Pharmacology, BSc (Hons)

Pharmacology involves studying how drugs interact with the body, encompassing chemical and biological agents such as medicines, substances of abuse, poisons, and dietary chemicals. It examines both the drug's effects on the body and the body's influence on the drug. This course addresses key questions in drugs and medicine, with the first year focusing on core modules in physiology, biochemistry, neuroscience, and medicinal chemistry. The second year emphasizes the pharmacology of existing drugs and targets, while the third year explores recent advancements, toxicology, therapeutics, and drug discovery applications, including a lab-based research project.Pharmacologists play a pivotal role in developing treatments for diseases like antibiotics, hypertension, asthma, depression, cardiovascular conditions, HIV, and biologics. Career paths include drug discovery, medical writing, and regulatory affairs. This program ranks in the top 10 worldwide and top 20 in the UK for pharmacy and pharmacology, offering small-group teaching, personal tutoring, research-based learning, and practical lab experience to enhance student support and skills.

In the first year you'll take core modules in cell biology and human physiology. You'll also begin to learn pharmacology-specific skills and to understand the basics of drug design. Teaching in the second year focuses on scientific knowledge related specifically to pharmacology and drug discovery. You'll learn many of the core concepts outlined in the British Pharmacological Society core curriculum, and relate these to the treatment of disease. In year three the modules place emphasis on current and possible future advances in pharmacology. You'll learn about more advanced topics in pharmacology, toxicology, therapeutics and medicines production. There is also a lab-based research project in your final year.