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Pharmacology Degrees - Our Programmes - Intercalated BSc in Pharmacology

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Information about the Intercalated BSc in Pharmacology

In addition to the BSc Pharmacology students, the department accepts about 26 medical students, who have opted to study for an intercalated BSc degree, into the final year of the Pharmacology degree.

Tutor: Dr Andrew Ramage
Room G51 Medical Science Building
Telephone 020 7679 0125; Email: a.ramage@ucl.ac.uk

or

Dr Talvinder Sihra - Pharmacology Programme Tutor

Room 250/334 Medawar Building
Telephone 020 7679 3296; Email: t.sihra@ucl.ac.uk


Third-year Programme

Students take courses to a total of 4.0 course-units, of which only the one taught module is "core" and therefore compulsory. Students must also do either a Laboratory or Library project. of their choice.

CORE (COMPULSORY) MODULE*


  • PHAR3003 Molecular Pharmacology (0.5 CU)


PROJECT MODULE


  • Either PHAR3010 Laboratory Research Project (1.5 CU) or PHAR3009 Library Research Project (1.0 CU)


OPTIONS IN PHARMACOLOGY*


  • Either PHAR3001 Neuropharmacology (1.0 CU) or PHAR3002 Neuropharmacology (0.5 CU)
  • PHAR3004 Receptor Mechanisms (0.5 CU)

  • Either PHAR3005 Immunopharmacology (1.0 CU) or PHAR3031 Immunopharmacology (0.5 CU)
  • PHAR3006 Drug Design And Development (0.5 CU)
  • PHAR3008 Psychopharmacology (0.5 CU)
  • PHAR3011 Synaptic Pharmacology: The Synapse, A Major Site Of Disease And Drug Action (0.5 CU)

OTHER OPTIONAL MODULES** offered under other programme boards:

  • ANAT3042 Pain (0.5 CU)
  • IMMN3001 Immunobiology (0.5 CU) 
  • BIOC3011 Biochemistry of Health and Disease (0.5 CU)
  • PHOL3003 Fetal And Neonatal Physiology (1.0 CU)
  • PHOL3009 Space Medicine And Extreme Environment Physiology (1.0 CU)
  • ANAT3028 The Neurobiology Of Neurodegenerative Disease (0.5 CU)
  • BIOC3012 Sex, Genes And Evolution (0.5 CU)
  • HMED3004 Madness And Society (0.5 CU)
  • HMED3001 Man's Place In Nature: The Debate In Britain (0.5 CU)
  • HMED3014 Medicine In Asia (0.5 CU)
  • HMED3009 Colonial And Empire Medicine (0.5 CU)

Note:

*Students must take a minimum of 2.5 units in Pharmacology that include the compulsory course, PHAR3003: Molecular Pharmacology, and either a library or laboratory-based project. Together with Options in Pharmacology, the interdepartmental module ANAT3042: Pain, may also count towards the minimum requirement of 2.5 units in Pharmacology. Core and optional courses in Pharmacology reflect the research interests of the pharmacology teaching staff, and aim to bring students to the frontiers of current knowledge. The emphasis is on critical reading of the scientific literature, and on gaining an understanding of the process of scientific discovery, rather than on amassing factual information. Tutorial work is particularly important at this stage and students are taught to prepare topics for presentation to tutorial groups.

**Courses listed under "Other Optional Modules" are usually the recommended or popular options chosen by students - not an exhaustive list of all possibilities.

In all this work students need to consult current scientific journals. Consequently the excellent and extensive facilities of the UCL library are indispensable. Some advanced courses incorporate lectures by experts from other colleges and research institutes in London, as well as from the drugs industry.


Project (1.5 CU - Laboratory or 1.0 CU - Library/Reading)

It is usual to carry out a special project in the third year where students investigate problems of their own choice. This takes the place of a formal taught course.

A 1.5-unit project gives students the opportunity to join a research team for nine weeks, and carry out their own experimental project in a research area of pharmacology that interests them. An initial period of library work is followed by a programme of experimental research, in which the student is responsible for the planning, execution and analysis of experiments. This gives students a chance to experience laboratory research first hand. Many students find this extremely helpful in deciding on their future career, especially in respect of whether to opt for a PhD or research career in the pharmaceutical industry.

A 1.0-unit project lasts for six weeks and comprises a library-based dissertation. The topics are usually agreed after discussions with potential supervisors, who will be aware of questions in their field of expertise which are both interesting and can be reasonably tackled within the time available.

In both cases, a written report is prepared and is assessed as part of the final examination. For either type of project, the student discusses his or her work with an appointed supervisor, who offers general guidance on planning and the final written report.

Page last modified on 28 sep 09 19:20 by Talvinder S Sihra