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Undergraduate Degrees and Programs

The Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry Program

The Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry is a professionally oriented, truly interdisciplinary program taught as a joint initiative between the School of Chemistry (Faculty of Science), and the Pharmacology section of the School of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Medicine). This four year degree program leads to the award of Honours based on successful completion of the program including a medicinal chemistry oriented research project in the fourth year.

What is involved in being a Medicinal Chemist?

A Medicinal Chemist is a scientist who can be involved at all stages from the initial design of a drug, through to its clinical testing, refinement and development as a therapeutic agent. Many different aspects are involved:

  • the rational design and synthesis of novel drug candidates,
  • the study of their biochemical and physiological effects,
  • testing regimes, and
  • regulatory and ethical considerations.

The Medicinal Chemistry program at UNSW has been designed to ensure that graduates will have a strong background in contemporary biology, biochemistry and pharmacology, based upon a solid foundation of essential chemistry.

Is a BMedChem more than just coursework?

Yes! In your fourth year you will undertake a research project under the supervision and guidance of academic staff from the Faculties of Science and Medicine. The research focus in the fourth Honours year, which provides projects that emphasise the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of the area, will also enable students to progress seamlessly into a higher research degree if they wish.

Where can a UNSW BMedChem take me?

As a graduate from the Medicinal Chemistry program at UNSW you will be equipped with a unique and wide armory of skills, ranging from fundamental chemistry enabling the synthesis and analysis of drug candidates, through to relevant pharmacology and molecular biology skills. This combination will see you in high demand both locally and globally in pharmaceutical companies involved in modern drug design. In addition, the multidisciplinary nature of the program will mean that your skills will also be highly marketable within other science-based biotech industries and related fields.

What is the structure of a BMedChem at UNSW?

Your UNSW degree contains a blend of core courses and elective courses, and the elective courses include free and limited electives, as well as general education. The list of Medicinal Chemistry Program Electives can be found below, after Stage 4. If you want help or advice in selecting your electives, contact the Program Director on medchem@unsw.edu.au.

Stage 1

The first year of your Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry sets a foundation in several fundamental areas of science such as Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics that will provide a great foundation for higher year courses.

Semester 1
Code Title Units of Credit
BABS1201 Molecules, Cells and Genes 6
CHEM1051 Higher Chemistry Medicinal A 6
MATH1031 Mathematics for Life Sciences 6
SCIF1111 Perspectives in Medical Science 6
Semester 2
Code Title Units of Credit
BIOT1011 Introductory Biotechnology 6
CHEM1061 Higher Chemistry Medicinal B 6
MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences 6
Elective   6

Notes for Stage 1: CHEM1011 (Chemistry A: Atoms, Molecules and Energy) and CHEM1021 (Chemistry B: Elements, Compounds and Life) could be taken instead of CHEM1051 and CHEM1061, with permission of the Program Authority.

If you intend to include 6 UoC of Level I Physics as an elective in Semester 2 you will need to substitute either MATH1131 (Mathematics 1A) or MATH1141 (Higher Mathematics 1A) for MATH1031 in Semester 1. The choice will depend on the level of Mathematics and your performance in HSC or equivalent. The Mathematics Office can advise you which course suits you best.

Stage 2

In the second year of your BMedChem you will build on your Chemistry skills, as well as learning essential pharmacology and biochemistry.

Semester 1
Code Title Units of Credit
BIOC2101 Principles of Biochemistry (Advanced) 6
CHEM2011 Physical Chemistry: Molecules, Energy, and Change 6
CHEM2041 Analytical Chemistry: Essential Methods 6
Elective 6
Semester 2
Code Title Units of Credit
BIOC2201 Principles of Molecular Biology (Advanced) 6
CHEM2021 Organic Chemistry: Mechanisms and Biomolecules 6
PHAR2011 Introductory Pharmacology and Toxicology 6
Elective   6

Stage 3

By the third year you will have learned a set of key skills that can be built upon with a set of advanced courses. In Stages 2 and 3 you can also choose from an extensive range of elective courses in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Microbiology and Pharmacology to broaden your knowledge and complement the core content of the program.

Semester 1
Code Title Units of Credit
CHEM3021 Organic Chemistry: Strategies For Synthesis 6
PHAR3102 Molecular Pharmacology 6
Elective 6
Elective   6
Semester 2
Code Title Units of Credit
CHEM3051 Medicinal Organic Chemistry 6
CHEM6041 Analytical Chemistry: Frontier Techniques 6
PHAR3101 Rational Drug Design 6
Elective   6

Stage 4

Code Title Units of Credit
CHEM4006 Honours in Medicinal Chemistry 48

How your choice of electives fits into your program:

In Stages 1, 2 and 3 there are 36 UoC of elective courses (6 UoC in Stage 1, 12 UoC in Stage 2, and 18 UoC in Stage 3). Within this 36 UoC of electives, you must choose:

  • 12 UoC from the Medicinal Chemistry Program Electives list, below,
  • 12 UoC as free electives (which may also be chosen from the Medicinal Chemistry Program Electives list, but could also be chosen from elsewhere within the University), and
  • 12 UoC of General Education.

Of course, you must consider prerequisites for Stage 3 elective courses when choosing Stage 2 electives. You can consult the Program Director for further advice.

Medicinal Chemistry Program Electives List (for Stages 1-3)

BINF1001 Bioinformatics 1 (this course may be taken in Stage 1, or later)
 
BABS3021 Microbial Genetics
BABS3041 Immunology 1
BABS3121 Molecular Biology of Nucleic Acids
BABS3281 Molecular Genomics
 
BIOC3111 Molecular Biology of Proteins
BIOC3261 Human Biochemistry
BIOC3271 Molecular Cell Biology
 
BIOS2021 Genetics (may be taken in Stage 1, or later. If taken in Stage 1, a credit or better in BABS1201 is required.)
 
BIOT3071 Commercial Biotechnology
 
CHEM2031 Inorganic Chemistry: The Elements
CHEM3031 Inorganic Chemistry: Transition Metals & Complexes
CHEM3101 Project Laboratory in Chemistry
CHEM6701 Topics in Contemporary Chemistry A
CHEM6702 Topics in Contemporary Chemistry B
 
MICR2011 Microbiology
 
PHAR3202 Neuropharmacology
PHAR3251 Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology
 
PHSL2101 Physiology 1A
PHSL2201 Physiology 1B
 
PHYS1111 Fundamentals of Physics
PHYS1121 Physics 1A
PHYS1131 Higher Physics 1A