Bachelor of Science in Medicinal Chemistry

Medicinal chemists are specialised and highly trained industrial chemists who prepare, develop and analyse products for the pharmaceutical and related industries. They play a vital role in creating many of the things we use every day, particularly those involved in human, animal and agricultural health.

This course prepares students for a career in the chemical industry and will provide graduates to meet the high demand for chemically trained professionals in the growing number of biotechnology companies. The students graduating from this course will be ideal for a variety of careers in large and small pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, hospital laboratories and government laboratories both within Australia and overseas.

The broad base on which the course is structured means that students' employment prospects are not limited to pharmaceutical or biotechnology options, but allows them to compete for positions in the wine, petrochemical, polymer (including tyre manufacture and plastic manufacture), and paint industries; the patent office and analytical laboratories. Graduates are also able to move on to higher degree studies leading to employment in academic, research or government institutions, or to develop their own businesses.

The course combines the background knowledge that underpins chemistry with specific content that links chemistry with pharmacology, environmental health and the chemical industry.

Check the Faculty Page for updates, prerequisites and regulations. Detailed information on the structure of the course is documented in the Course Information Handbook .

The co-ordinator for this course is Michael Perkins.