Pharmacology

Pharmacologists play a vital role in the discovery and development of new medicines that benefit human and animal health. Pharmacology influences our lives in so many ways. From pain relief to cancer treatments, pharmacologists study how drugs can alter the way our bodies work. The successful UK drug industry employs 70,000 people and generates a further 250,000 jobs in related industries. In Scotland, the expansion of health-related industries and the biotechnology sector means that demand for graduates in this area currently outstrips supply. This course involves a high proportion of practical work, including a five-day molecular biology workshop that brings together theory and practice, to equip you with the laboratory skills employers need. You will gain an understanding of how the body works, what goes wrong in disease and how drugs can be used to manage these diseased states.

Your career

Career options include research in an academic environment, hospitals, medical research laboratories, or in the pharmaceutical industry.

Other career paths include teaching, management, medical sales, information science, working as a clinical research associate or within the forensic science service. Another option is to continue your studies to PhD level, opening up further career opportunities.