University of Nottingham

What you'll study

This programme combines taught modules with a substantial laboratory-based research project. Core themes include target identification and validation, medicinal chemistry, structure-based and fragment-based drug design, high-throughput screening and assay development, pharmacology and ADME/T (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity). You will also cover translational topics such as lead optimisation, formulation considerations, regulatory frameworks and early clinical development.

• Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology 8 structure-activity relationships, synthetic strategies and bioorthogonal chemistry applied to drug discovery.
• Computational Drug Design 8 molecular docking, molecular dynamics, cheminformatics and in silico ADME prediction.
• Assay Development and Screening 8 design and validation of biochemical and cell-based assays, high-throughput screening workflows and hit triage.
• Pharmacology and ADME/T 8 receptor pharmacology, in vitro ADME assays, toxicology principles and translational biomarkers.
• Translational and Regulatory Issues 8 clinical trial basics, regulatory pathways, intellectual property and the drug development pipeline.
• Research Project 8 an extended laboratory or computational research project supervised by academic staff, often aligned with active research groups or industry partners.

Teaching methods include lectures, practical laboratory classes, seminars, workshops and journal clubs. Assessment is through coursework, practical reports, presentations and the final project dissertation.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a UK upper second-class honours degree (2:1) or an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject such as chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology, molecular biology or a related life-science discipline. Candidates with a lower-class honours degree plus relevant professional or research experience may be considered. International applicants should demonstrate proficiency in English; formal evidence of language ability is required if English is not your first language.

Selection may also take into account references, research experience, and a personal statement outlining motivation and relevant skills. Some modules involve practical lab work, so applicants should be prepared for laboratory-based training.

Career prospects

Graduates from this MSc typically move into roles across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors including discovery chemistry, assay development, pharmacology, ADME/PK, toxicology, and drug metabolism. Other common destinations are contract research organisations (CROs), clinical research, regulatory affairs, patent and IP support (often after additional legal training), and scientific publishing. The programme also provides a strong foundation for those wishing to pursue a PhD in drug discovery, medicinal chemistry or translational biomedical research.

Why study at University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham has established research strengths in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and translational pharmacology, supported by dedicated facilities for synthetic chemistry, biological screening and computational modelling. Students benefit from close interactions with active academic research groups and opportunities to work on projects that reflect current industry practice. The university also maintains collaborations with regional and national life-science companies, providing networking opportunities and exposure to real-world drug-discovery challenges.

The programme is delivered by staff experienced in both academic research and applied discovery science, and is located within a campus environment that supports interdisciplinary collaboration across chemistry, pharmacy and the life sciences. Practical laboratory training and an extended research project help prepare graduates with the technical skills and critical thinking employers and doctoral programmes expect.