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Pharmacology BSc

London, Bloomsbury

The subject of pharmacology is immensely broad and covers areas of physiology, chemistry, neuroscience, cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics. Our flexible three-year programme offers thorough training in this integrated subject.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
Programme starts
September 2025
Application deadline
29 Jan 2025
UCAS course code
B210

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAB
Subjects
Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.

Contextual offer information

Grades
ABB more about contextual offers
Subjects
Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
Points
36
Subjects
A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

Contextual offer

Points
34 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics

A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher). Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics, at Advanced Higher.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAB. Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

In the first year, all your modules are compulsory. These modules cover chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, statistics and, of course, pharmacology. The first year is thus designed to give you a solid foundation that prepares you for years two and three. In your second year, most modules are also compulsory, but now the focus is on pharmacology. You will have one major module on how medicines work and another devoted entirely to laboratory practicals and experimental pharmacology. In addition to the compulsory elements, you will have a choice for one of your modules, and you may decide to take more biochemistry, chemistry or neurobiology. Students who enter the three-year BSc in Pharmacology retain the option of applying to transfer to the four-year MSci programme at the end of year two. In your final year, you have only one compulsory module, leaving you free to pursue your interests by choosing from a wide range of advanced pharmacology options such as modules in psychopharmacology, immunopharmacology or drug design and development.

Each year you will study modules worth a total of 120 credits. Large modules, typically running over terms one and two, account for 30 credits while smaller modules, usually running within one term, account for 15 credits.

Many students undertake a nine-week laboratory research project in their final year. This provides an opportunity to join the laboratory of some of the most outstanding scientists in the field. You may find this particularly helpful in making choices about your future career, and whether you would like to pursue postgraduate study.

You may also consider applying to take a year out in industry. This is taken between years two and three, spending your time in the pharmaceutical industry or another pharmacology-related area. These placements are not guaranteed because they are offered by industry on a competitive basis, but contacts between our staff and colleagues in industry often open up many opportunities.

What this course will give you

Pharmacology at UCL offers you an outstanding academic environment. We are internationally renowned in this discipline and are recognised for numerous major discoveries.

We combine excellence in pharmacology research with high-quality pharmacology teaching. We have particular expertise in areas such as neuropharmacology and immunopharmacology.

In your final year, you will have the opportunity to join a world-leading research team to carry out your own research project.

We offer modern, state-of-the-art facilities. In addition, we are located adjacent to the Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and this provides great opportunities for collaborative final-year projects.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

In the first year, all modules are compulsory, setting you up with a solid foundation of knowledge in areas such as chemistry, physiology, biochemistry and statistics, on which to draw in later years. You will also take your first pharmacology module. The second year also comprises mainly compulsory modules, but this time they are focused on pharmacology. In addition, you will have space for one second-year module that you are free to choose. By the third year, you will take only one compulsory module, leaving you free to fill the rest of your year with a wide range of specialist options and a research project where you have the chance to make your own, new, discoveries.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules







Compulsory modules






Optional modules







Compulsory modules



Optional modules

The Neurobiology of Neurodegenerative Disease






Dynamic Biological Systems















Topics in Neurobiology




Your learning

Teaching is mainly conducted through lectures and laboratory classes together with regular tutorials and workshops involving in-depth discussions of the topics being studied. Modules run concurrently; lectures and tutorials are usually held in the morning with practical classes in the afternoons.

A module worth 15 credits will typically have a workload of 40 contact hours, which can include lectures, practical classes, workshops and tutorials. The exact combination of these will depend on the nature of the modules you take in each year. Information about individual modules can be found in the descriptions provided within the UCL module catalogue.

When you are not attending classes, you will have time for self-directed study which may include writing practical reports, analysing your data, preparing group projects, or simply making sure you understand the taught material. For every contact hour in a module, you will typically have 2-3 hours allocated for this type of work.

Assessment

You will be expected to submit coursework (e.g. essays and practical write-ups) and make oral presentations as part of your assessment. Your understanding may also be assessed via multiple choice questions, data analysis exercises and written examinations at the end of each year.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Pharmacology BSc/MSci Q&A (AM)

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Find out about UCL's Pharmacology BSc/MSci by attending our online open event. You'll have the opportunity to meet the course leader, learn about the structure and content of the programme, and ask any questions you might have about the course, application process, and life at UCL.

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Pharmacology BSc/MSci Q&A (PM)

—

Find out about UCL's Pharmacology BSc/MSci by attending our online open event. You'll have the opportunity to meet the course leader, learn about the structure and content of the programme, and ask any questions you might have about the course, application process, and life at UCL.

Online - Open day

Pharmacology information video

Watch this video to find out more about Pharmacology at UCL, including entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.

Watch on demand event

The foundation of your career

The degree prepares you for a wide range of careers in the public and private sectors, including government, public administration, charities and international development, politics, journalism, teaching and research, as well as non-governmental organisations.

Employability

This programme not only provides detailed knowledge of the subject, but also trains you in planning and executing scientific experiments. In addition, you will learn quantitative and analytical skills that facilitate handling and analysis of your data. Finally, you will understand how to effectively present your work in both written and oral forms. Thus, taken together, this training will equip you with a versatility that will be attractive to many employers. According to the Graduate Outcomes Survey, 80% of students who graduated between 2019-2021 were in work or study 15 months after graduation.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

Students will need to purchase a lab coat. This will cost approximately £20.

A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

Your application should show a clear understanding of what studying pharmacology broadly involves and a keen interest in the subject area. For example, perhaps you might say something about a relevant article that you found interesting in a newspaper or popular scientific journal. Alternatively, perhaps you can talk about some research you did to find out more about a medicine that either you or someone in your family were prescribed.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Candidates who receive an offer (either conditional or unconditional) will be invited to attend an Offer Holder's Open Day at UCL or online. Attendance is optional, but the open day will provide you with further information about UCL a chance to talk to current students. There may be tours of UCL and a visit to a laboratory facility, if circumstances permit it. You can also meet and talk to the Admissions Tutor and some of our current undergraduate students. We offer the flexibility of a three-year Pharmacology BSc, or a more in-depth four-year Pharmacology MSci programme. If in doubt, we recommend you apply for the MSci initially, as this may keep more options open.

Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Biosciences
Division of Biosciences

biosciences-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.