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Prospective Undergraduate Students

What is Pharmacology?

Pharmacology is the branch of science that studies the effects of foreign substances such as drugs on the body. It has a long history, since records indicate that chemicals of one sort or another have been used for treating disease in humans for over 2000 years.

In the past, drug use in humans was often - and at times still is - accompanied by wild, exaggerated claims. Drugs were often used without much knowledge of the biology of the disease, or of the real effects of the drugs.

In contrast, modern pharmacology seeks to understand the precise mechanisms whereby drugs produce their effects. Such knowledge enables the best use of drugs in patients, and also minimises the risk of side effects. It also helps us discover better drugs.

How do I study Pharmacology?

At the University of Adelaide, as with most Australian Universities, pharmacology is part of the learning curriculum for students in a number of courses, including Science, Health Science, Medicine, and Dentistry.

If you wish to pursue a career as a pharmacologist, it is best to study pharmacology as one of your "majors" in either the Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc) degrees. Pharmacology is taught in second year in the BHSc degree and in two semester-length subjects in the final (third) year of the BSc and BHSc degrees. The demand for these subjects is currently very strong, so it is wise to plan your pathway through the BSc or BHSc carefully.

What will I learn?

You will learn some basic concepts that are important in understanding how drugs produce their effects (eg. targets of drug action, drug absorption, drug metabolism, toxicology, etc). A broad range of drugs in current use are studied, including aspirin-like drugs, chemotherapy agents, antibiotics, brain depressants and stimulants, and blood pressure-lowering drugs, etc.

We provide you with a range of practical skills that are used in modern pharmacology research. Also, you will gain direct research experience by conducting a small laboratory-based project within one of the labs in the Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences. A range of computer-based tools are used to enhance both the practical and theoretical aspects of our course.

Where will Pharmacology take me?

• the burgeoning pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries offer many opportunities for employment as research or regulatory affairs scientists
• hospital or university-based research laboratories
• various Government agencies involved in the drug/chemical approval process.

Among students who choose not to study for an Honours degree, many use their major in Pharmacology as a springboard for specialisation in some other discipline, such as dietetics, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, medicine, secondary teaching, law, science journalism, or physiotherapy. They typically find that the skills and knowledge gained during their study of pharmacology are very valuable in their subsequent training. Some more detail may be found in this PDF file on possible careers. (pdf 11kB)