Medical Pharmacology, BSc (Hons)

Program Overview

Swansea University's Medical Pharmacology program provides a comprehensive understanding of drug science, its impact on living systems, and its role in treating diseases. Students explore diverse subjects, including toxicology, chemistry, genetics, and immunology, preparing them for careers in medicine, pharmaceutical development, research, and more. The program features research talks, a research project, and a focus on developing analytical and communication skills. Graduates are highly sought after in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

About the Program:

Swansea University's Medical Pharmacology degree course delves into the science behind drugs and medicines, their impact on living systems, and their role in treating diseases. Students will explore a diverse range of subjects, including toxicology, chemistry, genetics, reproductive biology, physiology, immunology, pharmacogenomics, neuroscience, and drug development. Objectives:

• Equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles of pharmacology, covering various aspects such as drug discovery, development, and their therapeutic applications.
• Provide a solid foundation in the scientific principles underlying drug action, including their interactions with biological systems and the body's response to them.
• Develop students' analytical and project management skills, as well as their ability to design experiments and plan work programs.
• Prepare students for careers or further studies in the fields of medicine, pharmaceutical development, research, regulation, patent law, and medical writing.

Outline:

Program Structure:

Year 1:

• Core modules cover the fundamentals of human physiology, eukaryotic cell biology, chemistry, toxicology, and microbiology.
Year 2:
• Students choose one of three Employability Strands (subject to eligibility): Medical Science in Practice, Enterprise and Innovation, and Medical Science in Research.
• They will further develop their knowledge in specialized topics such as pharmacogenomics, metabolic regulation, neuroscience, human immunology, and antimicrobial therapy and resistance.
Year 3:
• Students complete an independent research project under the guidance of a professional research scientist.
• They study further specialized modules such as drug development, cancer pharmacology, reproductive biology, and nanotoxicology.

Modules:

Year 1 (Level 4) Core Modules:

• Academic support and professional development
• Introduction to Toxicology: The Dose Makes the Poison
• Introduction to Genetics and Evolution
• Microbiology
• Human Physiology
• Organic Chemistry: an Introduction for Life Sciences.
• Chemical Analysis: from Composition to Structure Elucidation; an Introduction for Life Sciences.
Optional Modules:
• GuidanceSkills for Medical Sciences
• Introductory Biochemistry
Year 2 (Level 5) Core Modules:
• Metabolic Regulation: Enzymes & Signal Transduction
• Human Immunology
• Communicating Medical Sciences
• Pharmacology: Dynamics and Kinetics
• Pharmacogenomics: Genes on Drugs
• Antimicrobial therapy and resistance
• Advances in Toxicology: Pick Your Poison
Optional Modules:
• Medical Science in Practice Pathway
• Medical Research Pathway
• Enterprise and Innovation Pathway
Year 3 (Level 6) Core Modules:
• Being a Medical Scientist
• Advances in Pharmacology
• Human Biology and the Environment
• Drug Development and Regulation
Optional Modules:
• Innovation Management - Fundamentals
• Nanotoxicology
• Reproductive Biology and Medicine
• The Sweet Sickness: Advances in Diabetes and Related Disorders
• Advanced Biostatistics
• Machine Learning in Healthcare
• Genetic Toxicology
• Introduction to Clinical Trials
• Cancer Pharmacology
• The Neuroscience of Learning, Memory and Cognition

Teaching:

Learning and Teaching Approach:

• Lectures, seminars, practical laboratory sessions, independent learning, and working in small groups.
• Emphasis on developing excellent analytical, research, and communication skills.

Teaching Staff:

• Academic staff are active in a diverse range of research fields, offering an unrivaled mix of academic excellence and cutting-edge practice.

Unique Features:

• Research talks held at least weekly given by Swansea University staff or speakers from other universities or research institutions.
• Curriculum developed with guidance from the British Pharmacological Society.

Careers:

Career Opportunities:

• Medical Pharmacology graduates have been identified as critical undergraduate degree holders, required to fill the current workforce and skills gaps in medicine and pharmaceutical development.
• Other career paths include academic and industrial research, regulation, patent law, and medical writing.

Additional Information:

• This degree is part of the university's ‘Medical Science in Practice’ Pathway to Medicine program.
• Meeting the minimum entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine and successfully completing the Pathway guarantees an interview for the flagship Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBCh course.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

UK International September 2023 £ 9,000 £ 20,600 September 2024 £ 9,000 £ 21,650 Fees for full time Undergraduate UK students may be increased in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount determined by Welsh Government. Fees for full time Undergraduate EU/International students will increase by 3% for each subsequent year of study.