BSc Pharmacology with International Study / Course details
Year of entry: 2027
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Course description
Our BSc Pharmacology with International Study course explores drug actions in living systems - where they act, what they do, how they are metabolised, and how they exert toxic effects.
Understanding all of this requires studying drug actions at levels ranging from the single molecule to the whole organism.
As a result, our course includes aspects of molecular biology, chemistry, physiology and neuroscience, and you will examine both the actions of current drugs and the development of new drugs throughout the course.
In Year 3, you will have the opportunity to study overseas to gain a broader perspective on the topics studied, enhancing your employability. Optional units allow you to further tailor your course around your interests and career ambitions. The application process for places at partner universities is competitive, and all opportunities will be subject to availability.
Special features
A range of study options
It is possible to broaden your degree by taking units from the or in exchange for a few units from your degree.
Foundation Year available
You can prepare for the full degree course if you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry by undertaking our foundation course first.
Flexibility to transfer between courses
You can transfer between most of our bioscience courses at the end of your first year or, in some cases, later.
Teaching and learning
You will benefit from a wide range of teaching and learning methods that suit the content and aims of each course unit.
These range from lectures and tutorials to practicals and research projects, including the final-year project.
Find out more about how you will learn and see a typical Year 1 timetable on our teaching and learning page
Coursework and assessment
Assessment methods vary widely to suit the nature of the course unit and each level of study.
- Lecture units are usually assessed by written exam (multiple choice or essay-based), which are held at the end of an academic semester in either January or May/June.
- Practical units are usually assessed by experimental report and/or short written assignment and/or written exam.
- The proportion of independent study assignments increases during each year of study.
There is also the opportunity to transfer from this course to one of the four-year courses, MSci or with International Study, at the start of Year 2.
Programme changes require a first-year average of at least 60%. The application process is competitive.
Year 1
Lecture units are usually assessed by e-learning activities during the unit and multiple choice exams at the end of the semester. Year 1 contributes 10% to your overall degree mark. You must achieve an average of at least 60% to be eligible for the with International Study programme.
Year 2
Lecture units are usually assessed by essay-based exam, and some units also include a coursework element. Year 2 contributes 30% to your overall degree mark.
Year 3
You will complete Year 3 in one of our partner universities. You will study bioscience-related course units, and depending on the options available at the partner university, you may also pursue some other subjects of interest. You will be assessed by the partner university and must pass all units studied. Marks obtained at the partner university will be recorded as pass/fail and do not contribute to the overall degree classification.
All opportunities to study at a partner university will be subject to availability.
Final year
Lecture units are usually assessed by essay-based exam. Students also take two honours papers: degree programme-specific examinations comprising essays and data-handling problems.
A significant part of the year is the project, which is assessed through a presentation and a written report.
The final year contributes 60% to your overall degree mark.
Course unit details
This course is modular. You will study compulsory course units and choose some optional units.
Most units are assigned 10 credits, and you will take 120 credits each year.
Course content for year 1
You will gain a broad introduction to biological sciences, covering key concepts such as:
- pharmacology
- biochemistry
- genetics
- anatomy
- physiology
- neuroscience
- molecular biology
Year 1 also provides an introduction to the essential data handling and laboratory skills required for all biological scientists.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Tutorials Year 1 | BIOL10000 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Biochemistry | BIOL10212 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Molecular Biology | BIOL10221 | 10 | Mandatory |
| From Molecules to Cells | BIOL10232 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Laboratory Science | BIOL10401 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Experimental Biology - Human Biology | BIOL10422 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Writing and Referencing Skills (online unit) | BIOL10741 | 0 | Mandatory |
| Body Systems | BIOL10811 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Excitable Cells: the Foundations of Neuroscience | BIOL10832 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Health & Safety online course | BIOL12000 | 0 | Mandatory |
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Course content for year 2
You will continue your studies in greater depth and begin to specialise. You will also undertake a Science Communication unit.
In the Research Skills unit, you have the opportunity to carry out techniques that are widely used in current biological science research.
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Tutorials Year 2 | BIOL20000 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Pharmacology RSM | BIOL20932 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Human Sciences EDM | BIOL21061 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Endocrinology | BIOL21261 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Clinical Drug Development | BIOL21302 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Drugs & the Brain | BIOL21312 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Membrane Excitability: Ion Channels & Transporters in Action | BIOL21321 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Molecules and Cells in Human Disease | BIOL21351 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Science Communication | BIOL21392 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Immunology | BIOL21242 | 10 | Optional |
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Course content for year 3
You can apply to spend your third year studying at one of our trusted overseas partner universities, providing you with the opportunity to experience different cultures and develop a global mindset.
The application process is competitive for places at partner universities, and all opportunities will be subject to availability.
Course units for year 3
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Tutorials Year 3 | BIOL30000 | 0 | Mandatory |
| Toxins, Toxicants & Toxicity | BIOL31602 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Membrane Transport and Signalling in Health & Disease | BIOL31621 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Neuropharmacology of Human Health | BIOL31671 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Pharmacology - Essay Paper | BIOL40232 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Pharmacology - Problem Paper | BIOL40432 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Projects | BIOL30030 | 40 | Optional |
| Life Sciences Enterprise Project | BIOL31080 | 40 | Optional |
| Science Communication Project | BIOL31220 | 40 | Optional |
| HSTM Project | BIOL31250 | 40 | Optional |
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Course content for year 4
Final year topics reflect the current hotspots of bioscience endeavour and the research interests of our staff, and are constantly being updated.
You will undertake an independent in-depth
that may involve supervised practical work in a laboratory, or you may choose to work on e-learning, educational, data analysis, bioinformatics or enterprise topics.
What our students say
Find out more about what it's like to study at Manchester on the
Facilities
Learning facilities
Our modern teaching labs are equipped for a range of biological and biomedical techniques. The following are just a few of the techniques you could undertake during your degree:
- polymerase chain reaction (PCR);
- DNA sequencing;
- gel electrophoresis;
- spectrophotometry;
- dissection and histology;
- electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG);
- immunofluorescence microscopy.
Our computing facilities include access to over 200 PCs in dedicated clusters and e-learning tools including online lecture notes, discussion boards, lecture podcasts and quizzes.
You will also have access to the University's other facilities for undergraduate students.
Research facilities
As a final year student, you have the opportunity to undertake a project in the labs of our world-class bioscience researchers. To support our research, we have extensive
equipped with high-quality technology.
