University of Aberdeen

Our Medical Sciences programmes offer a diverse and wide-ranging set of degree choices, all of which provide students with research led teaching. This ensures that our students are being taught by those at the forefront of scientific research and who are passionate about their subject area. The diversity of subjects offers students the chance to explore areas of science they may not have considered before.

There are two main streams that cover both Biomedical and Molecular Medical subject areas as listed below.

Biomedical Science Degrees – Human physiology, form and function, health and disease, across the span of medical biosciences:

  • Exercise and Health Science
  • Human Embryology and Developmental Biology
  • Neuroscience with Psychology
  • Immunology and Pharmacology
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
  • Sports and Exercise Science


Molecular Medical Science Degrees
– A range of cell and molecular biology subjects taught in the context of human health and disease:

  • Biochemistry
  • Biotechnology
  • Genetics, Genetics (Immunology)
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology

As an intercalating student you will study the same Level 4 subjects as students studying for a BSc Medical Science degree and as such will enter in to the Honours year with those students. The Level 4 taught courses run in the first half session and are listed under each degree programme link above.

In the second half session, a 10-week research project is undertaken alone or in pairs in which the student learns laboratory or literature research techniques. Each student is assigned to a research team usually on the Foresterhill site, but occasionally projects may be offered by teams associated with the University, for example at The Robert Gordon University or European Institutions with links to Aberdeen University. The allocation process and further details are described at the start of the academic year, but students may choose their preferences from a long list of projects posted online at the start of term and are not restricted to topics directly related to their degree subject matter, allowing students to follow their specific interests. Each student independently submits the outcome of the project as a thesis in the style of a scientific paper. An oral account of the project is presented to Medical Sciences staff and fellow students. The student gains extensive experience of literature research procedures, data acquisition and data manipulation. Students are assessed on both their performance throughout the whole project and the quality of the written thesis.

Entry requirements

You must have successfully completed three years of an undergraduate medical degree.

Closing date

Please contact the course provider.