Bachelor of Science specialisation in Medicinal Chemistry

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Medicinal Chemistry is one of the most rapidly developing areas within the discipline of Chemistry. It is the study of the design, synthesis, biochemical effects, regulatory and ethical aspects of drugs for the treatment of disease.
Core courses in Chemistry, alongside Biology and Pharmacology, provide a strong foundation in the chemical techniques required to work in this exciting field.
If you want to be at the forefront of designing and discovering new compounds that are suitable for use as new drugs, and learn about how a substance operates in the body and its suitability for use as a drug - Medicinal Chemistry is for you.

You can study Medicinal Chemistry as a specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (BSc).
As a Medicinal Chemistry student you’ll gain a strong foundation in biological and chemical techniques that are relevant to the pharmaceutical world. You’ll also have the chance to learn about the synthesis, reactivity and analysis of organic compounds, and you’ll gain valuable insight into the pharmacological, regulatory and ethical aspects of these bioactive compounds.

As part of your Medicinal Chemistry specialisation you’ll complete CHEM 398, the Medicinal Chemistry capstone course, where you’ll work independently and in small groups to investigate both currently used and potential new therapeutic agents. You’ll communicate your findings via a report and presentation. Please note, Medicinal Chemistry is not available for conjoint degrees.

Graduates of Medicinal Chemistry often find employment in a wide range of institutions such as biomedical and pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, local and national government agencies, private research institutions and Crown Research Institutes.

By completing the Medicinal Chemistry degree programme, you will have been provided with a unique combination of skills: you will be trained in the synthesis, reactivity and analysis of organic compounds and gain valuable insight into the pharmacological, regulatory and ethical aspects of these bioactive compounds. Graduates tend to find employment in a wide range of institutions.
- Workplaces open to Medicinal Chemistry graduates
- Biomedical companies
- Crown research institutes
- Government agencies
- Hospitals
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Private research institutions

Not available for conjoint degree programmes

Complete 300 points comprising:

90 points for all Stage I Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Stage I Elective Courses, and
90 points for all Stage II Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Stage II Elective Courses, and
60 points for all Stage III Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Stage III Elective Courses, and
15 points from Capstone Courses

Stage I Compulsory Courses

Complete 90 points for ALL of the following:

BIOSCI 101 - Life! Origins and Mechanisms (15 points)

BIOSCI 106 - Molecules of Life (15 points)

BIOSCI 107 - Biology for Biomedical Science: Cellular Processes (15 points)

CHEM 110 - Chemistry of the Living World (15 points)

CHEM 120 - Chemistry of the Material World (15 points)

MEDSCI 142 - Biology for Biomedical Science: Organ Systems (15 points)

Stage I Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

MATHS 108 - General Mathematics 1 (15 points)

MATHS 110 - Mathematics for Natural Sciences (15 points)

MATHS 130 - Calculus (15 points)

PHYSICS 120 - Advancing Physics 1 (15 points)

PHYSICS 160 - Physics for the Life Sciences (15 points)

STATS 101 - Introduction to Statistics (15 points)

Stage II Compulsory Courses

Complete 90 points for ALL of the following:

BIOSCI 201 - Cellular and Molecular Biology (15 points)

BIOSCI 203 - Biochemistry (15 points)

CHEM 251 - Structure and Spectroscopy (15 points)

CHEM 253 - Making Molecules: Synthesis and Isolation (15 points)

MEDSCI 204 - Pharmacology and Toxicology (15 points)

MEDSCI 205 - The Physiology of Human Organ Systems (15 points)

Stage II Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

BIOSCI 202 - Genetics (15 points)

BIOSCI 204 - Principles of Microbiology (15 points)

CHEM 252 - Properties and Analysis of Matter (15 points)

CHEM 254 - Modelling Chemical Processes (15 points)

CHEM 254A - Modelling Chemical Processes (7.5 points)

CHEM 254B - Modelling Chemical Processes (7.5 points)

CHEM 260 - Introduction to Green Chemistry (15 points)

MEDSCI 202 - Microbiology and Immunology (15 points)

MEDSCI 203 - Mechanisms of Disease (15 points)

Stage III Compulsory Courses

Complete 60 points for ALL of the following:

CHEM 330 - Contemporary Organic Chemistry (15 points)

CHEM 390 - Medicinal Chemistry (15 points)

CHEM 392 - Issues in Drug Design and Development (15 points)

MEDSCI 318 - Pharmacokinetics and Drug Toxicity (15 points)

Stage III Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

BIOSCI 349 - Biomedical Microbiology (15 points)

BIOSCI 351 - Molecular Genetics (15 points)

BIOSCI 353 - Cellular Bioscience (15 points)

BIOSCI 355 - Genomics and Genome Biology (15 points)

BIOSCI 356 - Developmental Biology and Cancer (15 points)

CHEM 320 - Design and Reactivity of Inorganic Compounds (15 points)

CHEM 340 - Advanced Analytical Chemistry (15 points)

CHEM 351 - Chemicals Big and Small: Nano-material to Bio-macromolecules (15 points)

CHEM 360 - Contemporary Green Chemistry (15 points)

MEDSCI 319 - Molecular Pharmacology (15 points)

MEDSCI 320 - Pharmacology of the Brain and Body (15 points)

Capstone Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

CHEM 398 - Capstone: Medicinal Chemistry (15 points)

CHEM 399 - Capstone: Chemistry (15 points)