Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pharmaceutical sciences is the discipline that underpins the discovery, development and delivery of medicines. It sits at the intersection of chemistry, biology and clinical science, drawing on each to understand how drugs are designed, how they interact with biological targets, how they are formulated into products that patients can safely take, and how they behave inside the body. As drug development grows more sophisticated, from small molecules to biologics and gene therapies, the demand for graduates with a rigorous, multidisciplinary scientific foundation in pharmaceutics has grown correspondingly.

At Middlesex University, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year in professional placement and a work placement, providing both an accessible entry route and substantial industry experience. You will study drug-target interactions, the drug discovery process, pharmaceutical formulations, drug delivery systems and the physiological processes underlying disease. The course allows you to focus either on the broader processes of drug development or on the chemical design and analysis of drug compounds, giving you the flexibility to align your education with your interests and career goals.

You will work in laboratory settings that develop the practical skills that pharmaceutical employers value, alongside the theoretical understanding to make sense of what you observe.

Graduates from pharmaceutical sciences programmes pursue careers in the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, clinical research organisations, regulatory agencies and healthcare. Roles include drug development scientist, formulation scientist, quality assurance specialist, regulatory affairs manager and clinical trials scientist. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, drug delivery or medicinal chemistry, and the degree provides a strong foundation for further professional development in the industry.

The sector is international in character, and pharmaceutical sciences graduates are in demand both in the UK and globally.