Pharmacology major (MJD-PHARY)
How do medicines produce their beneficial effects on human diseases? How can drugs target particular organs, cells, proteins and genes? This major provides the comprehensive grounding in scientific concepts that you require in order to understand how the body affects the actions, efficacy and safety of drugs, how drugs affect the human body, and how drugs are used to treat human disease. Topics in the units offered include drug–receptor interactions, dose–response relationships, intracellular signalling, drug metabolism and elimination, toxicology, respiratory pharmacology, immunopharmacology, drug discovery and development, as well as the role of genetics in dictating individual responses to drugs. Theoretical content is reinforced by practical laboratory sessions and computer-based workshops.
Outcomes
Students are able to (1) discuss the role of pharmacology in improving health outcomes and addressing current and future health challenges; (2) discuss the processes that regulate the fate of drugs in the body; (3) discuss drug action at molecular, cellular, tissue and whole-body levels, discriminating between various mechanisms of action of drugs; (4) relate therapeutic effects and unwanted adverse effects to drug action, recognising the significance of genetic polymorphism in drug response; (5) discuss the development and contribution of advanced technologies to drug design and discovery; (6) investigate a problem related to pharmacology through hypothesis formulation, experimental design, and data collection, analysis and interpretation; (7) perform laboratory experiments relevant to assessing the action of drugs and their impact on pathophysiological processes; (8) select, critically appraise, and communicate scientific information on a topic related to pharmacology; (9) work constructively in a team; and (10) discuss ethical approaches to responsible conduct in learning and research.
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.
Prerequisites
Student without WACE Chemistry or equivalent, are required to take CHEM1003 in their first year.
Students without ATAR Mathematics Applications, ATAR Mathematics Methods, WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B or equivalent or higher, will need to take MATH1720 in their first year.
Students without ATAR Human Biology or ATAR Biology or equivalent will need to take ANHB1101 or BIOL1130, or IMED1001 in their first year.
Pharmacology can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
Overview of unit sequence
Pharmacology is a degree-specific single major comprising:
- two Level 1 units
- two Level 2 units
- four Level 3 units
Key to availability of units: |
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S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2 |
Students who do not have ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent or higher, are required to complete MATH1720 in their first year.
Level 1
Students without ATAR Human Biology or ATAR Biology will need to take ANHB1101, BIOL1130 or IMED1001 in first semester to meet prerequisites for SCIE1106. Students without ATAR Chemistry will need to take CHEM1003 in first semester to meet prerequisites for SCIE1106.
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S2 | SCIE1106 | Molecular Biology of the Cell |
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Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S2 | BIOC1001 | Introductory Cellular Biochemistry |
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S1, S2 | CHEM1002 | Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity |
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Take units if applicable:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB1101 | Human Biology I: Becoming Human |
|
S1 | BIOL1130 | Frontiers in Biology |
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S1, S2 | CHEM1003 | Introductory Chemistry |
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S1 | IMED1001 | Form and Function |
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S1, S2 | MATH1720 | Mathematics Fundamentals |
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Level 2
Take all units (12 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | PHAR2210 | Foundations of Pharmacology |
|
S2 | PHAR2220 | Human Pharmacology |
Level 3
Take all units (24 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | PHAR3310 | Molecular Pharmacology |
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S1 | PHAR3311 | Molecular Pharmacology Methods |
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S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
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S2 | PHAR3321 | Systems Pharmacology Methods |
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Choosing your degree-specific major
General degrees
You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.
To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .
To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.
The following example illustrates how the Pharmacology degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Biomedical Science course.
There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .
Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music
You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.
Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics
This comprehensive degree does not require you to choose a degree-specific major.
Choosing a second major
You also have the option to choose a second major from those available in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students. and Bachelor of Science courses, giving you the opportunity to pursue your interests no matter how different they are.
The following example illustrates how the Pharmacology degree-specific major can be combined with a second major in the Bachelor of Biomedical Science course.
For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .