University College London (UCL)
Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics MSc
London, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
This MSc program in Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics is designed to give students a strong foundation in understanding how drugs work within the body and how they can be developed to treat various diseases. The course covers key topics like drug discovery, pharmacokinetics (how drugs move through the body), and pharmacodynamics (how drugs affect the body). Students get practical experience through laboratory work and research projects, helping them apply their theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. The program also emphasizes the importance of understanding safety, regulation, and the clinical application of new medications, preparing students for careers in research, the pharmaceutical industry, or further studies.
The program offers a mix of lectures, interactive tutorials, and hands-on laboratory sessions, all designed to develop both technical skills and critical thinking. Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and work closely with experienced researchers. Besides gaining specific knowledge about drug mechanisms and development, students also explore broader topics like personalized medicine, new therapeutic strategies, and the ethical considerations in pharmacology. This comprehensive approach aims to prepare students for a variety of roles in the evolving landscape of drug research and development, equipping them with skills to contribute effectively to advances in healthcare.
UCL Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including our UCL Masters Bursary for UK students and our UCL Global Masters Scholarship for international students. You can click the link below to search via the scholarships finder for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department will also be able to provide you with more information about funding.
External Scholarships
Online aggregators like Postgraduate Studentships, Scholarship Search, Postgraduate Funding and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or ethnic or religious background it is worth searching for scholarships/bursaries/grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific.
Funding for disabled students
Master's students who have a disability may be able to get extra funding for additional costs they incur to study.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, journal clubs, practicals, tutorials and a laboratory project.
Student performance is evaluated through formal examination, coursework, and the research project.
Typically, a 15-credit module includes 150 hours of notional student learning time comprised broadly of teaching time, independent study, assessment, and feedback.
This time may include activities that take place in in-person-on-campus contexts such as on-campus lectures, seminars, tutorials, labs, and workshops, as well as tutor-mediated activities that take place in online environments.
On an average week, students will have 10-12 contact hours and up to 15 hours of self-study.
Modules
Full-time
In terms one and two, you will study pharmacology and develop a range of essential research skills through two compulsory taught modules: Investigative Pharmacology and Practice of Science, along with two optional modules chosen from a portfolio of nine. These optional modules cover specific areas of pharmacology, ranging from molecular and cellular pharmacology and drug design to clinical pharmacology.
The dissertation project consists of an original piece of laboratory-based research carried out over approximately a ten-month period, which is assessed in September.
Compulsory modules
- Investigative Pharmacology
- Research Project - MSc Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Practice of Science
Optional modules
- Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Neuropharmacology
- Receptor Mechanisms
- Drug Design and Development
- Synaptic Pharmacology
- Pharmacology of Inflammation
- Advanced Structure-Based Drug Design
- Molecular Pharmacology
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 are subject to change.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Experimental Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
What this course will give you
Join us for this one-year multidisciplinary master’s to build your knowledge and gain practical experience in today's most up-to-date experimental techniques used in pharmacology, including modern cell biology, fluorescent techniques in receptor pharmacology, antibody-based therapies, gene and cell therapy, and bioinformatics.
Exploring everything from how drugs interact with the body, their efficacy and side effects, to how to make them clinically safe – you’ll work on your own research-based experiments, receive mentorship from UCL’s experts, and be well-equipped to rapidly engage in scientific research globally.
What you can gain from this course:
- Study at the Research Department of Pharmacology at the School of Pharmacy, and the Research Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology in the Division of Biosciences – working with UCL academics who are internationally leading in this field. UCL is ranked 4th in the world for pharmacology and pharmacy (QS Rankings 2024) and 2nd in the world for pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences (Shanghai Rankings 2023).
- Gain cutting-edge education in theory, research practice and innovation in pharmacology, and first-hand insight into globally-significant research underway in areas like drug development and therapeutics.
- Learn the theory and experimental skills in classical and modern pharmacological techniques, and gain extensive experience in carrying out your own pharmacological experiments.
- Develop the diverse skills needed to be successful as a researcher, including literature search-based data analysis, how to write about and interpret your findings, and how to analyse, discuss and present data to informed and non-informed audiences.
- Benefit from small group sizes, which means a significant proportion of time spent in practical laboratory sessions.
- Build the programme around the aspects of pharmacology that most interest you, with options available in everything from molecular pharmacy and drug design to the pharmacology of inflammation and translational neuroscience.
- Spend eight months working on an original piece of laboratory-based research project. Several students of this course have gone on to have their work published.
- Leave well-equipped to pursue PhD-level research or to build a career in the pharmaceutical industry, clinical investigations or drug regulatory authorities.
The foundation of your career
Graduates of this course have gone on to work with organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS), King Faisal University, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
This data is aggregated from the Graduate Outcomes survey data from 2017-2022.
Employability
The mix of traditional and experimental approaches, coupled with current innovation in therapeutics and drug discovery, will give you a unique skill set, putting you in a strong position to contribute to pharmaceutical research.
You could take your skills into a career in biomedical sciences, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry or clinical research – working on clinical investigations as a research associate or scientist. The knowledge and lab experience you gain will also stand you in good stead for progressing onto a PhD.
Networking
You’ll have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your master’s.
- Become a full member of one of our academic research groups and build networks with other master’s and postdoctoral students and academics within UCL’s School of Pharmacy.
- Take part in careers events through UCL Careers during the academic year, and enhance your CV writing and interview skills.
- Meet alumni at School-wide events and socials to hear about their experiences and how the course has helped them progress in their careers.
- Attend workshops in areas like pharmacology and therapeutics, and exploring research opportunities across the world.
- Participate in research lectures with external speakers from various partners and other institutions.