MSc Medicinal Chemistry

What you will learn

This postgraduate degree course enables you to study aspects of medicinal chemistry that explore the links between disease, mechanisms of action and the development of safe, effective commercial drugs. You have the opportunity to pursue these topics across a number of different disease therapies using the innovative teaching methods pioneered by The Open University, while developing a wide range of skills associated with masters-level study. You study taught modules and take a medicinal chemistry project module that allows you to undertake a substantial piece of independent research based on the knowledge and skills you develop.

Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.

Also find out information about the Faculty, teaching, cutting edge research, staff and outreach activities.

Time required and cost

To achieve the MSc in Medicinal Chemistry you must successfully gain 180 credits. We would normally expect you to take no more than one module a year. However, the 30 credit and 60 credit module starts are staggered so you could choose to overlap modules.

For details on module costs please see the tables at the bottom of this page. The total cost of the qualification depends on the modules studied. As a guide the total fee for 2012/13 academic year was £7180.

NB: Prices and course details shown below are subject to change.

Career impact

Completing this degree course will equip you with a set of key transferable skills which will be relevant for the workplace as well as providing you with a base of postgraduate level science knowledge and understanding. You will learn to critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship within medicinal chemistry, as well as evaluating research methodologies. You will learn to deal with complex issues and make sound judgements and decisions in complex and unpredictable situations.

You will learn to communicate information and conclusions to specialist scientific audiences, work effectively as part of a team, demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional level.

The nature of this qualification will develop your independent learning skills, such as critical reading, as well as enhancing your ICT skills for both literature searching and managing information and strengthening your communication skills with others in both professional and academic contexts.

Having this qualification coupled with practical experience could open up career opportunities in various scientific and medical research fields in the public and private sectors, for example, in the NHS, pharmaceutical companies, medical research, universities, commercial laboratories, and independent healthcare providers.

Key dates

Please see the tables shown at the bottom of this page.

Entry requirements

To study for this masters degree course you must hold a bachelors honours degree in science or a science-related subject from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body, or a qualification at equivalent level. You will need good computing skills. You should be able to search the Web, use email, and use word processing packages.

If you have other study or experience that you believe equips you to take this qualification you can still apply, but must supply evidence of that study or experience.

To study this course you should also be proficient in English (an ILETS score of 7.0 is required).

Classification of course

On successful completion of the required courses you will be awarded a Master of Science in Medicinal Chemistry entitling you to use the letters MSc Med Chem (Open) after your name.

Credits

For information on Credits, click here.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the following regulations:

• Student Regulations
• Module Regulations
• General Qualification Regulations
• MSc Medicinal Chemistry
• Schedule B to the Qualification Regulations.