So, other than diverse, what is biology? The core strands that unite all the various disciplines and sub-disciplines of the subject are: the study and characterization of living organisms and the investigation of the science behind living things. This means most biology courses will have core modules in the first year focusing on subjects such as cell theory and molecular biology, evolution, physiology and adaptation, gene theory, and homeostasis.

Having established some basic understanding of the core principles of biology, you’ll be able to choose an area in which to specialize. Options include: anatomy, biophysics, cell and molecular biology, computational biology, ecology and evolution, environmental biology, forensic biology, genetics, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biosciences, natural science, neurobiology, physiology, zoology and many others.

These courses may be offered as electives in a wider biology degree course – a good option for those who are not yet sure on what area they wish to focus – or as dedicated degree programs.