Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the science of how drugs interact with biological systems, examining the mechanisms by which chemical compounds affect living cells, organs, and organisms, and how this knowledge can be translated into effective, safe medicines. It stands at the intersection of biochemistry, physiology, and medicine, asking how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted, how they produce their therapeutic effects and their unwanted side effects, and how disease states alter these processes. The discipline is central to the discovery and development of new medicines, making it one of the most directly applied of the biomedical sciences.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, giving you a supported pathway into degree-level pharmacology if you would benefit from additional preparation before the main degree content begins. The foundation year builds the scientific background in chemistry, biology, and mathematics that the degree requires, and is an established route for students with the potential for success in pharmacology whose prior qualifications do not give direct entry into the first year. From there, you will develop a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of drug action at molecular, cellular, and systems levels, the pharmacokinetic principles that govern how drugs move through the body, the methods used to discover and develop new drug candidates, and the regulatory frameworks that govern clinical trials and drug approval.

You will gain practical laboratory experience and develop the ability to critically evaluate pharmacological research.

Graduates of pharmacology are well prepared for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in research and development, quality assurance, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs. Medical, dental, and veterinary routes are pursued by some graduates, while others move into scientific writing, patent work, science communication, and healthcare. Many pharmacology graduates continue into postgraduate study, including doctoral research programmes in pharmacology, drug discovery, toxicology, and related biomedical disciplines.