Find the perfect course for you - chat with Diggory, our new AI uni coach.

University of East Anglia UEA

UCAS Code: B210 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

A,B,B

including Chemistry. Contextual offer: BBC including Chemistry. Where applicable Science A levels awarded by an English Exam board require a pass in the practical element. Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.

Principal subjects and A-level combinations are considered - please contact us.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

including HL 5 in Chemistry.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

in Applied Science or Applied Science (Medical Science/Biomedical Science). Specific modules required (Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry and Practical Chemical Analysis) or A level Chemistry grade B. Contextual offer: DMM in Applied Science or Applied Science (Medical Science/Biomedical Science). Specific modules required (Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry and Practical Chemical Analysis) or A level Chemistry grade B. Please see UEA website for further information on accepted combinations. Excludes Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,C,C

including Chemistry. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,B,B

including A in Chemistry.

T Level

M

Accepted Subjects: Health, Healthcare Science and Science.

UCAS Tariff

128-153

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2026

Subject

Pharmacology

**Overview**

How can we support an ageing population and fight the increasing number of cases of diseases such as cancer? How can we help one in four people suffering from mental health issues? These are just some of the challenges you’ll explore on our pharmacology and drug discovery degree. You’ll be able to apply your passion for chemistry and biology and put it to use for the good of human health, developing the life-changing medicines of the future.

Study at the internationally renowned School of Pharmacy, with world-class research in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, antibiotic resistance and tissue engineering. Your instructors will be academic researchers, including pharmacologists, cell biologists, medicinal chemists, and pharmaceutical chemists. They specialise in pharmacology and drug discovery, and they'll teach you everything you need to know.

The course brings together scientific disciplines – biology, chemistry and physical sciences – focusing on disease and medications. Within integrated modules, you’ll study major diseases and the science behind the drugs used to treat them. We also include business studies to provide you with an understanding of management practice focused on the pharmaceutical industry, which are important skills in today’s corporate world. You’ll also learn about designing experiments and how to write reports in the form of scientific papers.

Our Pharmacology Drug Discovery programme is the only BSc of its type in the UK and is innovative in its multidisciplinary approach. You'll explore how drugs fight diseases and, along with drug discovery, you'll learn about the process of designing, synthesizing, and manufacturing new drugs. One of the most exciting parts of the course will be conducting your own original research in a project that you'll do individually. You'll work in a real research lab, which makes it even more special.

Our course is centered around research, which is crucial for Pharmacology Drug Discovery. It's designed to prepare you for a career at the forefront of pharmaceutical research. The course is designed to inform and inspire your journey to becoming a researcher in pharmaceutical sciences, healthcare, and toxicology. You may also pursue careers as analytical chemist, biomedical scientist, or medical sales representative.

**Disclaimer**

Course details are subject to change. You should always confirm the details on the provider's website: **www.uea.ac.uk**

Modules

The modules you study in Year 1 will provide you with an understanding of how drugs work, what they target and how they are developed. Your first year modules will include Cells, Physiology and Pharmacology and Life Sciences Chemistry. In Year 2, you will build on the knowledge you acquired in your first year, as you begin to apply your knowledge to systems of the body. Modules include, Drug Design and Mechanisms of Drug Action and Gastrointestinal Disease and Cancer. In your final year, you will complete a research project in collaboration with a research active faculty member. You will also have the opportunity to undertake modules such as Advanced Drug Discovery and Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,535
per year
England
£9,535
per year
International
£27,900
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,535
per year
Scotland
£9,535
per year
Wales
£9,535
per year

The Uni

Course location:

University of East Anglia UEA

Department:

School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

90%
Pharmacology

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

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
82%
Staff are good at explaining things
82%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
71%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

76%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
88%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
56%
Male students
44%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
22%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

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.

£35,500
high
Average annual salary
95%
high
Employed or in further education
75%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

97%
Health professionals
1%
Natural and social science professionals
1%
Childcare and related personal services

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.

£29k

£29k

£41k

£41k

£40k

£40k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Lower entry requirements
place
University of Hertfordshire | Hatfield
Pharmacology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2026
UCAS Points: 112-120
Nearby University
place
University of Suffolk | Ipswich
Physiotherapy
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2026
UCAS Points: 120
Higher entry requirements
place
UCL (University College London) | Camden
Pharmacology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2026
UCAS Points: 136-160

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here