King's College London

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 120 credits. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Required Modules:

You are required to take the following module:

• Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology (15 credits): This lecture-based module will cover core concepts in pharmacology. You will learn how molecular targets (e.g. receptors, enzymes and ion channels) and cellular signalling systems can be used as drug targets.

In addition, you are required to take at least one of the following project modules (not exceeding 45 credits in total):

• Pharmacology Library Project (15 credits): This is a literature review and requires independent research of the literature on a topic agreed between you and your advisor. You present your findings in a dissertation and in an oral presentation.
• Project Design in Pharmacology (30 credits): In this module, you simulate a grant application. You work in a group initially and as a group need to come up with a research idea, design experiments and cost them. You present your findings through filling in a grant application form and also presenting your project in an oral presentation.
• Extended Pharmacology Research Project (45 credits): This is research which may either be “dry” (data analysis) or “wet” (based in a laboratory). In wet lab projects, you typically spend 3 days a week in the lab carrying out experiments which you then analyse and write up. A dry project would be similar time-wise but more time on computer-based tasks. You present your findings in a dissertation and in an oral presentation.
• London Enterprise Project (30 credits): This is a group project where you work with an outside partner on a project of their choosing. This can include things like working with a school to deliver a science club, work with a museum on a particular exhibit or with a charity to help with their communications. The partnerships can change every year. The end product is determined by the partner. In addition, you write a personal portfolio on how you interacted and developed the product.

Optional Modules:

In addition, you are required to take sufficient additional credits from a range of optional modules that may typically include:

• Developing Safe Medicines (30 credits): In this module you learn how we bring drugs to the market. You will learn how we assess their safety and efficacy. This module includes lecturers from the pharmaceutical industry and encourages students to consider what decisions need to be made to safely bring a drug to market and what post-marketing surveillance may involve.
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology (15 credits) OR Experimental cardiovascular pharmacology (30 credits): The 15-credit version is lecture-based and the 30-credit version is a combination of the 15 credit lectures plus experiments. You will learn about different aspects of cardiac pharmacology and develop skills to critique the literature. In the experimental module you will learn to perform a series of experiments using specialised laboratory apparatus.
• Pharmacology of inflammation (15 credits) OR Experimental pharmacology of inflammation (30 credits): The 15-credit version is lecture-based and the 30 credit version is a combination of the 15 credit lectures plus experiments. You will learn about different aspects of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, asthma, lung disease and skin diseases. You will learn how to critique the literature and understand drug mechanisms. In the experimental version you will delve deeper into experimental aspects of inflammation research and carry out experiments in practicals.
• Pharmacology of Neurological & Psychiatric Disorders (15 credits): This is a lecture-based module focusing on a variety of different diseases of the CNS and their treatments. These include Parkinson’s disease, Schizophrenia, Anxiety and Depression, Pain, Stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

You may also take up to 30 credits of modules from other bioscience disciplines.

Since drug discovery involves experimental studies, and to fully appreciate what Pharmacology has to offer, we strongly advise you to choose at least one module that involves some experimental work, especially if you decide not to take an experimental research project.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.