Pharmacology with Study in Industry
Pharmacology is the science of drugs: how they are discovered, how they work in the body, how they produce both their intended effects and their side effects, and how they are developed from initial compounds into medicines that can be prescribed safely. It is a discipline that draws on biochemistry, physiology, cell biology and chemistry, and it sits at the centre of one of the world's most important and economically significant industries. Almost every drug on the market exists because pharmacologists understood how a molecule could interact with a biological target to produce a therapeutic effect.
At the University of Bristol, this four-year BSc degree is similar in its academic content to the standard pharmacology programme but includes a third year spent in industry, either in a pharmaceutical company, a biotechnology firm, a research organisation or a related sector. This period of study in industry gives you direct experience of how pharmacology is applied in a professional setting, from drug discovery pipelines to toxicology testing and clinical development. The degree also includes a foundation year, which provides additional preparation for those entering without the standard entry profile.
You will study receptor pharmacology, drug metabolism, neuropharmacology, cardiovascular pharmacology, the principles of clinical trials, and the regulatory science that governs how new medicines reach patients.
Bristol has a strong research environment in pharmacology and neuroscience, and the university's connections with the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries in the Bristol-Bath region enrich the placement opportunities available.
Graduates work in pharmaceutical research and development, clinical pharmacology, toxicology, regulatory affairs, drug safety, science writing and medical education. Many go on to postgraduate study, including masters degrees, PhDs in pharmacology or related fields, or professional qualifications in areas such as clinical trials management.