Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the science of how drugs and other chemical agents interact with biological systems, examining the mechanisms by which substances alter cellular function, produce therapeutic effects, and cause side effects. It occupies a crucial position in the chain that leads from the discovery of a potential drug molecule to its safe clinical use, and pharmacologists contribute to the understanding of how existing medicines work, the development of new treatments, and the investigation of drug safety and toxicity. The discipline draws on biochemistry, physiology, and cell biology, and is fundamental to medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and biomedical research.
At the University of Nottingham this programme includes a foundation year, making it accessible to students who need an additional year of scientific preparation before entering degree-level pharmacology. The foundation year develops your background in the biological and chemical sciences before you begin the main curriculum. Across the degree you will study the mechanisms of drug action, neuropharmacology, cardiovascular pharmacology, cancer pharmacology, and the principles of drug development and clinical pharmacology.
The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, giving you professional experience in a research or industrial setting alongside extended international academic exposure.
Pharmacology graduates work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, academic research, clinical research organisations, and regulatory agencies. Roles in drug discovery, preclinical research, clinical trials, safety pharmacology, and regulatory affairs are all common career destinations. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study at master's or doctoral level in pharmacology, toxicology, or neuroscience, moving into research careers in academia or industry.
The combination of laboratory skills, mechanistic understanding, and research training that the degree develops is highly valued by employers in the life sciences sector.