BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science

Pharmaceutical science is the study of the formulation, development and manufacture of new drugs. Pharmaceutical scientists have the power to transform patients' lives by developing new treatments for diseases.

This new and already popular course will take you inside this complex and ever-expanding field of discovery.

Pharmaceutical science encompasses chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and physiology. It looks at how different drugs act on the human body and how their healing effects can be safely used.

We'll introduce you to a diverse selection of subjects to help you gain an insight into the development, design, delivery and use of new drugs. This thorough background will ensure that a wide range of career choices will be open to you when you graduate.

You'll be entitled to become a student member of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS), the professional body for pharmaceutical sciences in the UK.

This course offers the opportunity of year-long work placement between years two and three. If you choose to take this option, you'll spend your third year working in the pharmaceutical industry, adding valuable practical experience to your growing academic knowledge.

The first year of this course is shared with other biosciences degrees at UEL, giving you maximum flexibility if you decide to transfer to a different course for years two and three.

Our foundation year is perfect if you want to study for a degree in pharmaceutical science but you don't have the standard qualifications, if you're not sure if this is the right degree for you or you're coming from an extended break in education.

You'll gain an in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical chemistry, including the design and synthesis of new drug molecules. You'll explore pharmacognosy (drug substances from natural origins), pharmaceutics (turning a new chemical entity or old drugs into a medication that can be used safely) and pharmacology (the effect of drugs on humans).

As with all our bioscience students, your first year will be spent developing knowledge in four key areas – essential chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology and anatomy and physiology.

Your second year is a chance to broaden your knowledge of pharmaceutical science by learning about the biology of disease, the way drugs are made, manufactured and delivered and how drugs work once they're in the human body.

In your final year, you'll specialise in areas such as natural sources of drugs and the way drugs are designed and developed and how they are analysed using sophisticated instruments. 

You'll also be working with one of our academic staff during your research towards the completion of your key individual project, which is usually lab-based.

• Tawjihi: 60% for Foundation
• 3 x AS Levels: Foundation
• US High School Diploma: GPA 2.0 for Foundation
• US High School Diploma: GPA 3.0 + SAT1 1070 for Direct Entry to Bachelor's
• International Baccalaureate (IB): 25 points with minimum 15 at Higher Level for Direct Entry to Bachelor's
• 3 x A Levels: Direct Entry to Bachelor's

You'll find that your degree in pharmaceutical science will be an ideal entry point into a range of careers, giving you plenty of choice about the direction you take.

You could, for example, go on to work with a pharmaceutical company helping to develop new drugs and evaluating their effectiveness.

Pharmaceutical companies employ graduates to help advise customers on the technical aspects of the products they offer. Then there are chemical companies looking for graduates who understand how drugs are developed and have proven analytical skills.

If you'd rather pursue an academic or research-based career, you can build on your BSc with an MSc, MRes or PhD.

Outside the chemical industries, a degree in pharmaceutical science will open up teaching opportunities and careers in finance and accounting.

Whatever your next step, after the contacts you've made and the opportunities you've had to see the pharmaceutical industry up close during your course, you'll leave us perfectly prepared to pursue a rewarding career.

The statistics back this up. The latest figures show 81 per cent of UEL's bioscience graduates are in work within six months of finishing their degree. 

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.