MSc Drug Design and Discovery
Manchester, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
The Human Genome Project and the rapid COVID-19 vaccine development highlight how translational approaches can lead to the development of new medications and therapies. Build the knowledge and skills to work in this exciting scientific field with our Drug Design and Discovery postgraduate degree.
Designed to nurture the next generation of bioscientists, our course enables science graduates and pharmaceutical industry professionals to build scientific methods and transferable, problem-solving skills. You can use the knowledge developed in the course to pursue roles where you can improve quality of life, treat long-standing diseases and inherited disorders, and apply antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria.
Led by highly-experienced, research-focused academics, and delivered in our world-class laboratory setting, our course integrates classical natural products-based drug discovery methods with the exploration of molecular target-based drug discovery and molecular modeling. Collectively, this approach aims to nurture your in-depth knowledge of drug discovery and development.
You will:
- Learn where chemistry, nanotechnology, and genome technology are pushing the boundaries of biomedical research
- Acquire strong training in drug synthesis and analytical methods, natural product chemistry, and molecular modeling
- Develop scientific methods and transferable skills relevant to a wide variety of scientific and professional careers in medical and pharmaceutical industries
This is for You if...
- You are a science graduate excited by the developments in biomedical science and interested in aligning your skills with the future of medicine
- You are a Bio scientist with a background in chemistry or biochemistry, eager to gain postgraduate level skills and ready to get hands-on with clinical lab work
- You are a science professional fascinated by some of the latest bioscience research outcomes and keen to help design new generation drugs and therapies
Our MSc Drug Design and Discovery course is delivered through a range of highly focused modules. The 180-credit MSc award comprises eight taught modules, plus a research dissertation.
Flexibility is at the heart of our learning approach. You can choose to study this postgraduate course full-time or part-time on campus, with start dates each January and September:
- As a full-time student, you will complete four 15-credit taught modules in each of the first two trimesters on campus. In the final trimester, you will complete a research dissertation worth 60 credits.
- As a part-time student, you will complete two 15-credit modules in each of the first four trimesters on campus. In two additional trimesters, you will complete a research dissertation worth 60 credits.
The Drug Design and Discovery postgraduate course is delivered by an academic team with exceptional research experience and extensive professional connections.
Trimester One
- Postgraduate Scholarship Skills
- Drug Design and Molecular Modelling
- Novel Therapeutics
Choose one option from
- Molecular Biology and Proteomics (15 credits)
- Advances in Drug Analysis and Discovery (DDD)
Trimester Two
- Bionanotechnology and Nanomedicine
- Natural Products
- Professional Practice
- Research Design and Delivery
Trimester Three
- Research Project
This program will prepare you for career progression in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, scientific research, or teaching and academia. With growing interest in novel treatments and therapies fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is anticipated that new research and work opportunities will arise.
The broader relevance of course content can also open up career opportunities in many other professions, including cosmetic science, animal health, food science, medical laboratory research, patent law, scientific journalism, and health and safety.
Course alumni have secured roles working as research associates, in technical roles, or with pharmaceutical companies.
Further Study
You might also choose to take your subject interest further with postgraduate research. Our Biomedical Research Centre is a vibrant, collaborative community home to Ph.D. and Research Master’s opportunities to explore a range of topics, including biofuels, oncology, and drug synthesis.
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