BSc (Hons)
Pharmacology
Learn how drugs affect the human body
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Pharmacology is the study of drugs – their development and their preventive functions for the human body. If promoting human health is something that appeals to you as a career, this could be the ideal course.
You’ll learn how drugs are discovered, trialled and used to treat disease while gaining the lab-based research skills essential to professional practice.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Use our modern laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning
- Opt to join one of our internationally-recognised research groups and complete a final-year project
- Apply to the Erasmus exchange scheme, which involves a summer research placement at a European university
What opportunities might it lead to?
Do you see yourself testing new drugs? Or perhaps selling to GPs and hospitals? Whichever area of the pharmaceutical industry interests you most, this course enables you to focus on an array of specialisms leading to numerous employment opportunities within the field.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- scientific research
- teaching
- scientific writing and the media
- regulatory affairs
- pharmaceutical sales and marketing
There is a new dispensary in which pharmacy practice labs are conducted and a fully functioning, manufacturing standard, aseptic lab.
Rosaline Kennedy, health sciences student
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- B210
- Duration
- 3 years full time
- Entry
BBC from 3 A Levels including biology or chemistry plus one other pure science subject or mathematics. Applied science not accepted. If the applicant is not studying chemistry at A Level, an AS Level chemistry at grade C is required.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £11,900 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- sci.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 5550 - Department
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
Subject:
Health Sciences and Social Work
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- The clinical and real-life learning approach that will equip you for your chosen career
- Our simulated environments that mean you’ll gain and practise the skills you’ll need before entering the workplace
- Approachable lecturers, many of whom are teacher practitioners
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
A general introduction to university level-education and to the systems of the body and the diseases that affect them.
Core units in this year include:
- Introduction to Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology
- Medical Biology and Genetics
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Lab Skills
- Dosage Form Design
- Introduction to Laboratory Skills and Analytical Techniques
Year two
During the second year you will explore drug treatments for diseases affecting a broad range of organ systems.
Core units in this year include:
- Biomedical Toobox
- Immunology,Inflammatory Diseases and Infective Organisms
- Neuroscience, Endocrine and Gastrointestinal Pharmacology
- Pharmacokinetics and Data Analysis
- Protein Science
- Respiratory, Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Protein Science
Year three
In your final year you will consider future targets for drug discovery and focus on a research project of your choice.
Core units in this year include:
- Antimicrobial and Antineoplastic Agents
- Cellular and Molecular Drug Targets
- Drug Development and Clinical Pharmacology
- Neuropharmacology
- Project
Teaching and Assessment
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical laboratory work and guided reading. Our academic staff have expertise in clinical practice as well as research, and we provide a student-centred approach to teaching, with all units fully supported by online lecture and study materials.
How are you assessed?
On this course there is a balance of formal examinations and coursework. You will be expected to complete coursework throughout the year, whereas exams take place at the end of the academic year. Here’s how we assess you:
- diagnostic tests
- written assignments
- simulated patient-focused case studies
- oral and poster presentations
- online tests
- group-based assessments
Tutors view
Dr Sassan Hafizi
Health Sciences
I am a strong proponent of research-informed teaching, where I try to communicate to students a range of information on a topic, from the historical background to the latest research-led developments that further your knowledge. For teaching, I employ the formats of lecture, laboratory practicals, seminars, tutorials, journal article discussions, and problem-based learning sessions.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Laboratories
Using our advanced labs, you'll explore new techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
Specialist Software and Scientific Equipment
We have an outstanding array of microscopy facilities
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Laboratories
Due to the significant practical element of the course, you’ll be spending a lot of your time in our pharmaceutical chemistry and microbiology laboratories. Using our advanced labs, you will be exploring the new techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of disease such as DNA-drug and DNA-protein interactions, as well as investigating drug development, targeting, biomaterials, pharmacovigilance and uses of natural products within medicine. This is one of our strongest areas of research and you’ll benefit from high-quality facilities to match.
Scientific Equipment
We have an outstanding array of microscopy facilities and excellent analytical instrumentation facilities in our labs, including:
- confocal, electron and fluorescence microscopes
- chemical synthesis facilities
- live cell imaging
- spectroscopy equipment
- chromatography instruments
- molecular modelling facilities
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
As a pharmacologist you may be involved in developing and testing new drugs for therapeutic and toxic effects, or organising clinical trials of drugs. You may be registering new products, ensuring that regulatory requirements are met or could move into medical sales and the development of marketing strategies. There are many routes you can pursue within the medical field or specifically in the pharmaceutical industry. Alternatively, there’s also the option to continue with postgraduate study or academic research.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- community/retail pharmacist
- hospital pharmacist
- NHS biomedical scientist
- medical writer/research executive
- development technician for prosthetics
- medical representative
Work experience
At the final stage of your course, you’ll carry out a laboratory-based project with the opportunity to compete for a limited number of industry-based projects and Erasmus placements. Such opportunities help to develop your skills in laboratory research and confident presentation of scientific findings. This can be an important foundation if you intend go on to postgraduate study or research. It is also a great way to gain first-hand experience of industrial and professional environments.
If you are lucky enough to secure an Erasmus placement – ask anyone who has taken a study/work abroad programme and they will tell you that it was one of the best experiences of their university life. This fun and challenging experience will not only improve your language skills and ability to communicate with a range of people, but you will become more adaptable and resilient – qualities that will undoubtedly make you stand out to future employers.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more