MSc Drug Discovery and Toxicology with Advanced Research

Studying MSc Drug Discovery and Toxicology with Advanced Research at the University of Hertfordshire gives students a deep understanding of how new medicines are discovered and made safe. Students will learn the scientific foundations of drug discovery, emphasising toxicology. This course makes full use of the University’s strong links to big pharma research sites nearby, which provides students with the opportunity for numerous guest lecturers from the industry, as well as networking opportunities.

The course is a 2-year full-time programme and its structure includes four taught modules and a project module. Key modules to be covered include Translational Medical Science, Contemporary Topics in Drug Discovery and Toxicology, Molecular Medicine, and Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology. In addition to that, there is a research internship, a research methods module, and an extended research project.

Assessment is by a combination of coursework, exams, and practical lab work, depending on the module. The University of Hertfordshire ranks 4th in the UK for Pharmacology, according to the Daily Mail University Guide, 2025. It also has excellent facilities: the University’s new Science Building offers labs for qPCR, cell culture, protein analysis, and immunohistochemistry.