Biological Sciences

Learning, teaching and research training

We offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral training.

Dunes

Taught programmes

We provide a wide range of Biological Sciences degrees and welcome about 200 new students each year on undergraduate programmes and 150 new students each year on taught postgraduate programmes.

The administration of undergraduate and taught postgraduate teaching is coordinated by the Biology Teaching  Organisation (BTO). 

Research training

Postgraduate research studies are coordinated by the Graduate School of Biological Sciences. The School has about 200 research postgraduate students across all of our Research Institutes.

Our students can follow a three-year or a four-year PhD programme, which includes options for both specialised training and generic or transferable skills development.

Many research projects involve collaboration with other bodies such as:

  • Scottish Agricultural College
  • Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
  • industry partners
  • other research organisations

About 200 postgraduate and postdoctoral research staff work in the School, which has an active PostDoc Society. Some 40 of our Principal Investigators hold independent personal fellowships, many of which are career development positions. All of our research staff have access to the University’s researcher development programme.