Coordinator: Dr Wayne Hodgson (Department of Pharmacology)
An
understanding of the way in which drugs produce their effects in the body is
becoming increasingly important as the use and abuse of drugs becomes more
widespread in society. The science of pharmacology is the study of the effects
of drugs on living organisms where the term drug can be defined as a chemical
substance, natural or synthetic, which affects a biological system.
Pharmacology is an interdisciplinary science that employs experimental
approaches common to chemistry, biochemistry and physiology. The school offers
one six-point unit (Drugs and society) at level two. This unit provides
students with a broad understanding of the mechanisms of drug action, how drugs
are developed, what problems are solved and what problems are caused by the use
of drugs. It is of interest to all students taking biomedical science units
(physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, microbiology) but also as an adjunct to a
degree in law or psychology. This unit is not a prerequisite for further study
in pharmacology but is highly recommended.
Pharmacology at level three is presented in five separate six-point units. In
first semester, PHA3011 (Principles of drug actions) and PHA3021 (Drugs in
health and disease) lay the foundations for understanding how drugs act and the
use of drugs to treat disease. Both of these units are prerequisites for all
second-semester units offered by the school. In second semester students may
elect to take any combination of the three units offered: PHA3032 (Neuro and
endocrine pharmacology), PHA3042 (Modern drug development) and PHA3052 (Poisons
and toxins). To complete a major in pharmacology, it is recommended that at
least 24 points are taken. These units may be combined with units in other
disciplines according to the BSc course requirements. Such studies frequently
include any of the biological/medical disciplines, chemistry or law. The
prerequisites for PHA3011 and PHA3021 are normally an adequate performance in
physiology at level two. It is advised that previous units should also include
pharmacology, biochemistry or chemistry at level two.
Students may take a BSc(Hons) degree in their fourth year which involves
advanced course work and a laboratory-based project.
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents