The Life Sciences degree is a scientific course which aims to enable students to develop over 3 years the skills necessary to understand the scientific, technological, environmental and socio-economic issues associated with life sciences and to specify their orientation over the years, according to their interests and professional projects.

Students will be able to choose three training course :

• A balanced approach to General Biology (BG): a balanced education that covers all life sciences, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for the future (various professions, masters, competitions).
• A specialization in Molecular, Cellular and Organismal Biology (BMCO): a specialization to understand the functioning of living things on a small scale (molecules, cells, genes) and its applications in health, biotechnology or the environment.
• A specialization in Biology of Organisms, Populations and Ecosystems (BOPE): a specialization focused on the study of living beings and their environment, in order to analyze ecological and environmental issues and contribute to the management and conservation of biodiversity.

The Bachelor's degree is structured to allow students to develop three skill blocks, which will be worked on progressively with 3 levels of mastery: Beginner, Intermediate and Proficient.

Competency block 1: Projecting oneself professionally and acting responsibly (PR)

Competency block 2: Adopting a rigorous scientific approach (RSA)

Competency block 3: Communicating scientifically (CS)

The organization of teaching in short modules of 16 hours allows students to build their training dynamically based on their prior learning, priorities, the level of competence targeted and achieved, and their professional and further study plans.

Educational goals :

With face-to-face teaching, self-study modules and Learning and Assessment Situations (LAS), students will develop the skills necessary to understand the scientific, technological, environmental and socio-economic issues associated with life sciences.

Regarding the General Biology course:

The objective is to train citizens capable of understanding the scientific, technological, environmental and socio-economic issues associated with the life sciences.

During their training, students will acquire the ability to:

•      To work independently and responsibly in service of a project.

Develop the ability to propose new ideas, to formulate original hypotheses, to explore alternative solutions.

Self-assessment to improve one's practice.

Developing independent thinking

Demonstrate critical thinking and intellectual rigor

•        Building your professional project

Identify and locate career opportunities related to the skills acquired during training.

To characterize one's skills and to value them in a given context.

Develop a coherent personal and professional project.

•        Act responsibly

•        Respect ethical principles

Being aware of current social issues: climate change, public health, development of Artificial Intelligence…

•         Consider the impacts of one's actions on others, society and the environment.

•        Identify, select and critically utilize diverse resources in one's field of expertise to document a topic (C)

•          Mobilizing knowledge to construct reasoning: Identifying, describing, and explaining the fundamental mechanisms of living organisms (genetics, physiology, ecology, biochemistry…) – Intermediate level.

Linking molecular and cellular mechanisms to the physiological functions of organisms – Competent level.

The Life Sciences degree provides training in understanding the scientific, technological, environmental and socio-economic issues associated with life sciences at a global level, but also more specific to Reunion Island, a tropical island in the Indian Ocean.

The competency-based approach allows students to ground their learning in an understanding of these issues and empowers them to take ownership of their education. The modular structure and competency-based approach enable a dynamic development of the curriculum, better aligned with the workings of today's society: short modules allow students to engage and learn in a short period with immediate results, while simultaneously developing the knowledge and skills necessary to complete their projects within the framework of the SAé (Skills Assessment and Evaluation).

Total hours worked: 1650 hours

The courses are organized into 16-hour modules with varied teaching formats: lectures, self-study, tutorials, practical work in the classroom and in the field, individual and group work divided into the following themes:

• Cross-curricular teaching
• To plan for one's professional future and to act responsibly
• Scientific tools and methods
• Scientific communication
• Chemistry and biochemistry
• Cell and molecular biology, genetics
• Organismal biology: physiology (from the cellular level to the organism), animal biology, plant biology, microbiology
• Population and ecosystem biology
• Evolution and phylogeny

The Life Sciences training program is structured into three skill blocks:

Competency block 1: Projecting oneself professionally and acting responsibly (PR)

• Working in teams and networks
• Working independently and responsibly in service of a project: to self-assess in order to improve one's practice, to develop independent thinking, to demonstrate critical thinking and intellectual rigor
• Building your career plan: identify and locate career opportunities related to the skills acquired during training; characterize one's skills and value them in a given context; develop a coherent personal and professional project.
• Act responsibly: respect ethical principles; take into account the impacts of one's actions on others, society and the environment.

Competency block 2: Adopting a rigorous scientific approach (RSA)

• Respect safety and ethical rules: Identify specific regulations and implement key hygiene and safety prevention measures.

• Identify, select and critically utilize diverse resources in one's field of expertise to document a topic
• Formulate a scientific problem
• Define an investigation strategy: Choose or design appropriate or bibliographic approaches tailored to the research question (hypothetico-deductive approach, diagnostic approach, observational approach); collect data (know how to observe, measure, and sample, particularly using standard digital tools); analyze data rigorously and critically
• Mobilizing knowledge to construct an argument: to identify, describe and explain the fundamental mechanisms of living things (genetics, physiology, ecology, biochemistry…)                                                                                                                 

Competency block 3: Communicating scientifically (CS)

•  Identify the explicit and implicit expectations of a situation
• Adapting one's communication to a specific audience : to conduct science outreach activities; to master the use of different types of media
• Develop an argument based on evidence: communicate scientific data; mobilize up-to-date theoretical knowledge; cite sources
• Communicating in scientific English
• Communicating logically
• Identify the process of knowledge dissemination and valorization

The 3 skill blocks of the Life Sciences degree, general biology track, overlap with the skill blocks expected at the national level according to the RNCP record 39517 of the Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences.

Students must complete at least four weeks of internship relevant to their career goals (either a work placement or a research placement) to validate the competency block "Planning for a Career and Acting Responsibly." The internship can be completed during the week or during school holidays, provided students do not have scheduled university classes.

The courses graded as Learning and Assessment Situations (LAS) give students the opportunity to be active in supervised, professionally oriented projects, most often carried out in teams. Students are placed in a work situation they might encounter later in their studies or in a job.

Registration fees are set annually by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space and are available on our institution's website: Register at the University of Reunion

Baccalaureate or equivalent for admission to the first year of a Bachelor's degree. General Baccalaureate with at least two scientific specializations recommended.

Admission to the second or third year of undergraduate studies is possible through validation of prior studies based on application (other degrees, preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles, DUT, BTS, etc.).

For first-year enrollment via the Parcoursup platform, the ranking of applications for the main phase is based on:

Academic results: grades from the first year (including early baccalaureate exams) and the final year in scientific subjects such as scientific education, the SVT specialty and other scientific specialties (essential criterion coefficient 5).

Academic skills, methodological knowledge, know-how: quality of written and oral expression in French (French grades in the baccalaureate), quality of written expression in a foreign language (first and final year LV1 grades), quality of written and oral expression in French (final year French grades) (very important criterion, coefficient 2).

The supplementary procedure also takes into account the future profile, motivation, knowledge of the training, and the coherence of the project (motivated training project).

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Depending on the student's situation, applications to enter the first year of Bachelor's degree (L1) take place according to two specific procedures (the national platform Parcoursup, Études en France).

Admission to the second and third years (L2 and L3) takes place on the platform admission.univ-reunion.fr and on Studies in France for foreign students.

For more information, you can consult the university's student services page: https://www.univ-reunion.fr/choisir-sa-formation/inscriptions/etudiants-en-reinscription/

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Bachelor's degree holder with an interest in science, including life sciences.

300 seats

The admission dates for the first year of the Bachelor's degree (L1) are set nationally each year and are available on the Parcoursup platform

For admission to the second and third years of the Bachelor's degree (L2 and L3), the schedule is determined by the institution. It is available on the student services page of the university website: Students re-registering

Data from the graduating classes of 2019 and 2020 (with a 58% response rate from outgoing graduates).

Situation 18 months after graduation:

• 56% are continuing their studies at the University of Reunion Island
• 25% are continuing their studies outside of Reunion Island
• 14% are employed
• 5% inactive

The Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences (SV) offers several pathways for specialization in Master's programs, engineering schools, professional training programs, or competitive exams.

In Master's programs (5 years of higher education):

• Masters in fundamental biology Life sciences; Molecular and cellular biology; Biochemistry, molecular biology; Integrative biology and physiology; Developmental biology; Microbiology; Neuroscience; Immunology; Bioinformatics; Structural biology, genomics; Genetics.
• Masters degrees in biology, health and medicine: Biology and health; Public health; Health engineering.
• Masters in ecology, biodiversity and environment:Toxicology and ecotoxicology; Ocean, atmospheric and climate sciences; Marine sciences; Water sciences; Ethology.
• Masters in agronomy and plant sciences:  Plant biology; Agrosciences, environment, territories, landscape, forest; Science and technology of agriculture, food and the environment; Biology, agrosciences; Plant protection.
• Masters in nutrition and food science: Nutrition and food science; Quality and innovation in the agri-food sector; Human nutrition and health; Food safety
• Masters in teaching and science communication : Teaching, Education and Training Professions (MEEF) Life and Earth Sciences: Scientific Mediation and Communication of Science

Admission: Based on application (grades, internships). Some selective Master's programs require an excellent academic level.

Engineering schools (Master's level) – Admission based on academic qualifications:

• Food processing and agronomy
• Biotechnology and Chemistry
• Environment and Ecological Engineering
• Health and Pharmacy, biomedical engineering schools.

Admission: Based on application and interview (sometimes written tests). Some schools recruit at the second-year undergraduate level (L2).

Pathways to professional bachelor's degrees (Bac+3/+4):

• For rapid professional integration

Access: By application, often with an internship or apprenticeship.

Civil service and teaching professions competitions:

• State civil service (Ministries, public institutions): Laboratory technician (BIO); Technical and scientific police technician (PTSC); Senior technician for French schools abroad (TSEFE); Customs laboratory agent; Primary school teacher; Secondary school teacher (CAPES SVT) (recruitment procedures are being reformed)
• Local government civil service (FPT): Territorial Technician (specializing in biology/environment); Municipal Police Officer (environmental option)

Admission: Selection based on application, written tests and/or oral interviews

The career paths accessible after a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences are diverse. Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Careers in laboratories (Research, Health, Industry)

Laboratory Technician

Pharmacology/Toxicology Technician

Assistant engineer in biology

Pharmacology/Toxicology Technician

• Careers in the environment and ecology

Environmental Technician

Sustainable Development Officer

Sanitation/Water Technician

Water Quality Monitoring Technician

Marine or terrestrial nature reserve warden

• Careers in the agri-food and agriculture sectors

Aquaculture Technician

Food Processing Technician

Agricultural Technician

Technical sales representative in biology/agronomy

• Careers in health and services

Clinical Research Assistant

Science communicator

Primary school teacher or science teacher

• Careers in industry and production

Bioproduction Operator

Biomedical Maintenance Technician

• Emerging professions, particularly in waste management and the circular economy

Organic Waste Recovery Technician

Waste Sorting and Recycling Technician

Eco-design and Reuse Technician