BSc Hons Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Science

You won’t just sit and listen — this course gives you lab time, real projects, and chances to work in industry. At LJMU you’ll use modern laboratories, get support from personal tutors, have access to online tools, and often work on group tasks. One of the strength points is the placement year (after Level 5) which lets you step into an actual pharmaceutical, cosmetics or related manufacturing setting.

Here are specific opportunities and facilities you’ll get:

• State-of-the-art laboratories and teaching spaces at the Byrom Street site, City Campus. Practical lab sessions are core parts of many modules (formulation science, analytical chemistry, sterile pharmaceutics etc). 

• Access to the Avril Robarts Library for texts, journals, data resources that support both your lab work and independent research. 

• Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas) for accessing lecture slides, assignments, workshop materials; plus blended learning so you get both online content and hands-on sessions.

• Industrial placement year (one full year) after Level 5, if you opt for the sandwich degree. Not guaranteed, but strongly encouraged. Helps you gain work experience, test what you’ve learned in a real workplace. 

• Group work, workshops, tutorials, and lab practicals — many modules include problem solving, data interpretation in teams, project assignments.

• Personal tutor support, one-to-one supervision especially during your research project in the final year.

• Opportunity to go abroad (study year or semester abroad) or take overseas internships through LJMU’s international partnerships. 

Graduates of this course go on to roles in formulation, quality control, regulatory affairs, R&D, production management — the kind of work that influences what gets put in medicines or cosmetics, how safe they are, and how they’re regulated. The degree gives you not only technical skills and lab experience, but also a competitive edge via placements and strong career-support. Here’s how those outcomes come together:

• University Services
  LJMU’s Student Futures (Careers, Employability & Enterprise) helps students with: workshop & webinars on CVs, interviews; careers advice; employer events; and arranging internships/placements. 
  Also, Future Focus (embedded in Level 4) is an e-learning resource + workshop that builds your employability mindset. 
  Alumni and recent graduates can use the Start-Up Hub (for business or freelance work) and get support for up to 5 years post-graduation. 

• Employment Stats & Salaries
    Typical salaries after graduation are roughly £24,000 (after 15 months). 
    A strong portion of graduates are employed (or in further study) soon after finishing: for related chemistry / pharmaceutical-cosmetic science areas, about 95% are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. 
    Unemployment among this group is low: around 5% 15 months after graduation. 

• University–Industry Partnerships / Real-World Links
  Students have the possibility to do a 12-month industrial placement (after Level 5) to gain real industry experience. 
  Example: a student placement at BASF in Germany has given hands-on, international industrial exposure. 

• Long-Term Accreditation / Career Credibility
  The course is designed with the needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, cosmetic and regulatory sectors in mind. LJMU emphasises technological literacy, lab skills, formulation, analysis, and safety/regulation—all valued in industry. 
  There is strong student satisfaction: e.g. 90% of students said teaching staff were positive about the learning resources provided. 

• Graduation Outcomes
  Graduates can expect to work in roles such as:
    • Formulation Scientist / Specialist
    • Quality Assurance / Quality Control Officer
    • Regulatory Affairs / Product Safety Officer
    • Production or Process Development roles
  The wide demand spans pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, food, biotechnological and healthcare industries. 

Further Academic Progression

If you finish this degree and want to go further, here are clear paths:

• MSc in related areas such as MSc Cosmetic Science at LJMU, which builds on formulation, safety, regulation; some modules involve collaboration with industry.

• MSc in Drug Discovery, Development and Delivery also offered at LJMU. 

• MSc Industrial Biotechnology or other postgraduate degrees in pharmaceutical sciences / regulatory affairs. 

• Possibility of doing PhD research, especially if you’ve done a strong project or placement, particularly in formulation, drug delivery, safety assessment, regulatory science.