Year One - Part IA

Welcome to Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, a journey into the living fabric of our planet, from the hidden microbial worlds beneath our feet to the vast, interconnected ecosystems visible from space. In this course, you will explore how life diversifies through evolution, how species interact within communities, and how ecosystems function, change, and sometimes collapse. Inspired by the transformative ideas of Charles Darwin and enriched by cutting-edge discoveries from scientific research laboratories and far-flung forests, deserts, and oceans, you will uncover the processes that generate Earth’s extraordinary variety of life—and the urgent challenges threatening it today. Practical classes complement the lectures with hands-on experience in areas like adaptive evolution, phylogenetics, genetic analyses, microscopy, and experimental design. These sessions are designed to encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving, skills essential for any future scientist. An optional field course over the Easter vacation provides an opportunity to get out into the British outdoors with your fellow students to engage in lively scientific discussions and carry out a scientific study.

This course offers a focused exploration of human biology and concentrates on the human body, with a strong emphasis on physiology—the foundation for further study in areas like pharmacology, neurobiology, and pathology.

You’ll explore how the body functions at multiple levels, from the nervous and hormonal systems to cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and metabolic processes. Alongside this, you’ll be introduced to key biomedical topics such as immunology and the effects of drugs on the body, helping you build a broad and integrated understanding of human health and disease.

Practical classes complement the lectures by offering hands-on experience in areas like neurobiology, histology, anatomy, and experimental design. These sessions are designed to encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills essential for any future biomedical scientist.

This course offers an introduction to the essential principles of biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. You'll begin by exploring the molecular architecture of life; proteins, DNA, carbohydrates and membranes, before diving into the cell as a dynamic system through gene expression, metabolic pathways and transport within and beyond a cell.

As the course progresses, you'll uncover how cells communicate, divide, and develop into complex organisms. Along the way, you'll gain insight into cutting-edge topics and fundamental experimental techniques in molecular biology like genome biology, visualisation of cellular features and processes and development.

With practical experiments closely aligned with lecture topics, this course ensures a hands-on learning experience. This course is your gateway to understanding the intricate workings of life.

This course reveals how molecular structure influences chemical properties and reactivity - core knowledge for anyone passionate about molecular science. You'll study spectroscopy to uncover molecular shapes, explore modern bonding theories, and learn to predict chemical behaviour through reaction mechanisms and equilibrium concepts.

Hands-on practical classes bring the theory to life, offering experience with real-world chemical techniques and quantitative analysis. Whether you're interested in biochemistry, materials science, or beyond, this course lays a strong foundation in the principles of chemistry.

This course is your gateway to understanding the dynamic forces that shape our planet, and others. You'll explore Earth's interior, oceans, and atmosphere, and learn how to track geological and environmental changes using tools from biology, chemistry, and physics. You'll also touch on the economic importance of Earth’s resources.

Through hands-on practicals and fieldwork, you'll identify rocks, interpret geological maps, and use fossils and sediments to uncover Earth’s history. No prior geology experience is needed, just a curiosity about the natural world and a background in science.

Whether you're fascinated by Earth’s past or curious about planetary science, this course offers the perfect foundation for further study in geology and environmental science.

The course explores the core principles of human behavior, cognitive processes, and the neuroscientific underpinnings of the mind. You will learn about the history and methods of experimental psychology, delve into the structure and function of the brain, and study key areas such as sensation, perception, learning, memory, language and emotion. Through practical classes, students will gain direct experience of experimental methods and cognitive phenomena and understand conceptual and ethical practices in research.

This course is borrowed from the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos, meaning you’ll study alongside a different cohort of students. 

This course introduces you to the world of materials science, where atomic structure meets real-world function. You'll learn how the structure and processing of materials like metallic alloys, biomaterials and liquid crystals affect their properties, and get hands-on with activities like fuel-cell testing, solidification of molten metals and nanoscale analysis.

With a mix of lectures, practicals and project work, and enhanced by web-based learning, you’ll build a strong foundation in how materials behave and why. It’s the perfect starting point for future studies in Materials Science, Physics, or Chemistry—and for anyone curious about the science driving today’s technology.

This course provides a solid foundation in physics, ideal for students continuing in the subject or pursuing related fields like chemistry, materials science, or earth sciences and those with a strong background in physics and mathematics. It bridges the gap between school and university-level physics, reinforcing classical topics while introducing exciting new areas such as special relativity and quantum physics.

You’ll explore core concepts including mechanics, oscillations, waves, and fields, all within a analytical and mathematical framework. The course encourages you to think critically and develop models that explain how the universe works—from everyday phenomena to the extremes of black holes.

Practical work is an essential part of the course, helping you develop experimental and data analysis skills. These sessions are designed to complement the lectures and deepen your understanding through hands-on experience.

This course introduces you to the essential mathematical and computational tools used to understand biological systems. You'll learn how to apply techniques like probability, statistics, and differential equations to real-world biological questions—from analysing genetic data to modelling how populations grow and interact.

Throughout the course, you'll work with real biological datasets and gain hands-on experience using R, a powerful tool for data analysis and visualization. Practical sessions will help you develop skills in data handling, statistical testing, and bioinformatics, giving you a solid foundation for more advanced study in biology, medicine, or computational science.

The course is designed to be accessible and engaging, even if you're new to mathematical biology. It’s ideal for students who enjoy both maths and biology and want to explore how these disciplines come together to solve complex problems in the life sciences.

Mathematics is a fundamental foundation for studying science. This Mathematics course is designed to underpin the mathematical techniques used in the physical sciences.

This course is available in two version, with both covering crucial mathematical techniques for physical sciences, including vector calculus, matrices, complex numbers, differential equations, probability theory, and computing techniques.

Course A provides a solid foundation in mathematical methods, essential for all physical science courses in Part IB of the Natural Sciences Tripos, such as Mathematics, Physics and Advanced Physics.

Course B is tailored for those who find mathematics particularly rewarding, moving at a faster pace and including additional material. It's perfect for students with a strong understanding of Further Mathematics.

Despite the different paces, both courses lead to the same examination and qualification, offering a versatile mathematical framework applicable across a multitude of natural science disciplines.