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Pharmacology and Drug Discovery

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

including Chemistry. Science A Levels awarded by an English Exam board require a pass in the practical element. General Studies and Critical Thinking not accepted.

Principal subjects and A-level combinations are considered - please contact us.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

including Higher Level 5 in Chemistry.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

in Applied Science or Applied Science (Medical Science/Biomedical Science). Specific modules required (Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry and Practical Chemical Analysis) or A Level Chemistry grade B. Excludes Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,C,C

including Chemistry.

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,B,B

including A in Chemistry.

Not accepted.

UCAS Tariff

128-153

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Pharmacology

**Overview**

How can we support an ageing population and fight the increasing number of cases of diseases such as cancer? How can we help one in four people suffering from mental health issues? These are just some of the challenges you’ll explore on our pharmacology and drug discovery degree. You’ll be able to apply your passion for chemistry and biology and put it to use for the good of human health, developing the life-changing medicines of the future.

Study in the internationally renowned School of Pharmacy, with world-class research in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, antibiotic resistance and tissue engineering. Our research-rich environment is pivotal to the Pharmacology Drug Discovery course, which has been designed to prepare you for a career at the forefront of pharmaceutical research.

**About This Course**

Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects on living organisms. You’ll examine the way drugs work to combat disease and, combined with drug discovery, you will learn how new drugs are designed, synthesised and manufactured. The Pharmacology Drug Discovery programme is the only BSc of its type in the UK and is innovative in its multidisciplinary approach.

The course brings together scientific disciplines – biology, chemistry and physical sciences – around the context of disease and medicines. Within integrated modules, you’ll learn about the major diseases and science behind the drugs used to treat them. We also include business studies to provide you with an understanding of management practice focused on the pharmaceutical industry; vital tools to working in today’s corporate world.

You’ll be taught by academic researchers including pharmacologists, cell biologists, medicinal and pharmaceutical chemists, whose own research is in pharmacology and drug discovery. The course is designed to inform and inspire your journey to becoming a researcher in the pharmaceutical sciences. For example, in practical classes you’ll gain experience of synthetic medicinal chemistry as well as techniques in current molecular pharmacology – the techniques used in the discovery of new medicines. You’ll learn about designing experiments and how to write reports in the form of scientific papers. A highlight of the course will be performing your own original research in an individual project carried out within an active research laboratory.

**Disclaimer**

Course details are subject to change. You should always confirm the details on the provider's website: **www.uea.ac.uk**

Modules

The modules you study in Year 1 will provide you with an understanding of how drugs work, what they target and how they are developed. Your first year modules will include Cells, Physiology and Pharmacology and Life Sciences Chemistry. In Year 2, you will build on the knowledge you acquired in your first year, as you begin to apply your knowledge to systems of the body. Modules include, Drug Design and Mechanisms of Drug Action and Gastrointestinal Disease and Cancer. In your final year, you will complete a research project in collaboration with a research active faculty member. You will also have the opportunity to undertake modules such as Advanced Drug Discovery and Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
International
£26,100
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of East Anglia UEA

Department:

School of Pharmacy

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

82%
Pharmacology

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

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
82%
Staff are good at explaining things
82%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
71%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

76%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
88%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
56%
Male students
44%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
22%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

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.

£22,000
high
Average annual salary
100%
med
Employed or in further education
100%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

97%
Health professionals
1%
Natural and social science professionals
1%
Childcare and related personal services

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.

£27k

£27k

£38k

£38k

£41k

£41k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Lower entry requirements
University of Reading | Reading
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Nearby University
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Midwifery
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UCAS Points: 112
Higher entry requirements
University of Liverpool | Liverpool
Pharmacology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 136-160

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

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:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here