Pharmacology (with foundation year)
Coventry University
UCAS Code: BBDF | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Coventry University
UCAS Code: BBDF | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff
5 GCSEs at A-C/4-9 including Maths and English, and at least one A2 level or a BTEC equivalent qualification.
About this course
The foundation year of this Coventry University degree will be delivered from our CU Coventry campus. Course delivery from year 1 of the degree onwards will be from our Coventry University campus.
This course aims to provide you with a solid grounding for building a career in pharmacology.
The foundation year seeks to develop your core understanding within the sciences, including biology, chemistry and physiology, in addition to developing our academic and communication skills further. Students who successfully complete their foundation year will then progress onto the Pharmacology BSc (Hons) degree within Coventry University’s School of Life Sciences.
The degree aims to further your understanding of how our bodies function in both health and disease from molecules and cells to whole organ systems. Successful completion of the degree will equip you with the skills and knowledge to contribute to current and emerging challenges in the understanding of drug actions and reactions and the development of new drugs to help fight disease.
It is anticipated that on successful completion of the degree you could have employment opportunities in a range of industries including pharmaceutical research and development roles, clinical trials, drug regulation and sales and marketing.
**Key benefits of the degree**
* Hands-on experience for a wide range of laboratory techniques such as gene amplification using PCR, gene sequencing, cell culture, flow cytometry using real world applicable techniques and clinical simulations in our cutting edge Superlab
* Our experienced research active teaching team have worked within cardiovascular and respiratory pharmacology, clinical toxicology, NHS pathology laboratories
* Ideal for students who wish to pursue careers in integrative medical and pharmacological science or are interested in focusing on drug development
* Following British Pharmacological Society (BPS) guidelines, the degree is designed to give you a solid foundation in areas of biology that support an understanding of pharmacology
See our website for further details.
Modules
The foundation year seeks to develop your core understanding within the sciences, including biology, chemistry and physiology, in addition to a module introducing you to health and disease.
The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.
If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).
Modules
Human physiology: Homeostasis and Health
Genetics, Heredity and Evolution
Structure, Function and Analysis of Biomolecules
Cell Communication, Structure, and Function
The Microbial World
Applied Techniques in Biology
Year Two
In the second year there is a greater emphasis on the biology of disease. You will begin to specialise in pharmacology and related areas including physiology, biochemistry, immunology, and genetics.
Laboratory work is a key component of the course, enabling you to learn the experimental techniques and develop the key experimental, data handling and reporting skills required for careers in science. Practical sessions will introduce you to modern laboratory techniques and clinical approaches to diagnosing and treating disease, while your research skills are broadened to include an understanding of research methodology and design, medical statistics, and methods of data analysis.
Placement Year
There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement* can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.
If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee* of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.
Final Year
The final year of your course aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from Year one and two. You will also have the opportunity to carry out an independent research project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor and your Academic Personal Tutor.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. Before accepting any offers, please check the website for the most up to date course content. For full module details please check the course page on the Coventry University website.
*For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website
Assessment methods
Assessment methods vary and may include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which generally take place at the end of each six-week block.
Tuition fees
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What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Pharmacology
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Pharmacology
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
As only a relatively small number of students study pharmacology or toxicology, these statistics refer most closely to the graduate prospects of pharmacy graduates, so bear that in mind when you review them. Only a handful of students take first degrees in pure toxicology every year — the subject is more popular at Masters level. Pharmacology is a degree that tends to lead to jobs in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and outcomes are improving again after a difficult time in the last few years. Jobs in pharmacology are often very specialist and so it’s no surprise that pharmacologists are amongst the most likely of all students to go on to a doctorate — if you want a job in research, start thinking about a PhD. As for pharmacy, unemployment rates are below 1% and 95% of pharmacy graduates had jobs as pharmacists (mostly in retail pharmacists) six months after they left their courses - employment rates have gone up significantly in the last couple of years.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Pharmacology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£35k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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