This degree is discontinued and is not admitting any new students.
 

Medicinal Chemistry covers all elements of the development of new medicines for human use, including the isolation of new medicinal agents from natural sources, the design and synthesis of new drugs, and understanding the cause of diseases at the molecular level.

Medicinal chemists design and synthesise new medicinal and pharmacological agents; develop new dosage forms; monitor guidelines for testing drugs and undertake analyses; assist with drug regulatory affairs; assess patent applications for new drugs; and teach in tertiary institutions.

The degree provides excellent training in the modern techniques of chemical science applied to medicine. This includes specialised courses in drug discovery and design, using both rational, computer-aided and bioprospecting approaches. As well as fundamental training in the chemical sciences, you will also study the concepts needed to understand the effects of the disease state on the human body and the role of drugs. Topics of study include chemistry, physiology, pharmacology and cell biology.

The Bachelor of Medicinal Chemistry (Honours) (Dean’s Scholar) is designed specifically for high-achieving students interested in a challenging degree leading to a career in scientific research.

All students are invited to participate in various enrichment activities throughout the program and, after the first year, to develop a close association with an appropriate member of one of the faculty's research teams.

Students in this program also have the opportunity to undertake individual research subjects. Students are normally required to achieve at least a Distinction average in subjects completed in a calendar year.

In the final year, all students undertake a substantial piece of supervised research in their major discipline, together with other required seminar and/or course work.

Graduates may then be eligible for direct enrolment into a research doctorate in their chosen field or into other postgraduate degrees.