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  2. Bachelor of Biomedicine
  3. Majors, Minors and Specialisations
  4. Pharmacology
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Pharmacology

Bachelor of BiomedicineMajorYear: 2024

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Overview

Subjects in a pharmacology major introduce students to the unified study of the interaction between chemical agents and living matter. A pharmacology major will teach you how drugs work, and how drugs are used as therapies and as experimental tools for investigation of important problems in biology. Pharmacology extends and complements a range of other biomedical disciplines as well as medicinal chemistry. Graduates will gain an in depth understanding of drug actions and a broad appreciation of the scientific process of knowledge acquisition and problem solving. Thus, a pharmacology major will provide the springboard for students entering careers in many areas of biomedical research and associated industries and regulatory authorities.

Intended learning outcomes

Pharmacology Major Graduates will be able to:

  • define the actions of important drugs used clinically and in research;
  • explain how the actions of new drugs are characterised and outline how drugs can be used to investigate questions of biological processes and signalling;
  • explain the process of drug discovery and development;
  • apply modern molecular approaches to solving pharmacological problems, and obtain an appreciation of their application to specific biological problems;
  • employ laboratory techniques and analytical approaches in different areas of pharmacology including the analysis and interpretation of data derived from experiments; and
  • construct written and oral presentations of scientific data and critique the scientific literature.

Last updated: 31 May 2024

Structure

50 credit points

To obtain a major in Pharmacology students need to complete:

  • 12.5 credit points of Pharmacology core subjects
  • 37.5 credit points of Elective options including
    • A minimum of 25 credit points of Pharmacology selectives

Pharmacology core subjects

Code Name Study period Credit Points
PHRM30009 Drugs in Biomedical Experiments
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Elective options

Pharmacology selectives

Code Name Study period Credit Points
PHRM30003 Drug Treatment of Disease
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PHRM30002 Drugs Affecting the Nervous System
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PHRM30008 Drugs: From Discovery to Market
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Pharmacology electives

Code Name Study period Credit Points
BIOM30003 Biomedical Science Research Project
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Summer Term (Off Campus)
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (Early-Start) (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Or level 3 subjects from the following areas of study: Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Neuroscience, Pathology, Physiology, Zoology.

Note: Pharmacology electives are only required to make up to 50 credit points

Notes

A quota has been applied to a core subject in this major.

Last updated: 31 May 2024