Biopharmaceutical Development MSc

Course overview

Develop the medicines of the future and fast-track your career into the scientific industry.

Biopharmaceutical drugs are transforming the way we treat patients and fight global disease. The future of drug treatment includes biologically manufactured drugs, namely hormones, monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies and cell therapies.

Designed, developed and delivered in partnership with Labcorp Drug Development (formerly known as Covance), this course will provide you with a springboard into a career in the biopharmaceutical industry or further research in an academic environment. On this programme, you’ll be immersed in hands-on training and gain specialised, industry-relevant experience, ready to fast-track talented scientists into the industry. Underpin all your learning with theoretical knowledge as you develop a detailed understanding of the full biological drug development pathway.

Many pharmaceutical companies are expanding their biopharmaceutical capability, creating a demand for talented, well-trained professionals with the right skill set. Graduates have gone on to secure roles as an analytical scientist, project manager, or coordinator, in areas such as research, quality control, manufacturing, non-clinical, clinical, and market access. You’ll also be in a strong position to undertake further research at Leeds or elsewhere.

Why study at Leeds?

• Accredited by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences: The programme has earned national recognition, receiving the Princess Royal Training Award in 2020, 2023 and 2026 as well as the Advance HE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) in 2025.
• Accelerate your career: Designed to fast-track talented scientists into industry.
• Develop specialised knowledge: An integrated understanding of the full biological drug development pathway.
• Focus on drug discovery and development: Learn about large molecule drugs such as monoclonal antibodies, bio-similars, antibody-drug conjugates and gene therapies.
• Strengthen your teamworking skills: Gain extensive experience of team-based project planning.
• Real-world industry experience: Network with clients and gain consultancy experience as part of our 2-week online Global Industry Programme.

For more information on the ever-increasing demand in the sector, please read this news article.

Any student passionate about pharmaceuticals and who aspires to work within the industry should definitely consider this course.

Robyn Hoare, MSc Biopharmaceutical Development (Industrial Placement)

Find out more about Robyn's time at Leeds

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Accreditation

Accredited by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (APS), the UK’s professional home for Pharmaceutical Scientists – a global community dedicated to improving the development, delivery and understanding of medicines for the benefit of patients.

Course details and modules

The course content focuses on the discovery and development of large molecule drugs: monoclonal antibodies, biosimilars, antibody-drug conjugates and gene therapies. Added to this is practical hands-on training in the technologies that underpin the discovery and development pathway. You’ll receive training in protein purification, characterisation, formulation and assessment of binding function and the use of cell-based assays to look at drug potency.

The course is 12-months long, taught on campus at the University of Leeds. It aims to provide you with an understanding of the many functions that contribute to the discovery and development of a successful drug and how they are coordinated and integrated to bring new drugs to market in a timely and economic fashion.

You will be taught by academics and qualified industry professionals, with a strong emphasis on the integration of ideas, approaches and technologies in the development of a biological drug.

Semester 1

In the first semester, you will cover an introduction to the field, the management of intellectual property and its importance to the industry, the discovery, manufacturing and non-clinical testing of biopharmaceuticals. Across semesters 1 & 2 you will become familiar with the fundamentals of biopharmaceutical drug discovery and non-clinical testing, as well as receive practical laboratory training relevant to the industrial setting. This will combine hands-on training in protein purification, characterisation, formulation and assessment of binding function and the use of cell-based assays to look at drug potency with data analysis and reporting.

Semester 2

In the second semester, you will explore clinical trial design and develop an integrated drug development plan. Much of the learning is performed in teams, working on projects within each module, delivering project outputs authentic to the industry (reports to clients, submissions to regulators, papers for the Board, proposals for investment). You’ll be working at the forefront of your field in the areas of science that support drug development. You will therefore be exposed to learning that emphasises how knowledge is being applied in an industrial context. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop a strong skills-set valued by industry and academia, including problem-solving strong communication, teamwork and project management skills.

Semester 3

In the third semester, you will conduct a substantial research project. In this project, you’ll utilise the techniques and skills learned during your time at Leeds, which will culminate in you demonstrating your readiness for employment in the biopharmaceutical industry. Research areas could include

• Engineering of biomolecules.
• Developing of biopharmaceuticals.
• Identification of druggable targets in human disease.
• Biophysical properties of biopharmaceuticals.
• Engineering effective gene therapies.
• Gene editing as a therapeutic strategy.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Biopharmaceutical Development MSc in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Learning and teaching

The learning and teaching on the course have been constructed to prepare you to work in industry or academia.

This course will challenge you to think creatively, solve problems and develop strong communication and teamwork skills. You’ll experience a wide range of teaching methods, including formal lectures, interactive workshops and practical classes.

You’ll use authentic, industry and academic case studies to illustrate theoretical and practical concepts and will have multiple opportunities to work in teams, including the opportunity to lead a team.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

A variety of assessment types are used throughout this course, all of which resonate with the activities of professional scientists within the industry. This will include submissions to regulatory authorities, client reports and presentations to industry panel members.

You will write reports and make presentations individually or as part of a team, and you will be cross examined following delivery of reports to expand, clarify and extend your description of a topic. Many of the assignments are interdisciplinary in nature and require clear and justified decision-making to form a coherent plan or proposal.

There are no written exams, all the assessment is performed by in-course assignments including a dissertation report arising from the research project work. A viva voce (on your experimental work) forms part of the practical skills module.

You will be able to choose your independent advanced research project from a wide list of topics, which are designed to offer you an immersive individual research experience, as well as the opportunity to contribute to science in an area you are passionate about.

Applying

Entry requirements

Applicants should normally have a bachelor’s degree with at least a 2:1 or equivalent in a Biological Sciences subject (with a substantial proportion of ‘molecular’ content) or Bioprocessing or Biochemical Engineering, but relevant experience may be taken into account.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. . For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional. 

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Documents and information you’ll need

• Completed online application form (for Taught Postgraduate Study)
• Completed supporting statement outlining your career intentions and state how your achievements/experiences set you up to excel on this course. Plus describe your leadership style and experiences and how you can become a future leader in biopharmaceutical development.
• Full CV
• Transcript of degree examination marks achieved to date
• Copy of final degree certificate (if completed)
• Evidence of English language qualification (non-native English speakers only)
• Copy of passport (if you’re an overseas student).

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Next steps

• We process your application.
• We inform you of our decision.
• If we make you an offer, you respond by accepting or declining.

Taught postgraduate confirmation

Taught postgraduate applicants are required to submit their results for consideration as soon as possible. Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK are recommended to submit their results no later than 31 July, although they will still be considered if submitted after this date.

International application deadline: 31st July 2026

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2027

This course is taught by

Faculty of Biological Sciences

Contact us

Faculty of Biological Sciences postgraduate taught admissions team

Email: fbspgt@leeds.ac.uk

Fees

UK: £16,000 (Total)

International: £35,500 (Total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are also available to help fund your Masters. Find out more and check your eligibility below: 

• Scholarships for International students 
• Scholarships and funding for UK students
• Your subject area may also offer scholarships

Scholarships for Faculty of Biological Sciences students

The Faculty of Biological Sciences offers a number of Masters scholarships to support and reward students from the UK and around the world. Don’t miss out on available support, visit our dedicated faculty scholarship page to check your eligibility.

Government-backed loan = If you are ordinarily resident in England or the Republic of Ireland and planning to start your first full-time, part-time or distance learning taught or research Masters course from September 2023 you may be eligible to apply for a UK government Postgraduate Masters Loan to help towards your study-related costs. Find out more.

Alumni bursary = If you are a former student of the University of Leeds you may be eligible for a 10% alumni tuition fee bursary

You can also search our postgraduate scholarships database or you can also find information on MoneySavingExpert

Career opportunities

Where this degree could take you

This course gives you the skills to step into a career that you love. Designed to train talented scientists who wish to pursue a career in drug development within the international biopharmaceutical industry, or for those who want to undertake further research, there's a path suitable for all our graduates.

On completion of the course, you’ll have the relevant knowledge and experience to step into roles such as:

• research manager
• quality control
• analytical scientist
• laboratory scientist
• experimental officer
• medical writer
• regulatory associate
• project coordinator
• QA administrator
• senior essay development scientist
• manufacturing
• non-clinical and clinical roles
• market access
• process engineer
• bioconjugation scientists
• dossier assessment specialist

As a student on this course, you’ll also have a high amount of exposure to senior industrialists who work as tutors throughout the course and can support you with career advice.

For more information about the career opportunities that are available within the biopharmaceutical sector, please visit the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry careers website.

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one.

Our Careers Service has the global expertise and sector-spanning industry partnerships that, combined, go way beyond simply helping you get a job. They provide you with the resources you need to upskill and achieve the future you aspire towards – even in the face of lightning-paced change.

• Dedicated Employability Team: Meet with our qualified careers consultants and specialist employability and placements officers, on hand to help you choose the right path and develop the skills to get there. They can support with CV and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile building, mock interviews and navigating AI: get confident with tailored advice and techniques.
• Employability and networking events: Get involved in a full range of events, including careers fairs and specialist industry talks with employers who are actively recruiting. You’ll also benefit from mentoring and a supportive careers community, helping you make connections, build your network, and shape your journey as a future professional.
• Skills training: We embed transferable skills training in all our programmes to support your transition to the workplace. Gain expertise employers value, such as communication, problem-solving and research and data analysis.
• MyCareer system: Access a dedicated portal where you can book careers appointments, view helpful resources and browse vacancies and events. Access digital tools, including LinkedIn support, video‑interview preparation, plus global job market and visa guidance. We also offer pre‑arrival support to help you prepare for career planning in the UK and make the most of your time with us.
• Exclusive opportunities: Bring your enterprise to market with our award-winning business advice service, Spark. Apply for vacancies only available to our students. And hone your skills further with Leeds University Union, home to volunteering opportunities and over 300 clubs and societies.