Pharmacology
Entry requirements
A level
BSc: AAB MBiol: AAA Including biology or chemistry, plus another science or science-related subject. Critical thinking and general studies excluded. We accept the following: • Science subjects: biology, human biology, chemistry, mathematics, PE and physics. • Science-related subjects: geography, psychology, use of maths and statistics. Applicants taking a Science A-level (in England) will be required to achieve a pass in the practical element in addition to the standard A-level grade requirement. When an applicant is taking the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or the Cambridge International Project Qualification (Cambridge IPQ) this can be considered alongside A-levels and may attract an alternative offer in addition to the standard offer. If you are taking A-levels, this would be ABB at A-level and grade A in the EPQ (BSc applicants) or AAB and grade A in the EPQ (MBiol applicants).
BSc: Pass 60 credits overall with 45 credits at Level 3, graded at D39M6P0 including distinctions in biology and mathematics or chemistry. Accept Access courses in Applied Science and Science. Will also consider (depending on subject content): • biochemical sciences • biological and health science • biological sciences • biosciences • combined sciences • life and biological science • physical sciences MBiol: We do not accept Access to HE.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
BSc: D3/D3/M1 including D3 in biology or chemistry plus another science or science-related subject. Global Perspectives excluded. MBiol: D3/D3/D3 including D3 in biology or chemistry plus another science or science-related subject. Global Perspectives excluded. When an applicant is taking Global Perspectives this can be considered alongside Pre-U subjects and may attract an alternative offer in addition to the standard offer. This would be D3/M1/M1 and grade D3 in Global Perspectives (BSc applicants) or D3/D3/M1 and grade D3 in Global Perspectives (MBiol applicants).
Applicants offering an EPQ or IPQ qualification will receive a standard offer, as shown above, plus an alternative offer. The alternative offer would be ABB plus grade A in EPQ / IPQ. Subject-specific requirements are still valid.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
BSc: 34 (with 17 at higher level) including 6 in higher level biology or chemistry and another science or science-related subject at higher level. MBiol: 35 (with 18 at higher level) including 6 in higher level biology or chemistry, and another science or science-related subject at higher level.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
BSc: H2,H2,H2,H2,H3,H3 including H2 in biology or chemistry, and another science or science-related subject at higher level. MBiol: H2,H2,H2,H2,H2,H2 including biology or chemistry, and another science or science-related at higher level.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BSc: BTEC extended diploma entry requirements: DDM plus A/B in A-level biology or chemistry. The preferred BTEC qualification subject is Applied Science (other subjects may be accepted). Applicants with BTEC Subsidiary Diploma qualifications must normally have at least 2 A-levels and at least one of these should be biology or chemistry (plus another science or science-related subject depending on the BTEC subject). MBiol: We do not accept BTEC qualification.
BSc: Advanced Higher: 5 x Highers AABBB, with AA-AB in 2 Advanced Highers including Biology or Chemistry and another science or science-related subject. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded. MBiol: Advanced Higher: 5 x Highers AABBB, with AA in 2 Advanced Highers including Biology or Chemistry and another science or science-related subject. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded. We accept the following: • Science subjects: biology, human biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics. • Science-related subjects: geography, PE, psychology, use of maths and statistics. Scottish Higher: Scottish Highers not accepted on their own.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Do you want to learn how drugs work in the body, how they are discovered, developed for human use, and how they can sometimes have unwanted effects? Pharmacology is the scientific study of drugs or medicines and is essential to all medical disciplines and the treatment of disease.
You’ll develop skills relevant to the pharmaceutical industry that will in-turn help to address global challenges, such as tackling antibiotic resistance. You will be equipped with the knowledge needed to develop new drugs to treat global challenges such as Ebola, Covid-19, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Cardiovascular disease.
You will study the principal body systems and explore individual areas of pharmacology in great detail. Areas such as psychopharmacology, antiviral therapy, cancer therapy and molecular pharmacology.
Our focus will be on making you workplace ready, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes required to succeed in whatever career you choose. To showcase your knowledge to potential employers, you will undertake a capstone or culminating research project, where you will bring together the knowledge, skills and attributes developed throughout your degree.
You will be involved in active learning approaches including critical thinking, creative problem solving, team-working and mini-projects to progressively develop the key skills and attributes required by Pharmacology graduates.
This integrated Masters (MBiol) gives you an additional year of specialist training. You will study advanced research topics and undertake your own extended research project within one of the major research laboratories in the School of Biomedical Sciences or an appropriate period of work based practice. You may also choose to apply for our 3 year BSc and transfer to an MBiol up until the end of your second year, subject to suitable academic performance, subject to suitable academic performance and availability.
**Course highlights:**
- Designed to give a broad scientific foundation and key graduate skills for those interested in pharmacology.
- Benefit from our pharmaceutical industry partnerships through guest lectures from international companies such as Labcorp and AstraZeneca.
- Delivered using inspirational, engaging and inclusive approaches.
- Develop experimental skills in specialised laboratories.
- Experimental skills modules throughout the first 2 years train you to identify and find answers to key biomedical and pharmacological questions.
- The opportunity to undertake an extended capstone research project under the supervision of a field-leading academic, further developing the key skills and attributes that will set you apart in the graduate job market and in application for postgraduate research degrees (e.g. PhD).
The Uni
University of Leeds
Faculty of Biological 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?
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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
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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.
£19k
£39k
£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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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:
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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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