Examples of Pathways through Natural Sciences

Please click on the module name if you would like to see the full details of any module.

Please note that the timetable changes each year so it is not possible to guarantee that the particular combinations shown in the examples below would necessarily fit into the timetable every year.

Example 1

This example illustrates a student who starts with two modules in three subjects, Biology, Geography and Earth Sciences and then specialises in just two of these subjects, Biology and Geography.

Year 1
Diversity of Life
Introduction to Plants, Animals and Ecology
Physical Geography: Earth Systems Science
Environment and Society
How the Earth Works
Earth Materials

Year 2
Ecology
Behaviour
Evolutionary Biology
Urban Geography
Fluvial Systems
Environmental Processes and Management

Year 3
Conservation Biology (Lit)
Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology (Lit)
Contemporary Issues in Ecology (P)
Health and Environment (P)
Dynamics of Gravel-Bed River
Urban Transformations in the New Europe

This combination of modules would lead to the award of a Joint Honours degree, namely a B.Sc. in Biology and Geography within the Natural Sciences programme. It is possible to bias the weight of the two subjects as shown in Year 3, where there are four Biology modules and two Geography modules.

Example 2

This unusual combination illustrates the breadth and flexibility of the degree programme. Some students have an A level in French when they enter the University and this allows those students to take the main first year modules in French in either their first or second year. There are modules in French for students without A level, but they cannot be followed by any other French modules. 

This combination also allows students to apply for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society because of the Psychology modules that have been taken.

Year 1
Introduction to Psychological Research - a double module
Introduction to Psychology 1
Cells Tissues and Systems
Genetics
Knowledge and Reality - (Philosophy)

Year 2
Memory and Language
Brain Processes of Cognition and Perception
Social and Developmental Psychology
Political Philosophy 
French Language 1
Reading French Literature 

Year 3
Psychology Project and Statistics
Abnormal Psychology and Perception
Neuropsychology
French Language 2
20th Century European Philosophy 
Politics and Culture of Contemporary France

This combination of modules would lead to the award of a B.Sc. in Natural Sciences with French, Philosophy, Psychology being listed on the degree certificate as at least two modules have been taken in these subjects from the second year onwards.

Example 3

This combination illustrates the only time when students can take all their modules in a single subject, namely Year 4.

Year 1
Core Chemistry 1A - a double module
Core Maths A - a double module
Foundations of Physics - a double module

Year 2
Core Chemistry 2 - a double module
Properties of Molecules
Foundations of Physics 2
Mathematical Methods in Physics
Discovery Skills in Physics

Year 3
Core Chemistry 3 - a double module
Molecules and their Interactions
Inorganic Concepts and their Applications
Foundations of Physics 3 - a double module

Year 4
Chemistry Research Project- a triple module
Molecules and their Interactions
Core Chemistry 4
Contemporary Chemistry

This combination of modules would lead to the award of an M.Sci. in Natural Sciences with Chemistry and Physics being listed on the degree certificate as at least two modules have been taken in these subjects from the second year onwards

Example 4

This combination illustrates a bias in the second year to one subject (Computer Science) and in the third year to the other subject (Business)

Year 1
Introduction to Programming
Formal Aspects of Computer Science
Computer Systems
Elements of Economics
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Introduction to Management

Year 2
Programming and Reasoning
Software Applications
Software Engineering - a double module
Marketing Management
Organisational Behaviour

Year 3

Advanced Software Engineering (Double) - a double module
Asia and the Pacific Rim
Corporate Governance
Dissertation in Business (Single Module)
Marketing Research

This combination of modules would lead to the award of a Joint Honours degree, namely a B.Sc. in Business and Computer Science within the Natural Sciences programme.

Example 5

This is another combination that illustrates the only time when students can take all their modules in a single subject, namely Year 4.

Year 1
Core Maths A - a double module
Core Maths B1
Introduction to Psychology 1
Introduction to Psychology 2
Human Origins and Diversity (Anthropology)

Year 2
Analysis of Many Variables II (Maths)
Linear Algebra II (Maths)
Complex Analysis II (Maths)
Codes and Geometric Topology II (Maths)
Social and Develeopment Psychology
Introduction to Management (Business)

Year 3
Differential Geometry III (Maths)
Mathematical Biology III (Maths)
Operations Research III (Maths)
Dynamic Systems III (Maths)
Marketing Management (Business)
Environmental Anthropology

Year 4
Maths Project - a double module
Mathematical Finance IV
Partial Differential Equations IV
Riemannian Geometry IV
Analysis IV

This combination of modules would lead to the award of an M.Sci. in Natural Sciences with Business and Mathematics being listed on the degree certificate as at least two modules have been taken in these subjects from the second year onwards

For more information about the Natural Sciences degree programme, please contact:

Dr. James Blowey
Deputy Head of Faculty
Faculty of Science Office
Level 3 Chemistry Building
Durham University
DH1 3LE
UK

Tel: 0191 334 1014
Fax: 0191 334 1018
Email: natural.sciences-director@durham.ac.uk

WWW: Natural Sciences home page

The Natural Sciences web pages are maintained by James Blowey