Keele University Prospectus Undergraduate | 2016 | Page 176

NATURAL SCIENCES

Natural Sciences
Overview

With its long standing reputation in multidisciplinary
education, Keele is ideally placed to offer this broadbased and intellectually challenging Natural Sciences
programme. This innovative new programme involves
the study of two core natural science subjects along
with a supporting subject in the first two years. This
will provide you with a rigorous scientific grounding
whilst instilling an interdisciplinary focus. The final
year provides the opportunity for you to either
maintain a combined study of two core subjects,
or to focus more specifically on a single discipline.
Keele has an outstanding reputation for the quality
of its teaching and learning experience. The
delivery of the programme is strongly focused on
research-based learning and teaching and makes
full use of the modern analytical and computing
facilities available at Keele. Our expansive 600 acre
campus provides a beautiful setting in which to live,
learn and study. The diverse natural environment
of landscaped gardens and woodland provides a
unique outdoor laboratory in which to develop your
field-based skills. There is extensive opportunity for
group learning and research and students and staff
work in close collaboration. This will prepare you
for the team-based collaborative working required
by many employers.
With their interdisciplinary backgrounds, Natural
Sciences graduates are highly regarded by employers
and are well qualified for a wide variety of careers
within science-based industries, the commercial
sector, media and education.

Course content

The first and second years of the programme are
based around the study of two core natural science
subjects, a supporting subject and a core bespoke
module specific to this programme.
Three modules from each of the two core subjects
are selected in each year. These core subjects include
options in the physical sciences, the biosciences and
the geosciences. These provide you with an essential
grounding in the key knowledge and skills relevant to
the disciplines.
A distinctive aspect of this programme is the
opportunity to take a supporting subject to provide
additional breadth, whilst developing further
knowledge and skills that are both complementary
to the core subjects and of value to future employers.
This element involves the selection of a single module
in the first and second years that can be extended
into the third year, and can involve the selection of an
additional natural sciences subject, a language or a
combination of approved elective modules.

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The inclusion of bespoke modules in the first and
second years promotes the identification and
exploration of interdisciplinary issues and the
development of vital skills central to the programme.
First year
Natural Sciences and Society: This module provides
an introduction to the natural sciences and explores
the key role they can play in addressing the most
challenging issues faced by human society. This
bespoke module provides you with the opportunity
to develop key skills and techniques of relevance to
interdisciplinary study, for example, the information
literacy skills required to identify the diverse views
and new discoveries published within journal
literature. This module also encourages you to
focus on cutting edge research by requiring
attendance of seminar sessions relevant to the
chosen core subjects.
Second year
Research Skills in the Natural Sciences: This module
focuses on the development of advanced research
skills in preparation for the third year independent
research project. Key issues such as research
design are addressed alongside training in research
techniques of relevance to the core subjects and
your third year project. You will have access to the
full range of analytical and computational facilities
available at Keele. All students are assigned