Pharmaceutical Science BSc (Hons)
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold award
Our commitment to high quality teaching has been recognised with a TEF Gold rating. The University has received an overall rating of Gold, as well as securing a Gold award in the framework's two new student experience and student outcomes categories.
Why choose this course?
Pharmaceutical science can benefit and transform patients' lives. Spanning the worlds of chemistry and biology, it discovers, develops and analyses medicines and pharmaceutical products. If you're considering a career in the pharmaceutical industry, this course will give you the knowledge and practical skills for success.
This course explores drug discovery and development, pharmacology, toxicology and immunology. You'll examine the most effective ways that medicines are manufactured, packaged, stored and administered. You'll take part in innovative research, including new methods of drug delivery and drug synthesis.
We have recently updated our modules to enhance student-centred learning and align course content with industry needs, helping you become a future-proof graduate.
| Attendance | UCAS code/apply | Year of entry |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years full time | BB22 | 2025 |
| 4 years full time with professional placement | BBG2 | 2025 |
| 4 years full time including foundation year | B208 | 2025 |
Please submit your application before the UCAS deadline as this course may not be in a position to consider applications submitted after this date.
Please note: Teaching on this course may take place on more than one KU campus.
| Main Location | Penrhyn Road |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- This course is one of the first to be accredited by the UK by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS).
- You'll gain extensive practical experience in new laboratories after a £6.8 million investment.
- There is an optional professional placement year, which gives you the opportunity to gain experience of how pharmaceutical science is applied in industry.
What you will study
Year 1
Year 2
Optional professional placement year
Final year
Year 1 introduces biology, chemistry, and physiology for pharmaceutical science.
Core modules
Academic Skills for Molecular Sciences
30 credits
You will gain a thorough grounding in mathematical, presentation, reporting and IT skills to support your scientific progress. This module will help you develop effective learning strategies. It provides the foundation for your personal and career development.
This module will introduce you to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate. You will be supported by themed tutor meetings enabling you to work on tasks to develop your graduate attributes.
Chemical Foundations: From Atoms to Pharmaceuticals
30 credits
Chemistry impacts many spheres of everyday life. From paints and coatings to smartphone's electrochromic displays, small molecule drugs to the understanding of biochemical processes necessary for life.
This module will revisit chemistry topics taught at A-level and build on them to ensure you become familiar with the core chemistry concepts necessary to the chemical, pharmaceutical and biochemical sciences. There is a key focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Introduction to Biosciences and Pharmaceutics
30 credits
This module introduces you to the fundamental principles of the biochemical processes that occur within the cell, introducing you to eukaryotic cell structure, basic tissue types, microbial entities and organisms that include viruses, bacteria and fungi. It is designed to introduce cell biology, microbiology and pharmaceutics, particularly with reference to human physiology and the pathological microorganisms affecting it and the development of medicines.
You will learn about the formulation of pharmacotherapies designed to address cell and organ dysfunction.
You will explore pre-formulation requirements, relevant physio-chemical principles and routes of administration and their involvement in the choice of dosage form and drug delivery systems.
Pharmaceutical Concepts, Analysis and Ethics
30 credits
This module will give you an introduction to the pharmaceutical industry, providing you with essential knowledge and analytical skills crucial for a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Covering the industry's structure, market dynamics, regulatory environment, and ethical considerations, the module will equip you with a holistic understanding of how the pharmaceutical sector operates. You will gain an overview of drug development, from discovery and clinical trials to regulatory approval and market release, which includes the importance of regulatory bodies and the guidelines they set to ensure drug safety and efficacy.
You will gain insights into pharmaceutical market trends, including the impact of patents, generic drug competition, ethics and the influence of emerging technologies on drug development and distribution. By the end of this module, you will have developed a robust understanding of the pharmaceutical industry's concepts and operations, honed your analytical skills, and cultivated a strong ethical framework to guide your future career in pharmaceutical science aligned with SDG 3 and 10.
Year 2 places emphasis on organic and medicinal chemistry and develops practical skills, especially in pharmaceutical analysis - important in relation to the actions and characterisation of drugs. You will also study the effect of drugs in living systems and the principles of the immune system. There will be an introduction to micro-organisms in relation to human disease, their control and safe working practices. You will explore organic and medicinal chemistry applied to the design and synthesis of drug molecules. Year 2 also focuses on the experimental aspects of pharmaceutical science, developing skills for conducting independent laboratory investigations.
Core modules
Analytical Techniques for Molecular Science
30 credits
This module immerses you in the world of analytical science applied to problem solving in biochemistry, clinical chemistry, forensic analysis and pharmaceutical science applications. It develops critical thinking in being able to identify the best approaches used to prepare samples, collect results and analyse data, whether it is quantitative or qualitative in various scenarios. You will build your knowledge, practical skills and interpretation skills whilst implementing the analytical process model using scenario-based learning.
Organic and Medicinal Chemistry with Global Medicine and Personalised Healthcare
30 credits
The module develops understanding of both Organic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry introducing important principles, reactions, and mechanisms in organic chemical reactivity as well as basic mechanisms of drug action.
You will build on concepts introduced in your first year, including carbanion reactivity of carbonyl compounds, the reactions of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds, stereochemistry, asymmetric synthesis, and retrosynthesis.
This module uses examples from a range of medicinal areas to illustrate these key processes as well as introducing drug design and the role this plays in the modern pharmaceutical industry. You will explore the evolving landscape of global medicine and the innovative approaches driving personalized healthcare. You will learn how global and personalized medicine intersect to improve patient outcomes. You will explore the socio-economic and cultural factors influencing healthcare delivery and the importance of ethical practices in the development of equitable healthcare solutions and scientific communication.
Pharmacology, Formulation and Pharmaceutics
30 credits
This module gives an introduction to subject content that underlies many of the industrial and research areas that will provide employment for Pharmaceutical Science graduates. The module will incorporate elements of pharmacology, toxicology, immunology and pharmaceutics (including formulation science).
You will receive a thorough grounding in the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion which underlies many of the pharmacological and toxicological effects of biological agents.
You will learn how drug formulation affects the bioavailability of a drug and how the physiology of the human system affects these processes.
This module also provides an introduction to the area of immunology. This is important as much of the recent developments in drug development and consequently employment opportunities for our graduates involve antibodies as therapeutic agents. You will explore the major factors involved in the effective and safe delivery of therapeutic agents to human populations. This will include solid, semi-solid and liquid dosage forms.
Practical and Research Skills in Pharmaceutical Science
30 credits
This module allows you to develop laboratory techniques and data interpretation skills through experiments that include organic synthesis, product characterisation and evaluation of various pharmaceutical formulations and dosage forms. It also develops additional research skills such as literature searches, review writing and digital skills that will be developed through the use of chemistry specific software packages (Chemdraw, Scifinder). You will be given the opportunity to develop higher level graduate attributes that are important to improving your employability, such as planning, teamwork, and presentation skills. In addition, the range of potential careers open to Pharmaceutical Science graduates will be covered in this module.
This module is designed to develop your graduate attributes. You will reflect on your existing areas of strength and identify areas for further development. The Future Skills Explore Learning Outcomes are delivered in this module.
An optional professional placement year between Years 2 and 3 provides the opportunity to gain experience of how pharmaceutical science is applied in an industrial situation.
Final year exposes you to specialised areas of pharmaceutical science which includes how drugs are manufactured in industry and how they are introduced onto the shelf. You will learn about new and innovative research linked to pharmaceutical science, including new methods of drug delivery. You will also undertake a year-long research project, applying, in an experimental context, the theoretical knowledge you have gained in the previous two years.
Core modules
Advanced Analytical Techniques and Applications
30 credits
This module builds on the foundation gained in your second year, and increase your knowledge of spectroscopy so you will develop a more rigorous theoretical understanding. You will be trained in current advanced analytical techniques used in industry, exploring concepts of quality control, such as the application of chemometrics.
You will understand their importance using real world examples such as environmental UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) and how to suitably select sustainable analytical approaches (Climate Action, Clean Water and Sanitation, and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), when applied to fragrance, forensic, chemical and pharmaceutical applications.
Advanced Drug Delivery and Formulation in Pharmaceutical Science
30 credits
This module introduces you to various aspects of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry relevant to your future career and aims to cover a wide range of topics including drug delivery, polymers and biomaterials. You will also explore operational aspects of the industry such as patents, intellectual property, legislation and licences, health and safety, and quality assurance.
You will be introduced to macromolecules and biomaterials as part of such drug delivery systems, by going through each step from synthesis, and properties to final product. You will be involved in a team project to develop and bring a new product to the market to enhance your employability and entrepreneurial skills, working with students from other disciplines across the University.
You will work on authentic case studies to develop your problem-solving skills to real world challenges aligned to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals 3, 9 and 10. The Future Skills learning outcomes will be delivered in this module.
Drug Development: Bench to Bedside
30 credits
This module deals with the pharmacology involved in the treatment of various disease types, detailing the synthetic chemistry behind the development of drug molecules. You will gain an integrated understanding of the drug development process and the rationale for identifying targets within a disease. You will learn how to evaluate the impact of structural changes on the pharmacodynamic/kinetic profile of a drug from a pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic perspective.
You will understand the rationale when deciding the purpose, design, manufacture, and in-process testing of more advanced pharmaceutical formulations to ensure patient acceptability and efficacy in clinical use.
You will investigate the pathophysiology of a number of disease states associated with the cardiovascular and central nervous systems and how specific drugs address these pathologies.
The module also outlines the process for intellectual property protection and exploitation, toxicological events that might affect the body and the body's immunological response to toxic insult or disease.
Project
30 credits
The module provides you with an opportunity to undertake a scientific project and develop skills required to plan a project, develop a methodology, analyse the data and disseminate the results.
There are several types of projects that may be offered to you: laboratory, data projects involving acquisition of data and information from surveys, computer simulations, or a systematic review of research literature that includes the collection, analysis, and original presentation of reported research data.
Your project will include a review and critical evaluation of qualitative and quantitative information and data to address a hypothesis or research question, and the production of a written report.
Future Skills
Knowledge to give you the edge
Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.
As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.
Pharmaceutical Science at Kingston University
Pharmaceutical Science student Sonia talks about her experience studying at Kingston University:
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.
It may also include placements, project work, practical sessions, workshops, conferences and field trips.
Who teaches this course?
This course is delivered by the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry.
The School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry offers an outstanding and diverse portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in biological and biomedical sciences, chemistry, forensic science, pharmacy, pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences, and sport science and nutrition.
We've invested heavily in the development of new facilities including laboratories for teaching and research to provide students with access to ultra-modern equipment in a wide range of teaching facilities.
Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
Facilities
There is a wide range of facilities for practical work at our Penrhyn Road campus, where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest equipment, including:
- the £9.8 million Eadweard Muybridge building with state-of the art laboratories;
- specialist equipment, such as:
- gas and liquid chromatography;
- electron and confocal microscopy;
- a range of spectrometers, including mass spectrometers, infrared spectrometers and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers;
- nuclear science equipment;
- thermal analysis;
- x-ray diffractometers; and
- electrochemical analysis;
- computing laboratories and a team of IT technicians to offer assistance.
What our students say
Course fees and funding
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
After you graduate
Many of our graduates work in the pharmaceutical industry, research or clinical laboratories, hospitals and in education.
What our graduates say
Work placement year
How you can work in industry during your course
Placements:
- provide work experience that is relevant to your course and future career
- improve your chances of graduating with a higher-grade degree
- enhance your CV
- lead to a graduate job
- enable you to earn a year's salary whilst studying (the vast majority of placements are paid)
- help you to select your final-year project.
"To be successful, tomorrow's leaders will need to be far more rounded individuals than ever before. They will collaborate in pursuit of shared goals. They will guide, challenge and support...They will have an appetite for change and a hunger for continuous improvement, and they will have an ethos of learning and development..." Jeremy Darroch, Former Chief Executive, Sky.
"Doing a placement year effectively gives you one foot in the door of a future job and to stand out from the crowd... as well as enhancing my CV... and future interviews. It's a great motivator to be successful in my studies as it only serves to open even more doors and gain more skills." Placement student at Jagex Games Studios Ltd.
There is a lot of support available for students looking to secure a placement (e.g. a jobs board with placement vacancies, help with writing CVs and mock interviews). Getting a placement and passing the placement year are ultimately the student's responsibility.
Examples of placements
Placements can be with large multinational companies, international companies, local companies and small start-ups; offering a diverse range of posts. Here are some examples of employers and roles:
| Construction-based placement employers | Construction-based placement roles |
|---|---|
| RG Group Multiplex Costain Willmott Dixon Fluor |
Assistant site manager Assistant trades package manager Assistant logistics manager Health and safety officer Construction engineer |
| Science-based placement employers | Science-based placement roles |
| Reckitt and Benckiser GSK Drug Control Centre Minton Treharne and Davies Ltd Various local and international hospitals |
Bioanalytical sciences Lab assistant Pharmacy assistant Sports coach |
| Engineering-based placement employers | Engineering-based placement roles |
| Airbus BAM Nuttall Nissan Bosch Wozair |
Analysis of aircraft structure Construction resources specialist Site engineer assistant |
| Computing and IS-based placement employers | Computing and IS-based placement roles |
| Disney Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe IBM McKinsey Intel |
Database coordinator Software developer Website developer App developer |
Key information set
The scrolling banner(s) below display some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
