Natural Sciences Tripos Information

The Natural Sciences Tripos, being composed of so many different subjects, can be confusing at times. Below, members of the Stokes Society give their comments on courses they have taken. Please note, some courses may have changed since we took them!

If there's a subject we've not covered that you've taken, why not contribute by emailing Mike on mjm80?

Part IA, IB, II, and III Geology

Geology is really fun if you enjoy being outside and learning about the things around you, as well as if you enjoy thinking outside the box. The teaching itself it lectures as well as field-based and lab-based and so those wannabe chemists can be satisfied by looking down a microscope, the wannabe physicists can be satisfied by doing calculations and the why-am-I-doing-science-at-all scientists can be satisfied by the great fieldtrips and hiking (the most beautiful places in the world are also the most geologically interesting. Fact). It is one of the more social of the Natural Sciences, due to the fieldtrip aspect, and is a great way to get to know people from other colleges.

But ... it’s about ROCKS now isn’t it? Well yes, but rocks aren’t the be-all and end all of Geology. It’s about looking for evidence of the past, but also of the present, to predict the future. Geology encompasses climate change, volcanoes, earthquakes, fossils, dinosaurs, other planets – it trains you up to have the ability to look at a problem broadly to understand the key driving forces.

Part IB Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

You’re definitely going want to take BMB if you want to do biochemistry, pharmacology or biological chemistry in the third year and the course is run by the biochemistry department and leads well into their part 2/3. Having said that it would provide good background for any biological option in the 3rd year (there was a fair amount of overlap with CDB in my year) although it’s not a good one to take as a “light option”. There’s a lot of content presented fairly fast but it’s a really good basis to build on. Practicals were good and encouraged mixing between colleges

Part IB Cell and Developmental Biology

(I took this course in the dim and distant past when it was called Molecular Cell Biology – it might be a bit different now but, as you will have noticed, cam doesn’t change that much year on year). It basically extends the 1A cells course and kind of bridges the other molecular biology courses. I would say it’s a must if you want to do any form of molecular biology as it will help A LOT with your 3rd year courses. It naturally runs into part 2 courses like genetics, neuroscience and zoology. From what I remember practicals were well organised and fairly fun.

Part IB Chemistry B

If you like organic chemistry and mechanisms or just a fun practical in the lab then choose this course. It does help if you have Chemistry A too, especially when it gets to the inorganic side of things but it really isn’t necessary. The lecturers are excellent and Pembroke usually sorts you out with a cracking supervisor!

Part IB Pharmacology

A fascinating combination of biochemisty, pathology and physiology, with not as much chemistry as you might expect. You explore the different ways in which drugs can be used to alter normal and diseased functions. It transcends from the microscopic action at the level of DNA to the macroscopic and systemic effects of organ function. Drug names are the main caveat on which most people dread pharmacology but for Natural Scientists the emphasis is very much on the mechanisms and the processes and the names are looked upon as an added bonus.

Part II and III Biochemistry

Biochem is sometimes looked on as the hardcore biological option and there’s no denying the content is fairly huge. But it’s a lovely department and the teaching is awesome so it’s really one of the best degrees you can come away with. You don’t have to decide whether you want to do the 3 or 4 year course straight away. They get everyone to effectively sign up for 4 years from the start and then you can drop out at any time before the 4th year starts. In my year about ½ the class left after the 3rd year, mostly to either go straight onto PhD’s or do medical conversion courses. I stayed onto the 4th year to get a bit more lab time and decide whether I wanted to do a PhD.

Part II contains the bulk of the theoretical content as well as an 8 week lab project. Part 3 has a 19 week lab project with some theory and more emphasis on practical techniques.

Like lots of Part II/III, if you want specialist supervisions on a particular set of lectures you organize them yourselves this is fairly easy as you know most people on your course and just get together in groups of 3 or 4. As well as this the department has weekly general supervisions. These are supervisions when the pt 2’s and pt 3’s from a couple of colleges have a general supervision with a selection of lecturers/researchers etc. There’s usually about 9 students and about 6 academic staff and you do a range of things like presenting your practical work, exam techniques and journal clubs but there’s not usually much written work to be prepared. These are great for getting advice form part 3’s and lecturers and improving your presentation skills. The course structure means you get to know your classmates really well and while I was doing the course I enjoyed that aspect the most but it’s only since going on to do a PhD that I can see how much better I was prepared than people coming from other unis and even different departments at Cambridge.

Part II Genetics

Although there’s no genetics option in Part I, you’ll find you've unknowingly studied it in E&B, CDB and Animal Biology. If you’re interested in genes and DNA, evolution or human inheritance, Part II Genetics is for you. The course is split into 5 modules, covering a range of (honestly) very interesting topics. On top of this, the SAG (Social Aspects of Genetics) sessions provide an opportunity to discuss the implications of Genetics outside of the lab. GM foods, stem cell research and cloning are just some of the subjects that come up.

The department is small. There are only 30 Part II places, so you get to know your fellow students well. The tea room is conveniently positioned right next to the Part II classroom, and is the site of much ‘Genetics fun’. There’s a Christmas party, complete with pantomime, music and dancing. The summer barbeque after exams is a great way to round off the year and relax once it’s all over.

Part II Pharmacology

It’ll be a shock, as will any part II biological subject. The emphasis is taken away from learning facts and more on the learning of techniques and current scientific practice. Most of the work is done on your own with journals and research papers and you are expected to do a lot of reading! However, you are not expected to know it all, for the exams you only need to know about 40% of the course but they recommend you do 60% so you have a choice. The practical side is an 8 week project with a supervisor of your choice, it is good fun but hard work.