General Information

   Introduction

   First Year Courses

   Second Year Courses

   Third & Fourth Year Courses

   Undergraduate Admissions

Course Information

First Year Courses
   Molecules in Medical Science (MIMS)
   Biology of Cells
   Evolution and Behaviour
   Elementary Mathematics for Biologists

Second Year Courses
   Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB)
   Cell and Developmental Biology (CDB)

Third & Fourth Year Courses
   Part II and Part III Biochemistry

Third & Fourth Year Courses

NST Part II and Part III Biochemistry
The Department offers a Part II (prospective students, current students) and a Part III course in the Natural Sciences Tripos. Students who want to specialize in biochemistry have a choice at the end of their second year between a one year Part II, leading to a B.A., and two year’s further study in which Part II is followed by Part III and leads to both B.A. and M.Sci. degrees. The first cohort graduated from the Part III course in June 2000.

The Part II course is common to both third year and fourth year students. It comprises lectures on core material needed by modern biochemists and molecular biologists supplemented by more specialized ‘options’ courses. There are also weekly discussion groups that include journal clubs,  and a data-handling course. Students also undertake a one-term research project which can be laboratory, computer or literature-based. The Part II course alone is suitable for those, including medical and veterinary students, who are interested in advanced study of biochemistry, but who do not plan to enter biochemical research.

There are currently 14 options lecture courses, some shared with other Departments, and drawing lecturers from a broad constituency within and beyond the University. Students attend three of these specialised courses in the Part II year.

The Part III Biochemistry course has 30 places and follows on from the Part II course and allows students who plan to enter biochemical research to pursue a two-term research project during their fourth year. The students become working members of research teams, and the course includes training in the skills needed for the conduct and reporting of research work. The Part III course also includes a lecture series on Research Techniques that is provided as part of the training for post-Graduates embarking on their PhD projects. Additionally, Part III students attend one further options lecture course and continue to participate in the discussion groups.