BSc (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry and Mathematics

For the Medicinal Chemistry element of the course, you’ll develop a deep understanding of the complex chemical and biological processes involved in the design and manufacture of drugs and other therapies for treating disease. This course prepares you to help solve problems at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacology. The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories, and learn to conduct effective independent research. You’ll develop valuable skills for employment, such as problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.

Year 1

• Calculus
• Algebra
• Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills
• Chemical Structure and Reactivity

Year 2

• Differential Equations
• Molecular Chemistry and Reactions
• Principles of Drug Design
• Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure

OPTIONAL MODULES

• Probability
• Computational Mathematics
• Exploring Algebra and Analysis
• Complex Variable I and Vector Calculus
• Dynamics
• Abstract Algebra
• Linear Statistical Models
• Analysis II
• Professional Mathematics and Data Science

Year 3

• Mechanisms of Drug Action
• Topics in Medicinal Chemistry

OPTIONAL MODULES

• Graph Theory
• Non-linear Differential Equations
• Partial Differential Equations
• Group Theory
• Number Theory and Cryptography
• Financial Mathematics
• Project II – ISP
• Fluid Mechanics
• Complex Variable II
• Waves
• Medical Statistics
• Mathematical Biology
• Introduction to Mathematics Teaching
• Linear Algebra and Rings
• Introduction to Linear Elasticity
• Mathematical Modelling
• Chemical Kinetics, Photochemistry, and Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms
• Advanced Organic Chemistry
• Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry Research Project
• Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry Dissertation

Employability

Our Medicinal Chemistry graduates have excellent employment prospects, whether at the cutting edge of drug discovery or in a wide range of related fields. You might go to work for a pharmaceutical company, either as a research scientist or in a more business-related role. Alternatively, you might work in a different organization as a development chemist, a research assistant, or a site chemist. Mathematics helps you to take novel approaches to problem solving and make critical interpretations of data and text; your skills will be in demand wherever there’s a need for logical thinking. An extremely wide range of career paths is open to mathematicians, where high levels of mathematical ability are desirable. This can include fields of work as diverse as finance, data analytics, teaching, engineering, medical statistics, and management consultancy.

Previous employers

• Vision Express
• Pharmaron UK Ltd
• Johnson Matthey
• GSQ
• Endeavour Speciality Chemicals Ltd
• NHS
• Education First
• Halifax