Pharmacology is the scientific study of medicines and other drugs and is therefore essential to all medical disciplines and the treatment of disease. You’ll learn how drugs work in the body, how they are discovered and developed for human use, and how they can sometimes have unwanted effects.
Knowledge of this discipline and others in biomedical sciences is essential to provide solutions to the many health, wellbeing and other challenges facing humankind. Taking an MBiol degree will enable you to develop the research, experimental and technical competencies to solve complex research problems relevant to pharmacology and communicate the outcomes effectively. Studying an MBiol degree would be beneficial for anyone wishing to pursue a career in research due to the enhanced time working on a research project, either by continuing on to study a further degree such as a PhD, or with an interest in working within a research environment in industry.
Your Course
In the first year of your programme, you will be provided with a broad knowledge and understanding of the principal body systems, processes and functions in health and disease, and gain hands-on practical experience of the experimental approaches used to generate this knowledge in biomedical sciences but then focussing on pharmacology. The course will initially cover:
- Structure and function of physiological systems and how these can be disturbed by disease
- Underpinning molecular and cellular processes, structure and function of the nervous system including during development and pathological dysfunction
- Principles of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics including examples of drugs than can be used to treat and modify pathophysiology of various common diseases and conditions, as well as how drugs are discovered and developed in the modern pharmaceutical industry.
As you progress through your course, you will have the opportunity to discover and explore individual areas in more depth such as psychopharmacology, antiviral therapy, cancer therapy and molecular pharmacology for example. You will be part of an investigative-based inspirational and engaging learning experience, informed by cutting edge research undertaken in these areas at Leeds, delivered by the world leading academics undertaking this research.
You will gain an integrated knowledge of the human body and how it works in health and disease, alongside how drugs can be developed to treat many diseases using current pharmacological techniques and methodologies. 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. You will be assessed using many tasks or activities undertaken in the workplace.
Towards the end of your programme, you will undertake culminating research project and specific research training, where you will bring together the knowledge, research skills and attributes developed throughout your degree and apply it to a problem, which could be research based, industry linked or clinical, creating a solution to this problem. The Integrated Masters (MBiol) offers you this as an additional year of specialist training, to study advanced research topics and undertake your own extended project within one of the major research laboratories in the school.
This course will help you develop skills relevant to the pharmaceutical industry that will in-turn help to address global challenges, such as tackling antibiotic resistance or discovering new drugs to treat Ebola and Covid-19; Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; and diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Our World
Our focus is to train the next generation of thinkers, innovators and leaders, equipped to make a positive difference in a complex and ever-changing interconnected world, you will develop global cultural awaren
ess, by exploring some of the grand challenges or UN Sustainable Development Goals facing humankind in partnership with students from different backgrounds, cultures or lived experiences within an inclusive learning environment. You will use your knowledge and skills to create solutions to local and global challenges, be able to explain the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion relevant to biomedical sciences, demonstrate ethical awareness and competencies and complete creative problem-solving activities.
Your Future
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 go onto, able to contribute ethical solutions to the complex problems facing humankind. Throughout your studies, you will complete workplace tasks and activities undertaken in employment. You will also demonstrate the ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary team environments and contribute positively and flexibly to a team output. You will also be able to communicate scientific and other information to specific audiences and in relevant and varied formats. This will equip you with the necessary skills for employment or to go onto future studies relevant to your career of choice.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSC1100T | Structure and Function (Anatomy and Physiology) of Human Body Systems (Teaching) | 0 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC1200T | Biology of the Mind (Teaching) | 0 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC1216T | Introduction to Pharmacology (Teaching) | 0 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC1302 | Team-Based Solutions for Local Challenges in Human Sciences | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| BMSC1303 | Practical application of Clinical, Laboratory and Field Skills for Human Sciences | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| BMSC1320A | Application of Knowledge (Assessment - BMS) | 30 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| BMSC1322A | Evidence Based Reports (Assessment - BMS) | 30 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| FOBS1135T | The Basis of Life (Teaching) | 0 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Basket 1: Candidates will be required to study 1-2 modules from the following list of optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICR1202 | The Microbial World | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| MICR1221 | Introduction to Immunology | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Basket 2: Candidates can study 1 module from the following list of optional / discovery modules if they have taken only one module from basket 1
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD1051 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Students may also select 0-10 credits worth of Discovery modules.
Students may also select 0-10 credits worth of Discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSC2130 | Advanced Concepts in Pharmacology | 40 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC2238 | Applied Concepts in Drug Development | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC2315 | Team-based solutions to global challenges in human science | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| BMSC2341 | Experimental Skills in Pharmacology | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following list of optional / discovery modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL2221 | Fundamentals in Cell and Cancer Biology | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BLGY2202 | Bioinformatics for Biologists | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC2242 | Sensory and Motor Neuroscience | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC2243 | Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD2310 | Health Promotion: Applications of Theory and Practice | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| MICR2211 | Medical Microbiology | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| MICR2221 | Medical Immunology | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Students may also select 0-10 credits worth of Discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSC3390 | Research Skills and Professional Development | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| BMSC3398 | Practical Research Skills | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| BMSC3399 | Extended Research Project Preparation | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Basket 1: Candidates will be required to study 20-40 credits from the options below.
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSC3162 | Research Topics in Pharmacology 1 | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC3243 | Research Topics in Pharmacology 2 | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Basket 2: Students can select 0-40 credits from the options below.
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL3215 | Cancer Biology | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| BMSC3152 | Inherited Disorders | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC3153 | Neurophysiology | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC3228 | Animal Models in Discovery Biology & Drug Development | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Basket 3: Students can select 0-20 credits from the options below.
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOOD3071 | Diet and Cardiovascular Health | 10 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| FOOD3340 | Food and Cancer | 10 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| MEDM3221 | Reproductive Medical Science | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Students may also select 0-20 credits worth of Discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMSC5301M | Advanced Research Topics | 30 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| BMSC5382M | Extended Research Project | 90 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Last updated: 28/08/2025 13:57:49
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