Medical Pharmacology, BSc (Hons) / MSci (Hons)

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Course Overview

Discover the science behind drugs and medicines, their effects on living systems, and the role they play in treating disease with Medical Pharmacology at Swansea University.

Throughout the course, you will study topics including toxicology, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, and drug development. You will also develop excellent analytical and project management skills as you design experiments and plan work programmes in preparation for your future career.

You will be encouraged to challenge accepted wisdom in all fields of medical and life sciences, appreciate current limitations, and future advances, of our current understanding of health and disease.

You will gain a holistic understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of pharmacology and the collaboration required to succeed in a field that increasingly combines innovation in research, patient care and commercial enterprise.

With a blend of compulsory and optional modules, aligning these with your interests, career goals, or future study.

The optional Foundation Year for this programme can give you an exciting introduction to higher education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful in your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after further education or are returning to education after a gap. Following successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will progress onto Year 1 of your BSc.

This programme is also available as a 4-year MSci, which is an advanced undergraduate degree, adding a further research-focused year to your degree. Our MSci leads to a master’s level qualification, in addition to your undergraduate degree, giving you expert scientific training and a springboard towards a range of specialist careers.

Why Medical Pharmacology at Swansea?

Based on our stunning Singleton Park campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, Swansea University’s Medical School is home to state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities.

As you prepare to join the next generation of pharmacologists, you will access our research laboratories, providing you with hands-on learning and practical experience.

Medical Pharmacology at Swansea University is ranked:

  • 8th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2026)
  • 3rd in the UK for Career Prospects (Guardian University Guide 2026)
  • 4th in the UK for Research (Times Good University Guide 2026)

As one of our Pathways to Medicine courses, provided you meet the minimum entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine, and have successfully completed the pathway, you will be guaranteed an interview for our flagship Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBCh course.

Your Medical Pharmacology Experience

Shaped by the British Pharmacological Society’s Undergraduate Curriculum, our programme bridges clinical medicine and fundamental science, and develops your core knowledge, skills, and attitudes, preparing you to join the next generation of pharmacologists.

Employability is at the heart of our course, and as you progress through the course you will receive exposure to the range of employability options available to you upon graduation. As you progress through our course, you can choose to focus on one of three employability strands:

  • Medical Research
  • Enterprise and Innovation
  • Medical Science in Practice

You will be guided from day one by our expert academic team in a learning environment that fosters creative problem and innovation.

This programme includes opportunities to undertake a Year Abroad, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience.

This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Medical Pharmacology Employment Opportunities

As a graduate of our Medical Pharmacology degree, you will have strong career prospects and will be well-prepared for a wide range of opportunities in destinations such as:

  • Health and Allied Health Professions
  • Scientific Research
  • Clinical Trials
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Biomedical Product Development

Further study is popular amongst Medical Pharmacology graduates, with many undertaking Master’s degrees, PhDs, or opting for NHS training schemes such as the Scientist Training Programme.

As a Pathway to Medicine, our programme is also an excellent base for graduate entry into more clinically focused roles, including Graduate Entry Medicine (MBBCh).

Modules

We're currently reviewing our curriculum to enhance your learning experience and embed skills that will benefit your future career. This means that some modules may be subject to change.

Entry Requirements

We consider all applicants on their own merits and welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications.

Medical Pharmacology, BSc (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Foundation Year, MSci (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Year Abroad, MSci (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology, MSci (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Placement Year, MSci (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Foundation Year, BSc (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Placement Year, BSc (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Year Abroad, BSc (Hons)

Medical Pharmacology with a Foundation Year and Year Abroad, BSc (Hons)