MSc / PGDip / PGCert - Pharmaceutical Science and Medicinal Chemistry

Loughborough University Chemistry

Full time & Part time September MSc, PGCert, PGDip 1 year full-time; 2-5 years part-time Award winner

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About the course

Society’s need for pharmaceutical solutions to health problems ensures the demand for skilled individuals within this area remains high. Our MSc Pharmaceutical Science and Medicinal Chemistry is designed to meet the needs of industry and the UK science base by providing you with training in pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, drug synthesis, methods to identify potential drug targets and drug candidates, and methods to assess the biological activities of drug compounds.

The programme will give you the opportunity to specialise in this fascinating and vitally important field that focuses on the biochemistry, pharmacology, design, analysis and delivery of pharmaceutical substances, including the development of safe and effective drugs.

Entry Requirements

A 2:2 honours degree (or equivalent international qualification) in Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chinese Medicine, Drug Analysis, Industrial Chemistry, Natural Sciences (providing enough Chemistry), Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, Toxicology. Other relevant backgrounds will be accepted providing there is sufficient Chemistry.

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on our website.

Fees

Fees for the 2026-27 academic year
UK: £13,700
International: £30,900

Where will I study?

Loughborough University

Loughborough is proud to be one of the UK's leading universities, internationally renowned for the quality of our teaching and research. We offer an exciting array of taught master's programmes and research degrees across a wide range of subject areas, with both full- and part-time study options available for the majority of our courses. Whether you want to enhance your career, expand your skillset or increase your knowledge of a subject you love, a postgraduate degree from Loughborough University will help you unlock your full potential.

We’ve won a FindAMasters and FindAPhD Postgrad Award!

As a previous winner of a Postgrad Award, our university community has been recognised for their excellence in, and dedication to, postgraduate education. Studying with us means you’ll be part of a supportive environment that has been celebrated for its achievements and positive impact on our postgraduate students.

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Where is Loughborough University

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Chiaohwei

Loughborough University is a culturally diverse university. No matter what your background is, you’ll be able to find your niche!

In my experience it is truly the place to be if you want to be in a challenging yet rewarding environment. The modules will push you to think like a scientist and prepare you for your future endeavours, whether it is industrial work or academia.

I have always been intrigued by chemistry. To me, chemistry is like a secret language, but once you’re able to understand the language, you’ll unlock the secrets to developing advanced technology that can save millions of lives. After completing my degree at the University of California Davis, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and pursue a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. I decided to study at Loughborough University because of its great facilities and connections to industry.

The MSc programme at Loughborough University provided me the opportunity to conduct a research project under the supervision of Dr Pooja Goddard and Dr Paul Roach. The project entails using computational chemistry to study the structural changes in collagen protein. I learned how to apply different computational chemistry programs such as OCRA, Avogadro and Gaussian09 to solve theoretical chemistry problems.

Due to COVID-19, the project was moved remotely. However, the staff and faculty from Loughborough University made the transition to remote working easy. Without the support of the staff and faculty from Loughborough University, I would have not had the opportunity to complete this project, let alone win an award for the MSc Project!

The MSc course solidified my understanding of pharmaceutical chemistry and analytical chemistry.

I find the opportunity to participate in a research project extremely valuable. The ability to think critically and communicate effectively are some of the most valuable transferable skills.