BSc (Hons) Pharmacology · SouthamptonBachelor's degree · 3 years
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University of Southampton · Undergraduate

BSc (Hons) Pharmacology Bachelor's degree at Southampton

BSc (Hons) Pharmacology at Southampton. Southampton's pharmacology degree positions you to shape drug development and clinical practice.

BSc (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
80%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

Start your career in pharmacology on this BSc degree. Develop the next generation of drugs to treat disease, and prepare for a career as a pharmacist. From the provider’s course page.

BSc (Hons) Pharmacology is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Southampton. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Subjects allied to medicine graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 89% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,500. (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.

8.3
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Strong79

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)

Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent80

Moderate evidence Published sample: 90; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional90

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (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
  • Chemistry of LifeCore
  • Fundamentals of BiochemistryCore
  • Fundamentals of Cell Biology and PhysiologyCore
  • How to Think Like a ScientistCore
  • The Human Genome and DiseaseCore
Year 2 19 modules
  • Exploring Proteins: Structure and FunctionCore
  • Flow of Genetic InformationCore
  • PharmacologyCore
  • Principles of NeuroscienceCore
  • Principles of PharmacologyCore
  • Applied and Environmental BiochemistryCore
  • BioinformaticsCore
  • Cell BiologyCore
  • Engineering Replacement Body PartsCore
  • Ethics in Science, Engineering and Technology: Jekyll and HydeCore
  • EvolutionCore
  • Global HealthCore
  • Global Sustainability ChallengesCore
  • Immunology, Infection and InflammationCore
  • Medical MicrobiologyCore
  • NeuroscienceCore
  • Plant Development and FunctionCore
  • Population and Community EcologyCore
  • Vertebrate DevelopmentCore
Year 3 12 modules
  • Molecular PharmacologyCore
  • Pharmacology of Neuropsychiatric DisordersCore
  • Selective ToxicityCore
  • Biodiversity and ConservationCore
  • Biofilms and Microbial CommunitiesCore
  • Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyCore
  • Biomedical ParasitologyCore
  • Biomedical TechnologyCore
  • Bioscience BusinessCore
  • Cancer Chromosome BiologyCore
  • Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceCore
  • Evolution and DevelopmentCore

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.

Who it's for

This course suits you if you're drawn to how chemical compounds affect living systems and want to understand, or help design, the medicines that treat disease. You'll need strong science foundations (A-level Chemistry and Biology, or equivalents) and analytical thinking; most accepted students arrived with A-levels or equivalent. You should be comfortable with lab work, data analysis and independent thinking. If you want to move fluidly between bench science and patient-facing roles, or to build a research career in pharmaceutical development, this degree offers both pathways. Expect rigorous problem-solving and genuine responsibility for your own learning, especially in your final year project.

University & format

The University of Southampton is a public university in the Russell Group, founded in 1862, with 21,335 students. This BSc (Hons) is delivered full-time over 3 years in English. The degree is nationally recognised as a UK degree-awarding body and holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
75%
Learning opportunities
75%
Assessment and feedback
65%
Academic Support
82%
Organisation and management
95%
Learning resources
88%
Student voice
73%

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.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

Published entryABB typical offer

Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.

Contextual offersPublished by this provider

The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.

Open daysOpen days and visits

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of ABB. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent85% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 128 - 143 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check Southampton's official course page for the current offer.

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

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent85%
a foundation course10%
a Baccalaureate5%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Offer-based entry

Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.

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.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

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.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesAABA-level equivalent admitted students held
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write 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.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results 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.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask Southampton whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.

Tuition per year

Homeup to £9,790 / yr
International£32,000 / yr

Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).

Check fees at Southampton →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

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.

Funding matched to this course

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All Southampton funding →

Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.

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

Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.

StudyKit · free

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.

Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

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

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£28,500£28,000 – £31,00090
3 years after£29,500£24,000 – £33,500710
5 years after£33,000£25,000 – £38,500680

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 90; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

80%
in work or further study 15 months on
89%
in highly skilled work or study
90%
continue past their first year
94%
find their work meaningful
91%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in medicine & dentistry · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Medicine & Dentistry nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£28,500
£27,000 – £32,000
After 3 years LEO
£29,500
£24,650 – £34,800
After 5 years LEO
£33,000
£29,325 – £41,400
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £23,000 – £43,000

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.

80 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

45% working10% working and studying25% in further study89% in highly skilled work or study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 90; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. 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.

This course £33,000Peer median £34,500Middle 50% £31,500–£38,500
41st percentile

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.

  • Nursing ProfessionalsSOC 2020 223 · 53% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,597
  • Therapy professionalsSOC 2020 222 · 27% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,338

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: 235; response rate: 63%. 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.

89%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Medicine & Dentistry courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
75%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

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.

Where they work

  • The NHS
  • Private practice
  • Research & academia
  • Public health

Is 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

80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £28,500. 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 8.3 out of 10: NSS 79% · in work or study 80% · continued 90%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

The University of Southampton

All students25,785
International35.1%
Aged 25+17%

Medicine and dentistry across the UK

Students85,345
Aged 25+28.8%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Local crime-data context

A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.

Around Southampton

941 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 308Anti Social Behaviour 121Shoplifting 106Public Order 79Criminal Damage Arson 75

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 Southampton 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

Southampton offers the Global Talent in Adult Nursing Scholarship (£5,000 off tuition fees) for international students, see Scholarships above.

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 Southampton and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is offer-based and set by the university. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 128 - 143 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by Southampton. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Subjects allied to medicine graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 89% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
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. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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