BSc Pharmacology

Develop the knowledge and skills to work as a pharmacologist within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industries with our new BSc Pharmacology.

This course has been designed to align with the British Pharmacological Society's core curricula and was developed with the needs of the pharmaceutical industry in mind.

You will:

Study the principles of drug action and molecular targets.
Learn about drug design and delivery.
Learn the key mathematical principles and skills required in the industry. This includes statistical analysis as well as handling and analysing big data sets.
Understand the role of pharmacology in marketing, registration and clinical trials of medicines.

You'll work with academics across our Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, Biological Sciences, and Mathematical, Physical and Computation Sciences schools.

Reading is one of the UK's top 10 universities for pharmacy and pharmacology (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025), and we have experts in pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacy practice, as well as biomedical science and mathematics, who are all working on different aspects of drug research. In the National Student Survey 2024, 92% of our Pharmacy students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (92.13% of responders from the School of Pharmacy).

On this course you will also have the option of spending a year in industry with our four-year BSc Pharmacology with a Year in Industry.

Facilities

During your studies, you'll use our purpose-built suite of teaching laboratories and have access to our research facility. These include:

Laboratories to study organ bath pharmacology
tissue culture suites
multi-mode microplate readers (absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence)
multicolour flow cytometry
real-time PCR.

You'll also study in our new £60m Health and Life Sciences Building, which offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space.

MPharm

Our BSc Pharmacology course will not result in qualification to work as a pharmacist. Please refer to our MPharm Pharmacy or MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year courses if this is the route you wish to follow.

Overview

Develop the knowledge and skills to work as a pharmacologist within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industries with our new BSc Pharmacology.

This course has been designed to align with the British Pharmacological Society's core curricula and was developed with the needs of the pharmaceutical industry in mind.

You will:

Study the principles of drug action and molecular targets.
Learn about drug design and delivery.
Learn the key mathematical principles and skills required in the industry. This includes statistical analysis as well as handling and analysing big data sets.
Understand the role of pharmacology in marketing, registration and clinical trials of medicines.

You'll work with academics across our Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy, Biological Sciences, and Mathematical, Physical and Computation Sciences schools.

On this course you will also have the option of spending a year in industry with our four-year BSc Pharmacology with a Year in Industry.

Facilities

During your studies, you'll use our purpose-built suite of teaching laboratories and have access to our research facility. These include:

Laboratories to study organ bath pharmacology
tissue culture suites
multi-mode microplate readers (absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence)
multicolour flow cytometry
real-time PCR.

You'll also study in our new £60m Health and Life Sciences Building, which offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space.

MPharm

Entry requirements A Level BBB

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

BBB at A level, including Biology and Chemistry, or an equivalent qualification.

International Baccalaureate

30 points overall, including 5 in Biology and Chemistry, both at higher level.

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD (modules taken must be comparable to subject specific requirement)

GCSE

Maths at grade B (6).

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Compulsory modules

Fundamentals of Cell Biology

Expand your knowledge of human physiology to understand the normal function of the human body. You’ll cover the structure of mammalian cells and cellular functions which are often targeted therapeutically and biochemical pathways that underpin these processes.

Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Science

Understand how medicines are sourced, developed, and manufactured. You’ll discover how quality is assured for patient safety and consider the use of natural and synthetic products.

Principles of Drug Action

Discover the effects of drugs on the human body and how to effectively explain drug action to different audiences. You'll explore how drugs are discovered, designed, developed, and delivered.

Mathematics and Statistics for Pharmacology

Gain an overview of basic mathematical and statistical concepts in pharmacology, which will ensure that you have the skills to succeed in this field of study.

Anatomy and Physiology

Explore how organs work to support life. You will be introduced to the basics of the anatomy of some of the major systems of the human body, and to the physiological processes taking part within and between them.

Key Skills for Pharmacology

Through simulated and hands-on experiments, you’ll develop expert knowledge of core laboratory and generic study skills that will help you to conduct pharmacological research and solve problems.

Placement Support 1

To prepare you for your placement, you’ll be provided with mentoring, feedback, and advice on the application process, along with employment related skills such as CV writing and peer support.

These are the modules we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Molecular Drug Targets

Apply pharmacology and physiological systems from molecule to patient. This will focus on the different classes of molecular drug targets in treating renal, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases.

Drug Design and Delivery

Consider how chemical structure impacts activity and stability, using quantitative methods to collect, process, analyse, and present research findings. This involves using in vivo, ex-vivo and in vitro techniques via simulated and hands-on experimentation.

Haematology and Immunology

Discover the fundamental principles and concepts that underpin haematology and immunology. You’ll explore topics such as the production, structure and function of blood cells, the techniques used within hospital haematology laboratories to investigate and diagnose disease, the main forms of immunopathology, and how vaccines are produced.

Medicines in Healthcare

Understand how science is used to create and administer medicines in the gastrointestinal tract. Using an integrated learning approach, you’ll research specific health conditions and consider holistic care requirements for a patient.

Integrated Anatomy and Physiology

Explore case studies of real product innovations and concepts, and learn about the innovation process from science to product development, focusing on medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics.

Mathematical Modelling for Pharmacology

You’ll use mathematical and statistical approaches to gain understanding of the modelling process. Learning how to interrogate data, you’ll draw inferences from data and formulate, solve, and investigate systems using mechanistic modelling.

Placement Support 2

Gain insight on your career direction with mentoring and feedback on the application process for placement. This will increase your knowledge and confidence of psychometric and video testing, interview, and assessment centre techniques.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Research Project

Under the direction of an academic supervisor, you’ll lead a laboratory-based research project. This original research will form the basis of a project write-up, poster session and final project viva.

Clinical and Societal Impact of Pharmacology

Advance your knowledge of drug action in various contexts, from treating cancer and pain to the misuse of ‘lifestyle’ drugs. You’ll consider healthcare guidelines for medicines, adverse effects on embryonic development, and ethical principles of research.

Optional modules

Experimental Approaches to Neuroscience

Participate in a lab-based experiment on the measurement of electrical activity in brain slices, collecting data to prepare a formative report. This will provide you with knowledge of brain function and drug-related alterations.

Innovation and Product Development

Apply science and engineering principles to innovation and product development. You’ll understand how the innovation process works and identify critical business development challenges that need to be addressed for science to benefit society.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,535 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

New international students: £29,950 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

Tuition fees

To find out more about how the University of Reading sets its tuition fees, see our fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

BSc Pharmacology is ideal for aspiring pharmacologists. The UK is a world leader in pharmaceuticals, contributing nearly £14m to the UK economy and investing large sums into research and development.

As well as initial drug discovery, expertise in pharmacology can also be used in areas such as clinical trials, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, patenting, and sales and marketing.

Overall, 98% of graduates from Reading School of Pharmacy are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation.*

BSc Pharmacology is also excellent preparation for further study at master's and PhD level.

*based on our analysis of HESA data (c) HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22, includes all Reading School of Pharmacy responders.

BSc Pharmacology

Tuition fees

Additional costs

Financial support for your studies

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