Congratulations on securing your place to study biosciences at Manchester! We're delighted that you've chosen us for your studies.
We know you'll have lots of questions about preparing for your studies and what will happen once the semester starts. You can find information relating to your level of study at the links below.
Welcome message from the Head of School
Congratulations on securing your place at Manchester. We are delighted that you will be joining us in the School of Biological Sciences. Whether you are beginning an undergraduate or postgraduate course, you will become part of a vibrant academic community where you will be supported to learn, explore new ideas, and develop the knowledge and skills needed for your future ambitions.
Our teaching is centred on face-to-face, on-campus learning, including lectures, practical classes, tutorials, workshops and seminars. These sessions are supported by online resources that will help you prepare, review material, and take greater ownership of your learning.
If you are joining one of our undergraduate programmes, lectures will introduce you to the key topics in your course and give you opportunities to engage with teaching staff through discussion and question-and-answer activities. Tutorials and practical classes will help you build confidence, strengthen your understanding, and develop the experimental, analytical, writing and presentation skills that are central to success in the biosciences.
As you progress, you will be encouraged to think critically, work independently, and apply what you learn to increasingly complex questions and experiments. These skills will be important throughout your degree and beyond.
Undergraduate students will also be assigned an academic advisor, who will usually act as your academic tutor in Year 1. They will meet with you twice a semester to discuss your progress, offer guidance, and help you make the most of your time at Manchester. Your academic tutor will also meet with you regularly in your tutorial groups. These sessions will help you develop the skills and confidence needed to tackle your specific degree programmes, write essays, and develop presentation skills.
For postgraduate students, workshops, tutorials, seminars and research projects will provide opportunities to explore your subject in depth. You will work alongside academics and researchers on challenging and current topics, making your learning experience interactive, distinctive and closely connected to active research.
We care deeply about the wellbeing and learning of every student. Within the School, you will have access to a strong support network that includes programme directors, senior advisors, academic advisors and tutors, as well as a dedicated student support team. Please do make use of this support whenever you need advice, guidance or help with a problem.
We are very much looking forward to meeting you in September. In the meantime, I encourage you to explore the resources on our Welcome website, which will help you prepare for the start of your course. If you have any questions, please do get in touch.
Congratulations again on your achievement. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Professor Simon Hubbard
Vice-Dean, Head of School of Biological Sciences