Chemistry, Biological and Medicinal Chemistry

Biological and medicinal chemistry sits at one of the most consequential frontiers in modern science, applying the tools of chemistry to the living systems that underlie human health and disease. It asks how small molecules interact with biological targets, how drugs are designed and developed to treat illness, how the body processes chemical compounds, and how the chemistry of life can be better understood and manipulated. The field draws equally from organic chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology and structural biology, and it feeds directly into the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical research industries.

At the University of York, this four-year full-time degree combines the core rigour of a chemistry education, covering organic, inorganic and physical chemistry alongside laboratory technique and quantitative analysis, with a deeper specialisation in the biological and medicinal dimensions of the discipline. You will study drug design principles, enzyme mechanisms, molecular pharmacology and the chemistry of biologically active compounds, developing the ability to move fluently between the chemist's view of a molecule and the biologist's view of its effects in a living system. The programme includes a sandwich year with work placement opportunities, giving you extended time in an industrial or research laboratory environment.

York is a research-intensive university with strong connections to the pharmaceutical sector, and your learning is shaped by active research at the frontier of the field. Typical entry is around 152 UCAS tariff points.

Graduates are well prepared for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in drug discovery, medicinal chemistry, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, quality control and formulation. Many also go on to research careers via doctoral programmes, working in academia or in industrial R and D. Other destinations include patent law, science communication, environmental chemistry and the medical and health professions.

The combination of biological and chemical expertise is a particularly strong foundation for any career at the interface of chemistry and medicine.