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5 reasons to study pharmacology at Bath

From placements to lab facilities, there are lots of reasons to study pharmacology at Bath. Here are our top 5.

1. Go on a placement to boost your knowledge and experience

Going on placement gives you the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge to working in industry.


On our Master of Pharmacology course, the lab-based placement is an important part of the course and contributes to your overall degree mark.

Our BSc version of the course can also include a placement in a lab or related area of the field, so you can widen your experience and apply to work in areas requiring a science background, such as marketing, patent applications or clinical trials.

What our students say

Graduates talk about what it's like studying pharmacology at Bath.


2. High success rate for students seeking a placement

Around 90% of students choose to go on a placement and we've had 100% success rate to date for placement applications.


A pharmacology student on placement at Astex

The placement can be in the UK or overseas and in academia or industry. You'll have access to facilities and expertise to increase your skills and knowledge for future career opportunities.

Students say they also benefit from the placement experience when they return to their studies, putting the professional experience to use. Placements can also be a good basis for further academic study such as a PhD. Some students have even had papers published based on their placement work.

Our specialist placements team offers dedicated support when you're looking for a placement and throughout your placement.

3. Strong links with industry

We maintain very strong links with the pharmaceutical industry.


Our links with industry help ensure the course is well aligned with current developments. Industrial experts contribute to teaching with guest lectures, exposing students to approaches and techniques applied in the real world of drug discovery.

The industry links also help with placements, projects and career opportunities.

Industry links include:

  • GSK
  • Astra Zeneca
  • Heptares
  • UCB
  • Boehringer-Ingelheim
  • Medimmune

4. Hands-on, practical courses

We have dedicated pharmacology labs and the courses are built on practical experience.


Students working in a pharmacology lab

Our labs reflect the practical settings found in industry. This hands-on approach ensures you'll learn to apply theory to the real world and develop practical competencies for your future career.

During the course, you'll be able to develop your experience in a wide range of traditional and molecular lab techniques, including the opportunity to complete the Home Office Licence Training Course.

'I like the course because there is a focus on lab work and I get placement opportunities at top companies. I've gained a deeper understanding of the drug discovery pipeline and how medicines work.' — Jasmine Sim, MPharmacol Pharmacology


5. Learn pharmacology from day 1

At Bath, we teach core, specialist skills from the start.


Students in our pharmacology lab

While courses at other universities may start with a general core science year, here at Bath we teach pharmacology from the outset. You'll investigate the action of new and existing drugs at the whole body and cellular level.

By the time you reach the placement in your third year, you'll already have gained two years of specialist knowledge and practical experience. You'll be able to draw on this when taking your final year units and projects.

At the end of the course, you could go on to work on the development of new treatments for both human and animal diseases. Our students say they get great satisfaction from knowing they are helping improve the lives of patients.

Find out more about pharmacology at Bath

Explore our courses