BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science (with Foundation year)
Course overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Chemical and Drug Sciences
Attendance
Full-time, 4 years
Full-time, 5 years
Part-time
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
This extended course is perfect if you want a degree in Pharmaceutical Science, but don’t have the standard qualifications.
This new and already popular course will take you inside the complex and ever-expanding field of pharmaceutical science.
Pharmaceutical science is the study of the formulation, development and manufacture of new drugs. Pharmaceutical scientists have the power to transform patients’ lives by developing new treatments for diseases.
Pharmaceutical science encompasses chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and physiology. It looks at how different drugs act on the human body and how their healing effects can be safely used.
We’ll introduce you to a diverse selection of subjects to help you gain an insight into the development, design, delivery and use of new drugs. This thorough background will ensure that a wide range of career choices will be open to you when you graduate.
You’ll be entitled to become a student member of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS), the professional body for Pharmaceutical Sciences in the UK.
This course offers the opportunity of year-long work placement between years two and three. If you choose to take this option, you’ll spend your third year working in the pharmaceutical industry, adding valuable practical experience to your growing academic knowledge.
The first year of this course is shared with other Biosciences degrees at UEL, giving you maximum flexibility if you decide to transfer to a different course for years two and three.
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out morePlacement
Optional placement year available
1st
in London
We are 1st in London amongst all universities, and 4th amongst modern universities in the United Kingdom for student satisfaction with teaching on the course. A fantastic seal of approval from our own students. (NSS, 2018)
£2.4m
Investment in facilities
You'll work in our recently refurbished bioscience teaching laboratory. The lab is proving a major resource and will have a great impact on your student experience.
1st
Modern university for Research quality ( Biological Sciences, CUG, 2018)
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,382.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parent’s Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
Bank Of England Scholarship Programme
European Funding GuideThe Student Disability Association Fund
Some courses offer the option of a placement year, giving you the chance to gain valuable work experience in a relevant industry between your second and third years. If you are an international student on a Tier 4 visa, you are able to undertake a placement if it is an integral and assessed part of your course.
In 2018/19 placement year tuition fees are set at £1,060.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will automatically be cancelled.
For information visit gov.uk/student-finance
Please note EU students can only apply for their funding using a paper application form.
To download a form visit www.gov.uk/student-finance-forms
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
Bank Of England Scholarship Programme
European Funding GuideThe Student Disability Association Fund
Some courses offer the option of a placement year, giving you the chance to gain valuable work experience in a relevant industry between your second and third years. If you are an international student on a Tier 4 visa, you are able to undertake a placement if it is an integral and assessed part of your course.
In 2018/19 placement year tuition fees are set at £1,060.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages (www.uel.ac.uk/isa) for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2021
-
Degree with Foundation Year
64
New UCAS Points
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
You’ll gain an in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical chemistry, including the design and synthesis of new drug molecules. You’ll explore pharmacognosy (drug substances from natural origins), pharmaceutics (turning a new chemical entity or old drugs into a medication that can be used safely) and pharmacology (the effect of drugs on humans).
As with all our bioscience students, your first year will be spent developing knowledge in four key areas – essential chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology and anatomy and physiology.
Your second year is a chance to broaden your knowledge of pharmaceutical science by learning about the biology of disease, the way drugs are made, manufactured and delivered and how drugs work once they’re in the human body.
In your final year, you’ll specialise in areas such as natural sources of drugs and the way drugs are designed and developed and how they are analysed using sophisticated instruments.
You’ll also be working with one of our academic staff during your research towards the completion of your key individual project, which is usually lab-based.
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a bachelor’s degree, you can study this course as an ‘extended’ four-year programme. You’ll begin with a foundation year, which will prepare you for a successful transition to the degree course a year later.
- Essential Skills for Higher Education (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Essential Maths & ICT (Core)
- Career & Professional Skills (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Human Biology (Core)
- Introduction to the Study of Cells (Core)
- Chemistry of Life (Core)
- Professional Practice in Science (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry (Core)
- Cell Biology (Core)
- Fundamentals in Human Anatomy and Physiology (Core)
- Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Core)
- Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry (Core)
- Level 4 Short Work Placement (Optional)
- Infection and Immunity (Core)
- Fundamental and Experimental Pharmacology (Core)
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (Core)
- Research and Career Development (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Drug, Discovery, Development and Regulation (Core)
- Organic Synthesis (Core)
- Year Long Placement (Sandwich Year) (Optional)
- Level 5 Short Work Placement (Optional)
The extra placement year means it will take four years to complete your studies, instead of three.
- Natural Products Discovery (Core)
- Medicinal Chemistry (Core)
- Application of Analytical Techniques in Pharmaceutical Quality Control (Core)
- Research Project and Career Enhancement (Core)
- Portfolio (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Biopharmaceuticals (Core)
- Toxicology (Core)
- L6 Optional Short Work Placement (Optional)
How you'll be assessed
We’ll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes essays, research reports, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project. Most of the assessment in your first year is by coursework and we’ll give you as much feedback as possible.
In your third year, you’ll either take five core modules or undertake a work placement. We’ll assess you accordingly.
How you'll learn
One of the hallmarks of a University of East London course is the variety of ways in which you’ll be invited to learn. It could be through lectures, presentations or practical lab sessions in our dedicated pharmaceutical science lab.
You’ll hear from fascinating guest speakers, including industry experts. And you could find yourself, as our previous students have, presenting your own research work at the London BioNat Network Research meeting in front of eminent scientists.
Our supportive, friendly staff are experts in all areas of the subject. They’re led by Dr Mukhlesur Rahman, an internationally renowned expert in the field of drugs discoveries from medicinal plants. His research has been extensively published and he has lectured at major conferences in India and the United States.
Your third-year project will offer you exciting and stimulating research opportunities. Some of Dr Rahman’s students are currently working on projects on medicinal plants, looking for a new compound that might work against the ‘super bug’ MRSA.
We’re keen for you to see at first hand how the pharmaceutical industry works. So we have recently organised visits for our third-year students to the labs of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the science-led global healthcare giants.
We’ve also helped organise work placement opportunities for some of our students to work at Herbs in a Bottle – a pharmaceutical company that supplies herbal medicines.
“The way we've designed modular structures of the course, we aim our students to acquire the best possible intellectual and transferable skills for their life-long learning," says Dr Rahman.
"This will not only make them happy in securing a rewarding job but also develop their confidence in critical thinking and problem-solving in pharmaceutical sectors."
Who will teach on this course
Mukhlesur Rahman
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Your future career
You’ll find that your degree in pharmaceutical science will be an ideal entry point into a range of careers, giving you plenty of choice about the direction you take.
You could, for example, go on to work with a pharmaceutical company helping to develop new drugs and evaluating their effectiveness.
Pharmaceutical companies employ graduates to help advise customers on the technical aspects of the products they offer. Then there are chemical companies looking for graduates who understand how drugs are developed and have proven analytical skills.
If you’d rather pursue an academic or research-based career, you can build on your BSc with an MSc, MRes or PhD.
Outside the chemical industries, a degree in pharmaceutical science will open up teaching opportunities and careers in finance and accounting.
Whatever your next step, after the contacts you’ve made and the opportunities you’ve had to see the pharmaceutical industry up close during your course, you’ll leave us perfectly prepared to pursue a rewarding career.
The statistics back this up. The latest figures show 81 per cent of UEL’s bioscience graduates are in work within six months of finishing their degree.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal
