BSc Hons Pharmacology and Physiology with Integrated Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Greenwich

Program Overview

This degree combines the study of how living systems work (physiology) with how drugs interact with the body (pharmacology), giving you both the “normal” blueprint and the means to fix things when they go wrong. It suits students who enjoy lab work, problem-solving, biology, chemistry, and want to work at the interface of health, therapy, research or pharma.

Curriculum structure

Year 1
You’ll build foundations in anatomy & physiology, and begin with basic pharmacology. You’ll study core units like Fundamentals of Biology and Physiology, plus modules covering Investigative Methodology, Practical & Academic Skills and introductory chemistry. The idea is to ground you in how biological systems function, how to think like a scientist, and how drugs can affect those systems.

Year 2
You deepen your understanding. You’ll study more focused physiology (e.g. Physiological Systems and Regulation), more pharmacology, research skills, and modules in Pharmaceutics and Instrumental Analysis. You’ll see how formulations are made, how drugs are measured and tested, and develop lab techniques and data skills.

Year 3
This is where it all comes together. You’ll do a major independent project (in a lab or research setting), take advanced modules such as Neuropharmacology, Drug Design & Delivery, Advanced Instrumental Analysis, and choose from optional modules (internship, or professional development etc.) if available. You’ll apply what you’ve learned toward real-world problems: designing better drugs, understanding brain pharmacology, etc.

If you choose the sandwich (placement) option, between years 2 and 3 you get a full-industrial lab experience.

Focus areas

“Physiology of body systems; drug action & metabolism; formulation and delivery of therapeutics; hands-on laboratory & research methods; neuropharmacology”

Learning outcomes

“Master core physiological systems and their regulation; understand pharmacodynamics & pharmacokinetics; gain lab skills in analysis and formulation; conduct independent research; critically evaluate scientific literature; prepare for roles in pharma, healthcare, or further study”

Professional alignment (accreditation)

Accredited by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS). That means the course meets industry-relevant standards. (
Includes a sandwich (placement) option providing practical exposure in industry.

Reputation (employability / rankings)

University of Greenwich has strong subject recognition in pharmaceutical science: the APS accreditation itself is a plus.
The university performs well in student outcome metrics (note: “Gold” in the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework) which reflects good teaching quality and student satisfaction.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

When you join Greenwich for this programme, you don’t just sit in lectures. You’ll spend a lot of time in hands-on labs (analytical, formulation, instrumental), doing independent research projects, and using modern equipment you’ll encounter in real pharma / health science settings. You’ll also get to work in small groups, sometimes industry related, to tackle real problems. The Medway Campus facilities are built for this kind of learning and are very well equipped.

Here are specific experiential learning features:

State-of-the-art teaching and laboratory facilities at Medway Campus: formulation labs, analytical labs, advanced instrumental analysis equipment.
Independent project in Year 3 (“Project (Chemical Sciences)”) where you design, carry out and report research work.
Industry-oriented research projects: modules like Instrumental Analysis, Advanced Instrumental Analysis, Drug Design & Delivery give exposure to how drugs are designed, measured, delivered in real contexts.
Optional Science Internship Course in Year 3 (15 credits) to gain workplace experience.
Sandwich and blended learning / part-time modes available; these sometimes include work placements or practical industry training.
Small-group seminars and workshops where you tackle problems and learn lab techniques, under supervision.

Progression & Future Opportunities

As a graduate from this programme, you’ll be ready for roles in pharma, health & science sectors. You could work as a pharmacology researcher, quality control / assurance scientist, manufacturing or formulation specialist, or even go into regulatory affairs / drug safety. What this means is: you won’t just be stuck in labs—you can move into real industry positions, apply for specialist roles, or continue in research or academia.

Here are the key supports and stats that show how well this degree sets you up:

The University has an Employer Partnerships Manager and a careers team specifically to help you with placements, CVs, interview preparation, and graduate job applications.
Salary figures: 15 months after graduation, the median salary is about £27,000; after 3 years around £29,000; and after 5 years around £33,000.
Unemployment among graduates is low: only ~3% of Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates are unemployed 15 months after completing the degree.
Strong industry links: graduates have gone on to work for major pharma / biotech / healthcare organisations like Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca, NHS.
Long-term accreditation: The degree is accredited by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS). That ensures the course meets professional standards, which helps when entering regulated roles or applying for professional recognition.
Graduation outcomes: Many graduates find “highly skilled” job roles; use their degree in work; report their job aligns with their future plans. For example, for all CAH02 (subject group including pharmaceutical sciences) at Greenwich, ~80% are working 15 months after graduation, many in roles relevant to the degree.

Further Academic Progression:
You could keep pushing ahead academically: take a master’s degree (e.g. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Discovery, or related Life Sciences). From there, you might move into PhD research, which can lead you into higher level R&D, academia, or senior roles in industry. Also the course provides a pathway toward Qualified Person (QP) status via Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which opens up advanced regulatory or manufacturing oversight roles.