BSc Pharmaceutical Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research

Our new Pharmaceutical Chemistry degree has been developed together with our industrial partners to produce high quality graduates for the pharmaceutical sector – an area that already employs 67,000 people in the UK, and contributes £30.4bn to the national economy per year. We go beyond organic chemistry – which is traditionally associated with pharmaceutical programmes – to cover many other areas of chemistry and biology. As such, we consciously address the needs of this modern and growing industry.

You will develop a strong grounding in basic chemistry and biology, and also cover advanced topics relevant to modern pharmaceutical chemistry. As well as underlying theory, the course covers the application of those skills into areas of pharmacy:

• metals in medicine, dosage and formulation
• pharmacology and toxicity
• analytical science
• regulatory requirements.

These fundamental skills will help you to succeed in this diverse and dynamic sector.

Learn from internationally leading experts through a combination of lectures, practical classes, workshops, and tutorials. As well as benefitting from hands-on, practical experience in our large, cutting-edge laboratories and purpose-built Chemical Analysis Facility, you will have access to our new £55m Health & Life Sciences building and pharmaceutical laboratories.

If you do not have an A level in maths, you will take the first-year Maths for Chemists module, which covers all the topics required for later years of the course. Depending on your level of maths, you may have the opportunity to take an option from outside the Department in your first year.

All our courses are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

For more information, please visit the Department of Chemistry website.

Placement

The work placement in your third year gives you the the opportunity to gain industrial experience and apply your knowledge and skills to real-life situations. Recent host companies have included GSK and Pfizer.

We have many industry links with pharmaceutical companies based in the Thames Valley and beyond. Our dedicated placements officer is able to advise on career options, CVs and letters of application, as well as help you find a placement. Past students on our chemistry degree courses have secured placements at pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Procter & Gamble.

For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.