Pharmacology BSc (Hons)
Course Code
UCAS Code: B210
International Code: HLSU228
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Start date
September 2022
January 2023
Course overview
Study level: Undergraduate
Our Pharmacology BSc (Hons) course aims to provide you with a thorough understanding of medicinal compounds and their effects on living systems.
- Well-equipped suite of analytical and biological laboratories where you can gain hands-on experience using industry-standard techniques
- No.1 in the Midlands for career prospects in Biological Sciences in the Times Good University Guide 2021
- Support applying for placements in laboratory and industrial settings to gain crucial real-world experience

Global Ready
An international outlook, with global opportunities
Teaching excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
Employability
Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeedWhy you should study this course
This broad-based science degree is designed to enable you to pursue careers in integrative medical and pharmacological science or drug development.
It has been designed in response to the growing demand for a new breed of scientist who can apply scientific knowledge and skills to speed up the critical task of translating basic laboratory medical research into commercially ready medical technology and drugs that can be used to diagnose and treat patients. This emerging area of science is known as ‘translational medicine’.
Throughout the degree you will apply pharmacology and physiology to topics including diagnosis, understanding and treatment of disease, classical clinical trial design and health outcomes, supported by our excellent laboratory facilities. Core subject areas you will study include human biology in health and disease, clinical physiology, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenomics, drug development, bioinformatics, numeracy, statistics and computing, and a wide range of instrumentation and analytical techniques.
Following British Pharmacological Society (BPS) guidelines, this course is designed to give you a solid foundation in areas of biology that support an understanding of pharmacology. You will study human biology at all levels – from molecules and cells to whole body systems.
Our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building features a suite of analytical and biological laboratories where you can gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge industry techniques.
This course can be studied full-time over three years with the option of taking a placement or study abroad year after the second year, either studying abroad or on professional placement in an appropriate laboratory or other relevant setting, such as medical publishing. Past students have undertaken a variety of placements, working in roles involving clinical assay evaluation, pre-natal developmental research and safety testing of drugs.*
What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
Our teaching is all supported by an extensive suite of analytical and biological laboratories staffed by experienced technicians. In addition, each module is supported by extensive online material to help prepare you for your taught sessions and to assist with your personal study.
Where possible, coursework uses applied tasks that mimic the skills needed in jobs, such as collection and interpretation of drug dose response data to assess therapeutic and lethal ranges. The course also offers the opportunity for industry visits and fieldtrips, which have previously included visit to Nottingham’s BioCity, the UK’s largest bioscience business incubator in the UK*.
Regular research seminars will bring you the latest issues on a wide range of research topics, like a recent session on pharmacovigilance by AstraZeneca. You will also have the opportunity to undertake challenging independent research projects dealing with questions at the cutting-edge of life science research, which have previously tackled cardioprotective agents, free radicals and cellular ageing.
The university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Teaching contact hours
In a typical teaching week, you will have around 17 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 20 hours of self-directed study each week e.g. working on coursework assignments.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include coursework, tests, essays, formal examinations, practical or project work, group work, presentations and posters.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.
Job ready
Successful completion of this course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to contribute to current and emerging challenges in the understanding of drug actions and reactions and the development of new drugs to help fight disease. At the end of the course you will have the skills and knowledge to meet the demand for suitably trained professionals within the global pharmaceutical industry to expedite the critical task of translating basic laboratory medical research into technology and drugs that can be used to diagnose and treat patients.
It is anticipated that on successful completion of this course you could have employment opportunities in a range of industries including pharmaceutical research and development roles, clinical trials, drug regulation and sales and marketing.
International experience opportunities
The international perspective is reflected in a number of modules on the course, which deal with issues of global importance, such as drug discovery and development from natural products including treatments for malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and worm infections (helminths).
The course provides the opportunity for online collaboration with overseas institutions on a joint problem-based learning assignment. For example, previous students have joined others from University of Seville investigating the prevalence and approach to managing neurodegenerative disorders and the differing policies with regard to legal highs within the UK and Spain. Our sandwich degree option also allows a year’s work placement or study, which can be taken abroad.*
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2022/23 Tuition fees
Student | Full time | Part time |
---|---|---|
UK | £9,250 per year | Not available |
International | £16,650 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationary, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
Facilities

Alison Gingell Building
The multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building is home to microbiology, cell culture, molecular biology/genetics, biochemistry and forensic science laboratories, allowing you to work in a professional environment from day one.

SuperLab
Our state-of-the-art SuperLab has facilities including equipment for microscopy, DNA analysis and forensic testing.

Analytical Chemistry suite
This is where our students apply their practical and theoretical knowledge to real-life working scenarios. We use a new generation chromatography technique, to analyse products ranging from pharmaceutical agents, to cosmetics, drinks and toxins.
Careers and opportunities
A large number of medical scientists are employed by companies in the pharmaceutical industry, where they are involved in discovering and developing drugs and carrying out clinical trials. Medical scientists may also work for contract research organisations (CROs) or academic departments within universities on research projects. There are also career options within government laboratories (including environmental agencies), charity-funded research organisations, such as the Medical Research Council (MRC), and with other research institutes.
The scientific knowledge and skills you acquire during the course can be a useful basis for a career in: teaching; technical and scientific writing (such as medical writing or writing for the media); clinical trials; drug registration, patenting or monitoring; medical publishing or other information services; regulatory affairs or sales and marketing. Opportunities also exist for postgraduate study upon successful completion of the course, at both master’s and PhD level.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Where our graduates work
Our graduates have gone on to careers in drug discovery and development, clinical trials development and governance within the pharmaceutical industry and university and hospital departments. Recent examples include working as a regulatory strategist and trials manager for Pfizer, as an education administrator for Education for Health and as activities coordinator for the TLC group.
How to apply
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UK Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS. Part-time students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimer
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2021/22 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
Tuition fees
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
Facilities
Facilities mentioned on this page may not be relevant for every course. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Placements and study abroad opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Additional costs
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to), equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas).