The pigments in the diet are protein bound and blue/green but turn pink when dissolved in lipid. The same effect occurs between raw and cooked lobsters and shrimps.

BSc (Hons) Zoology
Petri dish

BSc (Hons) Biosciences (final year top up only)
Students sat at a table on campus.

Come to an undergraduate open day
Alice Mosley, Plymouth Pioneer
Get to know Alice and why she wants to make a difference to our planet

Discover our range of postgraduate taught programmes and research opportunities

Aerial photo of aquaculture of salmon in Atlantic ocean

MSc Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries
The Celebes crested macaque. Crested black macaque, Sulawesi crested macaque, Sulawesi macaque or the black ape. Wild Nature, Natural habitat. Sulawesi Island. Indonesia.

MSc Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Biology
Aaron, MA Illustration graduate, Roland Levinsky building studios

Postgraduate on-campus open evening
The wings of butterflies are composed of tiny scales. Black areas are pigmented with melanin, but red, green and blue are caused by microscopic layers of chitin that diffract light giving the appearance of colour. This is known as structural colouration.

PhD Biological Sciences

Butterfly wing

ResM Biological Sciences

Field on a sunny day

ResM Agriculture and Food