Pharmacology (with a year in industry)
Entry requirements
A level
Including biology and chemistry, plus GCSE mathematics at B/6.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
30 points overall with 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level to include biology and chemistry, plus Standard Level mathematics at grade 5. A combination of IB Certificate plus other qualifications, such as A-Levels, Advanced Placement Tests or the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), will also be considered.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
A relevant BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma with DDM, plus GCSE mathematics at B/6.
Scottish HNC
A relevant HNC with B in the Graded Unit and appropriate science units, plus National 5 Maths at B or equivalent.
Scottish HND
A relevant HND with AA in the Graded Unit and appropriate science units, plus National 5 Maths at B or equivalent
Scottish Higher
Including Higher biology and chemistry at grade B, plus National 5 mathematics at B.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Pharmacology is the study of how drugs affect body functions in health and disease. It plays a vital role in helping to safeguard our health and welfare.
BSc Pharmacology explores approaches to treatment. These approaches have a focus on neuroscience, metabolic disease, and cancer. These are all research strengths at the University of Dundee.
On the course you’ll focus on topics like molecular pharmacology and quantitative pharmacology. You will learn how drugs behave depending on various factors.
This gives you an understanding of how scientists explore biomedical discoveries. You will learn how scientists develop them from initial innovation to real-world application.
Our course curriculum is shaped by the work of our world-leading researchers to make sure you’re learning the latest advances. This will also help you gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the field.
This course also allows you to spend a year working in industry, for example, in a commercial laboratory. This allows you to gain real-world skills and improve your CV. It also presents you with the opportunity to network and build relationships. These are all things that could have a positive impact on your career upon graduating from university.
The first two years of your degree will cover concepts such as:
- genetics
- cell division
- biological organisation
- molecular mechanisms and processes
You’ll develop practical skills, including laboratory skills, data analysis, and how to design and run experiments. This will prepare you for carrying out projects later in your course.
Years three and four will cover these concepts in more detail. You’ll also carry out a semester long research project based around one chosen area of the current world-class research in Life Sciences. Throughout the duration of the course, you have the flexibility to pick modules that appeal to you, highlighting to future employers where your interests lie.
The year in industry will occur between levels 3 and 4. We will support you to find a suitable placement, however if a placement is not found, you will have the opportunity to transfer to the standard four year course.
Assessment methods
Assessment methods can be viewed on the course webpage at dundee.ac.uk
Tuition fees
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The Uni
University of Dundee
School of Life Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Pharmacology
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Pharmacology
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
As only a relatively small number of students study pharmacology or toxicology, these statistics refer most closely to the graduate prospects of pharmacy graduates, so bear that in mind when you review them. Only a handful of students take first degrees in pure toxicology every year — the subject is more popular at Masters level. Pharmacology is a degree that tends to lead to jobs in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and outcomes are improving again after a difficult time in the last few years. Jobs in pharmacology are often very specialist and so it’s no surprise that pharmacologists are amongst the most likely of all students to go on to a doctorate — if you want a job in research, start thinking about a PhD. As for pharmacy, unemployment rates are below 1% and 95% of pharmacy graduates had jobs as pharmacists (mostly in retail pharmacists) six months after they left their courses - employment rates have gone up significantly in the last couple of years.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Pharmacology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£36k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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