Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Our Pharmacy and Pharmacology courses are delivered by active researchers and practitioners. Practical lab experiments, established placement links and public patient engagement ensure our programmes are up to date with the healthcare sector.
Enjoy an excellent learning environment with state-of-the-art industry standard pharmaceutical science laboratories and a newly refurbished pharmacy practice suite with flexible teaching spaces and clinical skills areas to prepare you for a career as a pharmacist or pharmacologist.
Study Pharmacy and Pharmacology01 / 01
Why choose us?
- Our MPharm is fully accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- Pharmacy and Pharmacology is 1st in the North West for graduate prospects (outcomes and on-track). Complete University Guide 2024.
- Opportunities for undergraduate research through our Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme.
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Discover our facilities, explore campus and talk to academic staff and students about the courses you want to study at one of our autumn Open Days.
Book your placeFuture Careers and Opportunities
MPharm graduates will need to undertake a pre-registration training year to become a qualified pharmacist. You may then consider postgraduate study, or training to become an independent prescriber.
Pharmacology graduates may go onto further study, research or work in industry. Specific jobs for recent graduates include Clinical Trials Assistant and Quality Control Assistant.
Postgraduate study could allow hospital-based staff progression to higher AfC banding and community practitioners a move into practice-based/GP-patient facing roles.
Career options for pharmacy graduates
MPharm graduates undertake a pre-registration year to become qualified pharmacists. You may then consider postgraduate study or training to become an independent prescriber.
As a Pharmacology graduate, you may progress to further study, research, or work in industry.
Studying pharmacy and pharmacology could lead to a future career as a:
- Pharmacist
- Clinical Trials Assistant
- Quality Control Assistant
- Clinical research associate
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Common questions about studying Pharmacy
Pharmacology is the study of drugs. Drugs are taken for therapeutic and recreational reasons. They will always have some effect (albeit possibly very minor) on how the body works in either health or disease. Pharmacology studies the reasons for those effects. This includes why some drugs are used for certain conditions. As well as why some drugs have particular side effects or why some drugs interact together.
Pharmacy is the profession of dispensing medicines prescribed by a doctor. To be a Pharmacist you need a Pharmacy (MPharm) degree. The Pharmacist will have studied some Pharmacology as part of their degree, but not in as much depth as Pharmacology students. Pharmacy includes Pharmaceutics (how medicines are packaged and prepared). It also covers Pharmacy Practice (the clinical interaction with patients). Pharmacology will go into more detail about the underlying physiology and disease processes. It also incorporates more lab work to train students to be confident and skilled to work in a research lab.
The field of Pharmacology is constantly evolving to develop and improve medical therapeutics. So our course has a focus on research exploring how new treatments will be discovered. This will equip you with the skills to go into medical research.
Recent graduates have used the course content on the drug development process to work managing clinical trials. They have also used the extensive practical lab hours to find work in industrial labs or as a postgraduate research student. The course also provides a thorough grounding in human biology to appreciate the effects of a drug and how it affects the diseased state. Graduates often use this knowledge to go into teaching or postgraduate medicine.
A science background is required to study Pharmacology. Entry requirements are currently:
- UCAS: 104-120 points at A2 including Chemistry or Biology at C. General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship & community Studies not accepted
- BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM - DDM including Maths and Biology or Chemistry units