MSc Medicinal Chemistry
Cardiff, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 11,700 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* fees for overseas status | £29,950
Introduction
Would you mind studying this course?
Medicinal chemists are at the forefront of modern medicine, developing new therapies and vaccines to prevent and treat infections and diseases. This programme focuses on the biological aspects of chemistry, giving you the skills to join this exciting field.
- Industry connections: Our research partners range from local and national SMEs to some of the world's largest multinationals.
- Accredited by the RSC: This accreditation demonstrates our course meets the high standards in education set by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Exceptional research facilities include the state-of-the-art Cardiff Catalysis Institute, part of our multi-million-pound Translational Research Hub.
The search for new drugs to combat serious illnesses is an important and exciting challenge at the forefront of medical research. As a medicinal chemist, you can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of millions of people worldwide.
On the course, you will explore the wider context of drug discovery, business and healthcare, as well as develop the knowledge and laboratory skills needed to design drugs. You will also investigate the relationship between medicinal chemists and drug discovery companies with stakeholders such as patients, investors and governments.
There are opportunities for you to gain hands-on experience within a medicinal chemistry team during your research project.
Admissions
Curriculum
Course structure
This course may be taken on a one year full-time or three year part-time basis.
There are two parts to the degree. Part one is comprised of core and optional taught modules which you will take during the autumn and spring semesters. In these modules we will provide you with a foundation in the skills required by contemporary medicinal chemists, such as the techniques and trends in modern drug discovery. We will also look in more detail at the modelling of biological macromolecules and drug targets. We will then follow the process of drug development through from laboratory to clinic.
Upon successful completion of part one, you will progress to part two, the summer research project. We will make a range of project options available to you from the field of medicinal chemistry. For this project, depending on the subject you choose, you may work with a research group in the School of Chemistry or our partner, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies. You may, if available, also be able to complete this project with one of our industrial partners or within another academic institution in the UK or abroad.
Core modules for year one
- Colloquium
- Key Skills for Postgraduate Chemists
- Drug Discovery Chemistry
- Techniques in Drug Discovery
- Drug Targets
- Drug Development from Laboratory to Clinic
- Trends in Drug Discovery
- Practical Medicinal Chemistry
- Research Project
Optional modules for year one
- Structure and Mechanism in Organic Chemistry
- Biocatalysis I: Modern Approaches to Biocatalysts
- Bioinorganic Chemistry
- Analytical and Structural Techniques in Chemical Biology
- Bio-imaging Applications of Coordination Chemistry
- Molecular Modelling
- Molecular Modelling for Postgraduate Chemists
- Engineering Biosynthesis
Program Outcome
What skills will I practise and develop?
On completing the course you will have developed key skills, which can be applied to a variety of industrial and academic working environments. You will have gained learning skills, information handling and presentation skills. In detail you should be able to:
- Understand the theory, application, preparation and analysis of drug molecules to a level that is appropriate for graduates in chemistry or pharmaceutical sciences wishing to pursue a career in academia or industry.
- Apply modern laboratory methods to the preparation, purification, evolution and application of drug molecules.
- Understand the mechanism of action of a variety of molecules as therapeutic agents and apply this knowledge to unseen problems.
- Use molecular modelling to implement drug design.
- Critically evaluate novel drug targeting strategies and industry trends.
- Describe how new technologies are being employed to increase productivity in drug discovery.
- Describe and explain trends in drug approvals and drugs currently in the pipeline.
- Understand where medicinal chemistry fits within the context of the pharmaceutical industry.
- Work within a team to research solutions to unsolved problems in medicinal chemistry.
- Present research work to peers in both oral and written format.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduates are well suited to take up roles in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biotech industries and in academia conducting research into new drugs. Our graduates pursue research-related roles within public and private research institutions, academic institutions, or hospital laboratories.
This course is also particularly suitable for those wishing to pursue further study at PhD level at Cardiff University and other top universities.
Placements
For the end of course research project we may have some placements available with one of our industrial partners or at another UK or overseas academic institution that we have an agreement with. Please enquire for further details.