Your Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Science offer

Student in a blue lab coat and a black head scarf placing samples into a fridge
Image of Professor Jackie Parry

Congratulations

Congratulations on your offer to study at Lancaster. By studying one of these exciting subjects, you could play a role in tackling some of the greatest health challenges affecting the world today and truly change lives.

When you study pharmacology or pharmaceutical science at Lancaster, you will join our Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences. It’s where you will learn from renowned scientists, and where you will make life-long friends and memories in practical sessions. With courses ranging from biology to neuroscience, biomedicine to biochemistry, you will become part of our thriving community of like-minded students.

Professor Jackie Parry, Head of Biomedical and Life Sciences

Offer Holder Events

Discover Lancaster University for yourself at one of our events exclusively for Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Science offer holders and guests.

  • Saturday 6 February
  • Saturday 27 February
  • Saturday 13 March
  • Saturday 10 April

These events are a chance to experience our friendly and inclusive teaching environment first-hand. You’ll get to know our biosciences team and current students through subject talks, taster sessions and informal chats over a complimentary lunch.

At your Offer Holder Event, you will:

  • Learn more about the structure of your degree and our approach to teaching and learning
  • Experience life as a Pharmacology or Pharmaceutical Science student through a hands-on laboratory taster session
  • Have the opportunity to chat with current students and staff, and find out answers to any questions you may have

We also host a variety of online events designed to give you a closer look at life within our biosciences community - whilst also exploring exciting career paths that could shape your future.

View Offer Holder Event programme

Once you have received an offer to study Pharmacology or Pharmaceutical Science, you will be emailed a unique booking link to the email address used on your UCAS application. You can book your place on both the in-person and online events. If you have any questions, or haven't received your personal booking link, please email us.

Why Lancaster?

In joining Lancaster, you will become a part of our biosciences community in a highly ranked department (8th in the UK for Biomedical Sciences, Complete University Guide 2027). You'll cover a variety of topics including drug design and development, potential side effects and regulation, providing you with a deep understanding of how drugs interact with living systems and affect our bodies – something crucial to health in our society.

Taught by experts

You'll be taught by active researchers including pharmacologists, life scientists and (for the Pharmaceutical Science programme) chemists.

British Pharmacological Society

Our Pharmacology programmes are aligned with the British Pharmacological Society's core curriculum.

Your degree

Take a deep dive into the theory and practical skills of drug design, synthesis, delivery, characterisation and side effects with our Pharmaceutical Science programme. Alternatively, gain a deep understanding of how drugs and medicines interact with living systems and affect our bodies with a degree in Pharmacology.

State-of-the-art labs

Our teaching laboratories are at the centre of your degree, where you'll gain hands-on experience needed to understand the fundamentals of the science of life.

Part of the community

Benefit from being part of a biosciences community, with courses from biology to neuroscience, and students from around the world.

Career opportunities

One of our degrees will give you the skills to pursue a career in your chosen area of the biosciences and will give you the transferable skills valued by a wide range of future employers.

Keep exploring

For further information about your course including modules and career opportunities, take a look at the course information page:

Image of Sonisha posing for the camera

Our students: Sonisha's love for learning

The way tiny compounds in drugs and medicines create such a great effect in our body has always been something that I have been curious about. I chose pharmacology because I wanted to learn more about how medicines are designed and how they act on specific targets to treat diseases. It felt like a natural choice since it combines biology and chemistry together, which are both subjects I enjoyed studying at A-level. 

One of the best things about studying pharmacology is the wide range of modules we get to study. From Genetics to Physiology to Biotechnology, we get a greater understanding of a lot of different aspects. 

I’m really enjoying the course so far as it relates so much to real life healthcare today, and doesn’t feel like the lecturers are just text book reciters. This makes lectures actually really engaging and easy to follow. There’s a range of modules, some you’ll love, and some you may find challenging, but there’s always support available if you’re struggling. It’s the perfect balance of interesting content, supportive teaching and a good student experience. 

Sonisha

Dr Steve Hall, wearing a green lab coat in the teaching laboratory

Dr Steve Hall: how can pharmacology research improve the treatment of neglected tropical diseases?

My research focus is on the discovery and development of new drugs, drug combinations, and methods of drug delivery for the treatment of tissue destruction, known as necrosis, caused by certain snake venoms. Snakebite remains one of the most neglected of neglected tropical diseases, causing over 100,000 deaths and 400,000 permanent injuries every year; new treatments are needed, and I hope my research will help in the development of these.

My own research has shown some incredibly positive results and I am very optimistic that a new, multidrug-based therapy for snakebite will eventually become available and drastically improve the treatment of this devastating neglected tropical disease. In my opinion, it is absolutely a question of when, not if.

Dr Steve Hall, Lecturer in Pharmacology

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