Biology

Overview

The Biology research degree from University of York is proud to be ranked first for research impact and top 10 for overall research performance in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2014. 

Our almost 70 principal investigators are supported by current grants totalling £52 million. Every step of our research is carried out with the indispensable help of postgraduate students. No matter which area of Biology you specialise in, you will be working alongside some of the world’s biggest names in their respective fields, at the cutting edge of scientific exploration. Learn more about our academic staff and their research interests.

Careers

A research degree is internationally recognised as a demonstration that you have the skills, intellect and motivation to carry out original research and present it convincingly. It is more or less essential to have a research degree if you plan a career as an independent researcher with responsibility for your own research programme, whether in academia, research institutes, or industry. In this case, the next stage will probably be a postdoctoral position where you will broaden your research experience and perhaps do some teaching and help to supervise other staff and students.

A lifetime of research is not for everyone, though, and there are many other careers in which the skills you develop during your research degree will certainly not be wasted. You will have learnt to think rigorously for yourself, to find information and teach yourself what you need to know, to present your case convincingly in writing and to an audience, to meet deadlines, and to plan your work effectively on short and long timescales. Employers of all kinds recognise and value skills like these.