MChem (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology Integrated Master's degree at the University of Liverpool
MChem (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology at University of Liverpool. Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology at Liverpool sits at the point where molecular design meets biological effect, so rather than treating chemistry and pharmacology as separate subjects, the course builds a continuous thread between how…
About this course
MChem (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology is an Integrated Master's degree (MChem (Hons)) at the University of Liverpool, based in Main Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Pharmacology graduates from this provider, 100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Medicine & Dentistry, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 100% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- SHAPING FUTURE CHEMISTS: LABORATORY, ANALYTICAL AND DIGITAL SKILLS 1Compulsory30 credits
- CORE CHEMISTRY 1A: STRUCTURE, BONDING & CHANGECompulsory30 credits
- CORE CHEMISTRY 1B: REACTIONS, MECHANISMS AND SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLESCompulsory30 credits
- FOUNDATIONS OF CHEMISTRY: MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY RELEVANT FOR THE CHEMICAL SCIENCESCompulsory15 credits
- INTRODUCTORY MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGYCompulsory15 credits
Year 2 5 modules
- SHAPING FUTURE CHEMISTS: LABORATORY, ANALYTICAL AND DIGITAL SKILLS 2Compulsory30 credits
- CORE CHEMISTRY 2A: THERMODYNAMICS, TRANSITION METALS AND SYNTHETIC METHODSCompulsory30 credits
- CORE CHEMISTRY 2B: SPECTROSCOPY AND STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE SYNTHESISCompulsory30 credits
- SHAPING FUTURE MEDICINAL CHEMISTS: DRUG DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND QUANTITATIVE SKILLSCompulsory15 credits
- DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTCompulsory15 credits
Year 3 8 modules
- CORE CHEMISTRY 3: CURRENT TOPICS IN SYNTHETIC DESIGN AND ADVANCED MATERIALSCompulsory30 credits
- SHAPING FUTURE CHEMISTS: LITERATURE REVIEW AND ADVANCED PRACTICAL SKILLSCompulsory30 credits
- SHAPING FUTURE CHEMISTS: INDUSTRY, MODELLING AND ADVANCED PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR MEDICINAL CHEMISTRYCompulsory15 credits
- TRANSLATIONAL PHARMACOLOGYCompulsory15 credits
- FURTHER MEDICINAL CHEMISTRYCompulsory15 credits
- FURTHER ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRYOptional15 credits
- CATALYSISOptional15 credits
- ADVANCED & FUTURE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIESOptional15 credits
Year 4 4 modules
- CHEMICAL RESEARCH PROJECTCompulsory60 credits
- CHEMICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: PREPARATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENTCompulsory30 credits
- ADVANCED SYNTHESIS METHODSCompulsory15 credits
- ADVANCED DRUG DISCOVERYCompulsory15 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The four-year structure moves from grounding to independence. Early years establish core theory across organic, inorganic and physical chemistry alongside the fundamentals of pharmacology, giving you the vocabulary and reasoning tools that everything later builds on. Research & methods training runs alongside this, introducing the analytical and experimental techniques used in real drug-discovery and pharmacology laboratories. As you progress, applied practice takes over more of the timetable - translating theory into hands-on laboratory work, data analysis and problem-solving. You'll also choose specialist options, such as those exploring particular drug classes, mechanisms of action, or advanced synthetic methods, allowing the degree to reflect your own developing interests within medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. The Master's year centres on an independent project, where you design and carry out an extended piece of research under supervision, drawing together everything from your earlier studies into a substantial body of work. Professional skills - including scientific communication, data handling and laboratory practice - are woven throughout rather than confined to a single module, reflecting the expectations of employers and further study alike.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is genuinely curious about how a molecule's structure translates into a biological effect - the kind of person who wants to know not just what a drug does, but why it does it at a chemical level. You should be comfortable with sustained laboratory work and enjoy the discipline of experimental science: the patience of running reactions, the rigour of interpreting data, and the satisfaction of seeing a synthesis or an assay actually work. A solid grounding in chemistry (and ideally some biology) going in will help, since the degree builds quickly on core scientific reasoning. Because it's a four-year integrated Master's, it also suits students who want to commit to a longer, deeper course of study rather than stopping at a three-year degree - people who are drawn to the idea of an independent research project as a genuine highlight rather than a hurdle. Studying here will feel demanding in places, particularly as applied practice and specialist options ramp up, but it should also feel purposeful: every stage connects back to understanding how medicines are discovered, designed and made to work in the body.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Medicine & Dentistry courses, 89% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 75% of working graduates are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies - figures from the Graduate Outcomes survey that describe the national picture for this field rather than any earnings or outcome specific to Liverpool. National earnings data (LEO) for this field show starting salaries 15 months after graduation typically ranging between £27,000 and £32,000, moving to between £24,650 and £34,800 after three years and £29,325 to £41,400 after five years - again, national figures rather than a guarantee tied to this course or university. The degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry as fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem) status, which is a recognised marker for those pursuing a career in the chemical sciences. Course continuation is also worth noting: nationally, 90% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed.
University & format
The University of Liverpool is a public, Russell Group university founded in 1903, with around 28,693 students studying across its programmes. It holds a Gold award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. This MChem (Hons) is a full-time, four-year integrated Master's delivered in English at the university's main campus (UCAS code F1BF). Most accepted entrants held A-levels or equivalent, typically within the 144–159 UCAS tariff band, though this reflects recent entrants' profiles rather than a stated minimum requirement.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code F1BF). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Liverpool →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Medicine & Dentistry graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £27,500 | £24,500 – £28,000 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £28,500 | £19,000 – £44,500 | 40 |
| 5 years after | £40,000 | £26,500 – £53,500 | 45 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in medicine & dentistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Medicine & Dentistry nationally
National figures for Medicine & Dentistry graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Medicine & Dentistry courses at the same study level.
Compared with 804 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Natural and social science professionalsSOC 2020 211 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £44,243
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 85; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Medicine & Dentistry graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Medicine & Dentistry graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- The NHS
- Private practice
- Research & academia
- Public health
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Medicine & Dentistry graduates.
Medicine-Focused Veterinary Surgeon | Patient Care LeaderMedivet & PartnersMedicine Service Delivery Manager - Operations ImprovementNHSMedicine Occupational Therapist - StaffordshirePulse HealthcarePart-Time Palliative Medicine Consultant | 1-in-5 On-CallEvora Hospice (formerly Southern Area Hospice Services)Consultant Medicine - ElderlyPertemps Medical ProfessionalsSpecialty Doctor in Acute MedicineTriple West MedicalIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
100% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £27,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.5 out of 10: NSS 90.9% · in work or study 100% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Liverpool
Medicine and dentistry across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Main Campus
5,175 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Medicine & Dentistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Liverpool from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £32,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Liverpool’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Liverpool and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Liverpool
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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