Our Medical Sciences BSc Honours is a standalone three-year Bachelor’s degree which also acts as a pre-clinical 'feeder' course offering graduates a transfer directly into the third year of the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MD) degree at our overseas partner, the University of Malta.

The University of Malta has a long history of medical education with their MD programme being recognised in the UK for over 100 years. All teaching at the University of Malta is in English and the university has a diverse, international student body with students from over 90 different countries. 

Transfer to the MD programme at the University of Malta is conditional on the successful completion of the Medical Sciences BSc Honours with a minimum classification of lower second-class honours (2:2). Graduates wishing to progress must also have attended the anatomy and Medical Maltese Summer School and passed the Certificate in Medical Maltese Proficiency. Further details about Malta, the University of Malta and their MD programme can be found on the Studying Medicine at the University of Malta page.

The Medical Sciences BSc Honours comprises a detailed study of the human body in health and disease, with emphasis on the diagnosis and understanding of disease states and the mechanisms involved. It prepares you for a range of life science careers, but also fully equips you for transfer to the University of Malta MD programme. Teaching on the course is through a variety of methods and includes tutorials, lectures and seminars, practical laboratory work and group activities along with the use of learning technology and electronic resources. Assessment is through a combination of exams and coursework, including essays, practical work, group work, presentations and reports.

This course also offers, at additional cost (see the Fees and Funding section below), a Human Anatomy Summer School based at the University of Malta, and a Medical Maltese language programme, both of which are compulsory for students planning to progress to the MD degree on completion of the BSc. More details of these can be found on the Studying Medicine at the University of Malta page.

Placements/ Year abroad

Between Years 2 and 3 you can undertake a one-year business placement. Past students have completed placements in a variety of SMEs and prestigious organisations including British Airways, Disney UK and Heinz. Alternatively you can study abroad at one of our partner institutions. You can also choose to split your year abroad into a first semester exchange and a second semester work placement, both conducted overseas, or undertake a placement year overseas.

Career

If you decide not to progress on to the MD programme at the end of your studies at the University of Westminster, there are a variety of other career paths open to Medical Sciences BSc (Hons) graduates including:

• Clinical trials
• Government departments
• Other institutions (eg Medical Research Council)
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Scientific/pharmaceutical/diagnostics sales
• Scientific research 
• Scientific writing/publishing
• Technical support roles in scientific/pharmaceutical/diagnostics industry
• Teaching
• University laboratories (possibly as part of a PhD)

You may also choose to continue your studies to obtain a postgraduate qualification, eg an MSc, MRes or PhD.