Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the science of how drugs affect the body. It asks how chemical substances interact with biological molecules and systems, how these interactions produce therapeutic effects or unwanted side effects, and how drugs can be designed, tested, and developed to treat disease more effectively and more safely. It is a discipline that lies at the heart of modern medicine, contributing to the development of treatments for everything from infectious disease and cancer to cardiovascular conditions and mental health disorders.

At the University of Dundee you will study across four years on a full-time programme, with a year abroad that extends your scientific education to an international academic context. Dundee has a strong reputation in the biomedical and life sciences, with research groups active in drug discovery and development, and the degree benefits from close connections to that research environment. The curriculum covers the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which drugs act, the physiological systems they target, pharmacokinetics (how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted), and the principles of drug development from laboratory to clinical trial.

You will develop strong laboratory skills alongside the analytical and data interpretation abilities that modern pharmacological research demands. The year abroad gives you exposure to pharmacology as it is taught and researched at another leading institution.

Graduates of pharmacology are in demand across the pharmaceutical industry, where roles in drug discovery, pharmacovigilance, clinical research, and regulatory affairs all draw on this specialised knowledge. Research positions in academic and commercial laboratories, quality assurance and quality control roles in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and scientific writing and communication roles are further directions. Some graduates continue to clinical practice through graduate entry medicine or dentistry.

Postgraduate study in pharmacology, toxicology, drug discovery, or medicinal chemistry is a natural next step for those who wish to pursue research or specialist roles in the field.