Course summary

Pharmacology and physiology are closely related disciplines. Pharmacology is the study of drug action and how medicines may modify disease states. Physiology is concerned with how the body and its systems are controlled, and in the changes that lead to disease states. The course will provide you with a sound understanding of the biological action of drugs and other biomolecules at the whole-body, tissue, cellular and sub-cellular levels, and their use in medicines for the treatment of disease. It provides an ideal grounding for a career in the pharmaceutical industry or other areas of biomedical research, academia, the Scientific Civil Service and hospitals. Opportunities exist for you to enhance your practical and related transferable skills within our research laboratories. Teaching is informed by high-quality research, in relevant cognate areas, within the Faculty. In addition, new students will benefit from our use of the METI Patient Care Simulator platform, as an exciting novel teaching tool. The Pharmacology and Physiology BSc Honours will enable you to acquire a broad understanding of the normal and abnormal physiological function, including the biology of representative disease states. You will become proficient in explaining and applying information about the mode of therapeutic action, undesirable and toxic effects, absorption, distribution and elimination of exemplar drugs. You will also develop the problem-solving skills and research strategies necessary to evaluate, critically appraise and systematically review pharmacology and physiology. The learning and teaching strategies include a mixture of formal contact – such as large and small group lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, laboratory practical sessions and demonstrations – as well as independent work and online support activities.