Pharmaceutical Science MSc

Reasons to choose Kingston University

• Specialised topics, such as pharmaceutical regulatory affairs and pharmacovigilance, are taught by staff who have experience of working within the relevant regulatory bodies.
• Guest speakers from the pharmaceutical sector share their industry perspectives of drug development.
• The Management Studies pathway will place your scientific knowledge in a vocational context, which is ideal if you aspire to management roles.

Work placement scheme

Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to take the option of a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. You may find securing a professional placement difficult as they are highly competitive and challenging, but they are also incredibly rewarding. It is very important to prepare and apply yourself if this is the route you wish to take. Employers look for great written and oral communication skills and an excellent CV/portfolio. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.

Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.

What this course offers you

• The Pharmaceutical Science MSc course focuses on:
  • the development, analysis and production of medicines;
  • the drug industry;
  • clinical trials; and
  • regulatory affairs.
• You have the chance to study recent trends in chemical, biological and biotechnological therapeutics, coupled with the latest technologies. This is ideal if you wish to work in:
  • marketing, sales or public relations;
  • regulatory affairs;
  • production, process development or medical statistics; or
  • clinical trials.
• The course also provides a good basis for a further research degree.
• By choosing the Management Studies pathway, it will help to set your scientific knowledge in a vocational context. This makes it ideal if you want to work in a management position within the pharmaceutical and allied industries.
• The independent MSc research project gives you the chance to study an area of interest in greater depth and gain valuable research skills. Our students often find this an excellent selling point when looking for a job or promotion.
• We offer a variety of projects across a number of research areas, including:
  • medicinal chemistry – such as synthesis of anti-cancer compounds and natural products;
  • pharmaceutical technology – such as optimisation of tablet manufacture and formulation;
  • clinical pharmacy – such as pharmacovigilance, clinical trial and medicines regulations; or
  • some research projects in industry and research institutes.
• We regularly review our courses to make sure they remain up to date and that you graduate as a marketable industry professional.
• The taught courses aim to prepare you for the job market. Alongside your academic studies, you gain skills in:
  • problem solving and organisation;
  • data collation, review and synopsis;
  • communication (oral, written and electronic);
  • time management;
  • computing; and
  • co-operation and teamwork.
• A careers and networking event at the end of the course will help you build valuable contacts.

After you graduate

Where this course will take you

On completion of the MSc, you will:

• be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills relevant to a pharmaceutical science career in the pharmaceutical industry or public sector - such as clinical trials, regulatory affairs, formulation, quality control or marketing;
• have developed the necessary skills to plan, carry out and effectively communicate an extensive independent piece of research - which will allow you to carry out further research studies;
• have acquired new and/or improved practical skills, using a variety of equipment, techniques and instrumentation; and
• have developed a variety of key skills - such as communication, time-management, organisational and problem-solving skills, which are expected by future employers.

Recent graduates have gone on to a range of areas, including:

• drug manufacturing and pharmaceutical technology;
• drug formulation and analysis;
• clinical trials;
• pharmacovigilance;
• regulatory affairs;
• sales and marketing; and
• managerial.

Some have also gone on to study for a PhD.

Careers and recruitment advice

The Faculty has a specialist employability team. It provides friendly and high-quality careers and recruitment guidance, including advice and sessions on job-seeking skills such as CV preparation, application forms and interview techniques. Specific advice is also available for international students about the UK job market and employers' expectations and requirements.

The team runs employer events throughout the year, including job fairs, key speakers from industry and interviews on campus. These events give you the opportunity to hear from, and network with, employers in an informal setting.  

How we work with industry partners

Our links with industry provide a practical base for our courses. They also help us to ensure your studies are kept up-to-date and relevant to the working environment. If you choose to study this course, you will benefit from:

• real-world experience thanks to your MSc project, which you may be able to take:
  • in industry – past students have undertaken project placements in the pharmaceutical industry, for example; or
  • in one of Kingston University's research institutes;
• the latest views from visiting speakers; and
• industry visits.

Changes from 1 August 2022

Up until 31st July 2022 this course was taught in the Faculty of Science Engineering and Computing. For students enrolling from September 2022, the course will be delivered by the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education. There will be no impact on the teaching or the award of the degree.