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2024/25 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

BSc Biology and History and Philosophy of Science (For students entering from September 2023 onwards)

Programme code:BSBLG&HPSC-RUCAS code:CV15
Duration:3 Years Method of Attendance: Full Time
Programme manager:Kal Kalewold Contact address:K.Kalewold@leeds.ac.uk

Total credits: 360

Entry requirements:

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme:

School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science

Examination board through which the programme will be considered:

Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups:

Programme specification:

The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme from September 2023. For students who entered the programme before September 2023, you can find the details of your programme:

BSc Biology and History and Philosophy of Science

Your course

This course enables you to develop knowledge and skills through an exploration of the science and philosophy of living things, as well as a historical understanding of how these fields of study have evolved over time.
You’ll combine practical lab work with classroom-based learning, developing a broad set of biological knowledge and skills, whilst exploring the history of scientific thought and the nature of scientific knowledge.
At level 1, students will be exposed to core topics in each discipline through both compulsory and optional modules. This will allow them to begin to identify areas of personal interest which they may wish to pursue at higher levels. At higher levels, the programme is designed to provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge of and competence in a range of core topics and generic skills in each discipline, and progressively specialise in a disciplinary sub-field (such as history of science, philosophy of science, ecology, genetics, animal behaviour, plant development, conservation, evolution and adaptation). They may undertake a final year project in either of the disciplines. This enables students to build a personalised portfolio of knowledge and competencies in each discipline, which can be adjusted according to an individual student’s intellectual ambitions, needs, and interests.

The programme showcases the distinctive areas of research strength in Philosophy and Biology at Leeds. Modules at higher levels will offer the opportunity to engage with current research of academics in each of the Schools, especially at level 3.

At each level, students may study Discovery modules to expand their knowledge and/or skills beyond their programme of study, which provides a further opportunity to shape their study to their ambitions, interests and needs.

The programme has an international variant, which includes a study abroad year at Level 3, and an industrial variant, which includes a work placement year at Level 3.

Your future

Students will gain a suite of transferrable skills valued by employers, such as good organisational skills (gained through developing a personal path through their programme, engagement with study-related activities, and meeting assessment deadlines), independent research skills including how to conduct scientific research, the ability to analyse and interpret texts, information and data, the ability to analyse complex information from multiple sources, ability to construct arguments and to effectively communicate their views, and awareness of how cultural or historical context influences scholarship in the disciplines and issues in contemporary science. These skills will help our students either transition into an employment environment after leaving us, or into further education if that is the route they choose.

Our world

Science has an important role to play in shaping our world for the better. But we live at a time when the value and authority of scientific enquiry is called into question by some people or feared because of the new techniques and real-world applications it develops. This course will provide you with a developed and informed understanding of the value of science in general and biological science in particular, and how to address scepticism about them. It equips you to make a personal contribution to society as an advocate for the value of scientific enquiry but to also understand its limits.


Year1 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 60 credits in Biology (BLGY) and 40 credits in History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC or PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

BLGY1124The Diversity of Life10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY1141Introduction to Cell Biology10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY1237Introduction to Genetics10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY1238Exploring Whole Organism Biology in the Lab and Field10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY1307Research & Study Skills Level 120 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
HPSC1046Introduction to the History of Science10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL1109How Science Works10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study at least 10 credits from the following History of Science optional modules:

HPSC1015Magic, Science and Religion10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
HPSC1030History of Psychology10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
HPSC1050Darwin, Germs and the Bomb10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
HPSC1070Living with Technology10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
HPSC1080History of Modern Medicine10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates will be required to study at least 10 credits from the following Philosophy optional modules:

PHIL1005The Mind10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1015Thinking About Race10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Discovery modules:

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules


Year2 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

We are currently refreshing our courses to make sure students have the best possible experience. Full module details for years 2 and 3 are not yet available. Before you enter years 2 and 3 details of modules for those years will be provided.

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in Biology (BLGY) and 40 credits in History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC or PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

BLGY2304Research and Study Skills Level 220 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
PHIL2605Why Trust Science? Topics in Philosophy of Science20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study 20-40 credits from the following HPS optional modules:

HPSC2150History of Science in 10 Objects20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
HPSC2307Science, Culture and Society in the Industrial Age20 creditsNot running in 202425
HPSC2400History of Psychiatry and Mental Illness20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Candidates will be required to study 20-40 credits from the following Biology optional modules:

BLGY2155Population, Community and Conservation Ecology20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY2164How Plants Live20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY2220Evolution, Adaptation and Behaviour20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following Biology optional modules:

BLGY2106Parasitology10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY2175Human Populations10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY2265Urban Ecology and Conservation Field Course20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY2296Human Genetics10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery modules:

Candidates may study the following module or 20 credits of discovery modules:

FOAH2020Towards the Future: Skills in Context20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
FOAH2020Towards the Future: Skills in Context20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates may study the following module or 20 credits of discovery modules:

FOAH2020Towards the Future: Skills in Context20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
FOAH2020Towards the Future: Skills in Context20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)


Year3 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

We are currently refreshing our courses to make sure students have the best possible experience. Full module details for year 3 are not yet available. Before you enter year 3 full details of modules for that year will be provided.

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.
Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in Biology (BLGY) and 40 credits in History and Philosophy of Science (HPS, PHIL or PRHS), to be eligible for an honours degree.

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module:

PHIL3320Philosophy of Biology20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following compulsory modules

BLGY3345Biology Integrated Research Projects40 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
PRHS3000Independent Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science40 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
PRHS3001Integrated Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science40 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
PRHS3700External Placement: Beyond the University40 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Candidates studying BLGY3345 will be required to study at least 20 credits of History and Philosophy of Science optional modules.
Candidates studying PRHS3000, PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 will be required to study at least 40 credits of Biology optional modules.

History and Philosophy of Science optional modules:
The following list is indicative as modules are under revision and different modules will be available each year depending on the availability of teaching staff. There will typically be three optional modules offered per semester.

Bioethics (20 credits) from 2025-26

HPSC3200Science Communication: History & Theory20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
HPSC3315History of the Body20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
HPSC3450Mind, Brain & Society20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3310Philosophy of Sex and Relationships20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3421Philosophy of Mind20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3852Philosophy of Modern Physics20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3855Philosophical Issues in Technology20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3865Philosophy of the Social Sciences20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Biology optional modules:

BLGY3109Applied Genetics20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY3133Advanced Topics in Ecology20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY3135Advanced Topics in Behaviour: from sex to death20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY3152Advanced Topics in Human Genetics20 creditsNot running in 202425
BLGY3173Plant Growth, Resources and Food Security20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
BLGY3247Advanced Topics in Conservation Science20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
BLGY3255Plant Development: Making a plant in theory and practice20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery modules:

Candidates may study 20 credits of discovery modules

Last updated: 13/05/2024 16:49:40

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