Undergraduate courses Life Sciences Track Biology and Ecology Biology and Physiology of Organisms
This programme is taught in French.
field(s) of training :
Science, Technology, Health
diploma level :
Bachelor's degree (three-year degree)
duration of the program :
3 years
Course overview
You’re interested in life sciences and all their branches? With the bachelor’s programme in Life Sciences, you will receive complete training in all the fields of biology!
The bachelor’s programme in Life Sciences is one of the two bachelors’ within the Biology and Earth Sciences department of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Caen Normandy. The programme focuses on life sciences as a whole, whereas the programme in Health Sciences focuses on human biology.
As such, this three-year full-time programme allows you to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in life sciences and in scientific disciplines (mathematics, physics, chemistry). The bachelor’s in Life Sciences relies on transversal, disciplinary, and personalised courses and is experimentation-based, offering both practical labs and field trips.
You’re interested in biology and wish to pursue medical studies? The bachelor’s in Life Sciences is part of the bachelors’ programmes with a Health Sciences optional course (in French LAS for Licences accès santé) of the University of Caen Normandy. These bachelors’ allow students to apply to medical studies (midwifery, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy). The bachelor’s with a Health Sciences option provides the basics in health in order to prepare you to these selective studies. During the three years of the bachelor’s, you will have 2 tries to access medical studies. For more information, read the FAQ on the entry requirements for medical studies (in French).
Welcoming international students
Since 2019, the University of Caen Normandy has been awarded the "Bienvenue en France" label by Campus France, highlighting the quality of the university's welcome for international students.
Application requirements
Entry requirements
To enter this bachelor’s, you should graduate from a high school diploma with scientific majors such as Life and Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
Applicants must provide:
- Academic records
- Cover letter and resume
Language proficiency requirements
Minimum French proficiency level required: B2 (Year 1 and 2), C1 (Year 3)
Apply and register
The registration process takes place in 3 steps:
Application process
Admission and registration requirements may vary depending on your nationality, country of residence, foreign secondary school leaving certificate, and the nature of your programme of study. Discover how to apply to the University of Caen Normandy.
Course structure
Courses
- Take place on site in the University of Caen Normandy:
- Campus 1 (Caen)
- Campus 2 (for some courses, also in Caen)
- Amount to 500 hours per year, approximately 20 hours per week
Course units
The bachelor’s in Life Sciences relies on a core curriculum shared with the bachelor’s in Health Sciences.
Year 1 offers courses in a variety of scientific disciplines:
- Biology (cellular, animal, plant, diversity and living classification, biochemistry)
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
Courses include many practical labs from Year 1, with a course unit in experimentation methods in Year 2.
In Year 2, you will progressively specialise in scientific disciplines linked to life, in order to train you to experimentation methods:
- Genetics
- Reproduction and development
- Molecular biology
- Plant and animal physiology
- Microbiology
- Ecology (populations and ecosystems)
In Year 3, you will specialise in either:
- Biology and physiology of organisms
- Biology and ecology
Each specialisation proposes courses in either animal or plant, marine or earth living organisms. This choice of courses will help you choosing your master’s.
During the bachelor’s programme, you will also acquire transferable skills with courses such as:
- English
- Digital tools
Internships and placements
The bachelor’s programme includes an optional internship that can last up to 6 weeks. You can do your internship in Year 2 or Year 3, in a company or a laboratory, in France or abroad, and thus, for example, visit a laboratory and discover first-hand research activities. Since the internship is optional, it will not be graded.
Coursework and assessment
The course lasts 3 years and is divided in 6 semesters, each comprising several courses units. Examinations are held at the end of each semester and are graded on a scale from 0 to 20, 20 being the best grade. Grade compensation is organized without eliminatory marks and on the basis of the general average obtained in every course unit:
- Over each semester
- Over the 2 semesters of the same year
To successfully complete a semester, you must have an average mark of at least 10 points out of 20. If you have not completed your semester, you can retake the courses units you failed; you do not have to retake the courses in which you have obtained at least 10 points out of 20.
Language
French
Study abroad
The bachelor’s in Life Sciences has a network of partnerships in different countries. Each year, the programme
- Sends students abroad: you can apply to international exchanges (website in French) for a semester or a year, generally in Year 3 (application in Year 2)
- Welcomes foreign students: at any time of your studies, you can spend a semester or a year in the bachelor’s programme in Life Sciences in the University of Caen Normandy
Learning outcome
By the end of this course, you will be able to
- Master theoretical and practical fundamentals in life sciences, as well as in other scientific disciplines (physics, chemistry, mathematics)
- Precise your professional project within life sciences
- Use professional and methodology resources, in autonomy and in a team
- Master oral and writing skills, in French and in English (you will take the CLES linguistic exam in Year 3)
- Master digital tools (you will take the C21 level 1 in Year 2)
Further study
You wish to change programme during your studies? The bachelor’s programme in Life Sciences is part of the Biology and Earth and Life Sciences department: once you’ve validated Year 1 in the bachelor’s in Computer Sciences, you can change programme to attend one of the other bachelors’ of the same department.
- Life Sciences
- Earth Sciences
- Life and Earth Sciences
You will have the opportunity to apply to these bachelor’s programmes during your application on Year 2 only (the courses being too specialised in Year 2 to change programme).
Once you’ve obtained your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue your studies with:
- Master's programmes
- Agrosciences, Environment, Territories, Landscapes, Forest
- Microbiology
- Biology and Agrosciences
- Biology and Health
- Integrative biology and physiology
- Marine Sciences
- Teaching
- Engineering degrees such as the Agrifood Industry programme of the ESIX Normandie, that you can access as soon as you have completed Year 2
Careers
The bachelor’s degree is the first step to pursue careers related to life sciences. According to our last surveys, 8 students out of 10 went further with their studies after graduating from their bachelor’s degree. Hence your career will depend on your specialisation and the diploma you pursue after your bachelor’s.
With an expertise in biology, you will have career opportunities in fields such as:
- Development of living resources (agriculture, forest, marine resources)
- Scientific and technical support of organisations (consulting, public services…)
- Research and development in industries (agrifood, environment, quality, hygiene and security, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics)
You will also be able to carry out case studies, analyses and controls, or to work in communication, training, and education.
Address
Université de Caen Normandie
UFR des Sciences
Esplanade de la Paix · CS 14032 · 14032 Caen Cedex 5
France
Course leader
formation : Jean-Paul Robin · jean-paul.robin@unicaen.fr