Pharmacology major

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 the effects of drugs on the human body, combined with an appreciation of how these effects are used to treat human diseases. 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 describe the actions of drugs at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels, discriminating between the actions of agonists, partial agonists, inverse agonists, antagonists, allosteric modulators, etc.

Degree-specific major

Pharmacology can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

BP006 Bachelor of Biomedical Science
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

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:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Prerequisites:
(Human Biology: ATAR
or
equivalent;
or
Biology: ATAR
or
equivalent;
or
ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human;
or
ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human;
or
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology;
or
IMED1001 Form and Function)
and
(Chemistry: ATAR
or
equivalent
or
a Level 1 Chemistry unit)
Incompatibility:
SCIE2225 Molecular Biology passed in
or
before 2004
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 CHEM1002 Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity
Prerequisites:
ATAR Chemistry
or
WACE Chemistry 3A/3B
or
TEE Chemistry
or
equivalent
or
CHEM1105 Introductory Chemistry
or
CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility:
CHEM1102 Organic Chemistry, CHEM1103 Biological Organic Chemistry
S2 CHEM1004 Biological Chemistry
Prerequisites:
ATAR Chemistry, WACE Chemistry 3A/3B
or
TEE Chemistry
or
CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or
equivalent

Level 2

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
(CHEM1002 Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity
or
CHEM1004 Biological Chemistry)
and
SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell;
or
(IMED1001 Form and Function
and
IMED1002 The Facts of Life)
S2 PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs
Incompatibility:
PHAR2230 Systems Pharmacology

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHAR3310 Molecular Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology;
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs
and
one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B
S1 PHAR3311 Molecular Pharmacology Methods
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology;
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences, IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics
Co-requisites:
PHAR3310 Molecular Pharmacology;
or
Biomedical Science major level 2 units
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A,
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B
S2 PHAR3320 Systems Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
[PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology];
or
[IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics]
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A,
S2 PHAR3321 Systems Pharmacology Methods
Prerequisites:
[PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology];
or
[IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics]
Co-requisites:
PHAR3320 Systems Pharmacology
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B

Choosing your degree-specific major

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.

Example: Course Study Plan: CSP006-PHARY

There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .

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. or Bachelor of Science course, 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.

Example: Course Study Plan: CSP006-PHARY-Generic

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .

Pharmacology can also be taken as a second major.

Second major

Pharmacology can be taken as a second major in the following degree courses:

Overview of unit sequence

The Pharmacology second major is a single major comprising:

  • two Level 1 units
  • two Level 2 units
  • four Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2

Level 1

Second major units
Take the following unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Prerequisites:
(Human Biology: ATAR
or
equivalent;
or
Biology: ATAR
or
equivalent;
or
ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human;
or
ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human;
or
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology;
or
IMED1001 Form and Function)
and
(Chemistry: ATAR
or
equivalent
or
a Level 1 Chemistry unit)
Incompatibility:
SCIE2225 Molecular Biology passed in
or
before 2004
Second major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 CHEM1002 Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity
Prerequisites:
ATAR Chemistry
or
WACE Chemistry 3A/3B
or
TEE Chemistry
or
equivalent
or
CHEM1105 Introductory Chemistry
or
CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility:
CHEM1102 Organic Chemistry, CHEM1103 Biological Organic Chemistry
S2 CHEM1004 Biological Chemistry
Prerequisites:
ATAR Chemistry, WACE Chemistry 3A/3B
or
TEE Chemistry
or
CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or
equivalent

Level 2

Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
(CHEM1002 Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity
or
CHEM1004 Biological Chemistry)
and
SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell;
or
(IMED1001 Form and Function
and
IMED1002 The Facts of Life)
S2 PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs
Incompatibility:
PHAR2230 Systems Pharmacology

Level 3

Second major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHAR3310 Molecular Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology;
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs
and
one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B
S1 PHAR3311 Molecular Pharmacology Methods
Prerequisites:
PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology;
or
IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences, IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics
Co-requisites:
PHAR3310 Molecular Pharmacology;
or
Biomedical Science major level 2 units
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A,
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B
S2 PHAR3320 Systems Pharmacology
Prerequisites:
[PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology];
or
[IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics]
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A,
S2 PHAR3321 Systems Pharmacology Methods
Prerequisites:
[PHAR2210 Foundations of Pharmacology,
and
PHAR2220 Human Pharmacology];
or
[IMED2002 Blood and Drugs and one of the following units: IMED2001 Body Defences; IMED2003 Essentials of Research in the Health and Medical Sciences
or
IMED2004 Human Development and Genetics]
Co-requisites:
PHAR3320 Systems Pharmacology
Incompatibility:
PHAR3303 Drugs and Disease A
and
PATH3304 Drugs and Disease B

Choosing a second major

The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you the option of including a second major. You have the choice to either nominate your second major when you first enrol in the course or delay it until your second year. For a major to be recorded on your academic record it must be nominated before the requirements of the course are completed.

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 Pharmacology can be included as a second major in an undergraduate degree course.

Example: Course Study Plan: CSPGeneric-DSMGeneric-PHARY

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .

Pharmacology can also be taken as a degree-specific major.