Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Top-up) BSc(Hons)

Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

1 year full-time

Places available (subject to change)

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About the course

Reasons to study

The taught modules bring together some of the aspects of advance pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry to enable you to understand present day drug design, activity and delivery.
Completing your Pharmaceutical Chemistry BSc(Hons) degree gives you the opportunity to develop a specialism in pharmaceutics.
Your learning will take place in new £18.2 million facilities such as our state of the art chemistry and pharmaceutical formulation labs.

Completing your Pharmaceutical Chemistry BSc(Hons) degree with us gives you the to develop a specialism in pharmaceutics. Throughout this final year you’ll be building up your knowledge and getting to practise the skills that are sought after by a wide range of industries.

You’ll get to grips with the subject areas through lectures, tutorials, focused seminars and hands-on practicals in modern science labs. Guided by teaching staff who are all educated to doctoral level in their respective areas of expertise.
You’ll be able to develop your logical reasoning skills and establish an imaginative approach to solving problems..
In your final year, you’ll delve deeper into the complexities of drug action and drug design. You’ll also complete a research project, giving you the chance to make an impact in your area of particular interest or perhaps focus on topics you might wish to pursue in your future career in industry or academia. Wherever you’d like your career path to take you, taking your first steps with us could give you a great start.

Course detail

Core modules

Analytical Science 3

In this module the basic description of separation science provided earlier in the course will be expanded and extended. Recent developments in the subject will be discussed in terms of basic chromatographic theory. The application of separation methods to the identification and quantification of drugs and their metabolites in toxicological samples will be discussed. The metabolism of drugs, in so far as this process impinges upon the analytical methodology employed in toxicological analysis, together with the effects of sample type and their storage will be highlighted.

Molecular Targets and Drug Design

This module will cover the molecular and cellular targets of medicines and will focus on the biological macromolecules that they interact with. Key classes of biological macromolecules will be covered including: proteins (enzymes and receptors); nuclei acids (DNA, RNA and their biosynthetic machinery). The main focus of the lectures and tutorials will be to provide a comprehensive analysis of the general principles of drug action for students with a chemical and biological background. It is of interest to those wanting to learn about drug design and the molecular mechanisms by which drugs act.

Pharmaceutical Formulation and Drug Analysis

This module extends your understanding of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics, and relevance to an extended range of dosage forms. Different delivery methods, routes of delivery and formulation type will be individually reviewed including oral and aerosol formulations. Formulation approaches to targeting the different routes of delivery (buccal, colon, rectal, nasal ophthalmic, pulmonary and transdermal) will also be covered. The structure and the nature of the barrier properties of the tissue will be discussed in terms of the advantages afforded by delivery to the site and strategies for maximising absorption. The design, manufacture and performance of modified release drug dosage forms and factors governing release kinetics from reservoir, osmotic and monolithic systems and mathematical calculations will be covered. Aspects of formulation and the importance of pharmaceutical analysis to maintain the quality, safety and efficacy of the product will be consolidated in the practicals and case-study. Pharmaceutical analysis including thermal, and rheological analyses are covered along with release testing, UV analysis, aerosol testing and particle sizing.

Optional modules

if your first language is not English you must take the following module

Professional English As a Foreign Language: Applied

This advanced module provides those of you with university entry-level English with the opportunity to improve your range and accuracy in the language. It is designed to offer a comprehensive basis for fluency in oral and written work. A wide range of activities is undertaken, such as practical language exercises and translation into the foreign language. You will be assessed through reading/writing, speaking and listening activities carried out in tutorial.

and choose two from a list which may include

Organic Chemistry 3

This module draws together the basic concepts of synthesis and reaction mechanisms in the context of providing methods for designing suitable synthetic routes to target compounds and also extends the range of reaction types to include pericyclic reactions. The module introduces contemporary preparative methods for the synthesis of organic compounds. Further aspects relating to designing a synthesis and the connection between design and retrosynthetic principles are covered. The selectivity of reactions and the concepts of regio-, chemo-, stereo- and enantioselectivity are developed as are the rules governing pericyclic reactions. The reaction mechanism component draws together concepts in both physical and mechanistic organic chemistry. This section provides techniques that can be used to differentiate between mechanistic types. The use of product analysis, activation parameters, linear free energy relationships and isotope effects to determine reaction mechanisms are described.

Research Project

A chemically-based independent research programme. Supervisors will outline the aims of the project and direct you to the most recent literature. Before undertaking experimentation, you'll be expected to undertake a comprehensive review of the literature related to your project. You'll have the opportunity to plan your project in light of the current state of the field of research. You'll be given advice from your supervisor on research methods. Your projects will involve advanced laboratory and instrumental techniques. It will be open ended and you'll be expected to review progress regularly and modify research plans accordingly. You'll then be required to present your results in a thesis and in a talk at the end of your project

Medical Pharmacology 3

The aim of this module is to extend the knowledge of use of drugs from years 1 and 2 to the management of disorders in the CNS and Cancer. CNS topics will include depression, psychosis and anxiety, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Other topics will include pain and the use of opioid analgesics, CNS stimulants, psychotomimetics and the physiological basis of drug dependence and drug abuse. The mechanisms of general and local anaesthesia with reference to the CNS and the peripheral nervous system will be covered. Pharmacology of drugs in cancer treatment will be covered. Further lectures on applied pharmacokinetics will complement the kinetic lectures covered in years 1 and 2. This is in addition to including drug-drug interaction.

If your first language is English you will be taking

Organic Chemistry 3

Research Project

Medical Pharmacology 3

Teaching and assessment

Modules are delivered over two terms with normally two formal contact per week per module. Practical sessions for Advanced Practical Chemistry and the Project module have a full day per week allocated. For Advanced Practical Chemistry sessions involving computational chemistry modelling are also included to show how theoretical methods can give insight into dynamic chemical systems. A variety of teaching methods are used, including lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals/research and directed reading. Most modules are assessed through coursework (during the year) and a formal unseen examination in the third term.

Teaching excellence

The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.
Further proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).
We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Global Professional Award

At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

*full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

The taught modules bring together some of the aspects of advance pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry to enable you to understand present day drug design, activity and delivery. Option modules allow you to gain deeper knowledge of organic chemistry or to undertake a major research project.

Entry requirements

The admissions process will be in conjunction with other courses of the Chemical Sciences suite.

Applications for this course are considered on a case-by-case basis but typical entry requirements for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Top-up) BSc(Hons) are:

You hold an HND or Diploma of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science or a related subject with an overall average of at least 60%.
You have passed at 240 credit, including at least 120 credits at level 5 or equivalent, in a Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science or similar degree. All modules should be passed as at least 40% and the overall average should be at least 60%.

International entry will normally proceed through formal progression agreements with overseas partner institutions.

Information for the partner institutions: For entry, the student should have been performing at a 1st class level (exact qualifying grades to be determined through liaison with departmental admissions tutors, International Office and partner institution) in their prior undergraduate studies where credit equivalent to Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) or Higher National Diploma (HND) (equivalent of 120 F-level and 120 I-level credits) and they will be at least 18 years of age by 31st December of the year of entry.

Transfers from other institutions will be considered on an individual basis.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, iGCSE English at grade B, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Career support

We know you’re coming to university to study on your chosen subject, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition.

So while you’re here (and even after you graduate) the Careers and Employability Service offer professional help, support and guidance, including industry-supported workshops, careers fairs and one-to-one guidance sessions. Find out more about the service.

Career support

Career support

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

If you are an international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

If you are an international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.