Drug Discovery and Development MSc

Course overview

Prepare for emerging health challenges and impact the future of medicine through the discovery, development and use of new drugs.

Drug discovery is the process of discovering a new medication, while drug development focuses on bringing that drug to the market. Together, the process is a multi-stage, interdisciplinary journey of identifying, testing, and refining new chemical or biological compounds to create safe, effective medications for human use.

On this course, you’ll be exposed to a range of fields spanning the pharmaceutical industry, including pharmacology, biochemistry, chemistry, clinical research, and pharmaceutical commercialisation. The broad range of topics will allow you to tailor your experience, offering you the opportunity to focus on topics such as medicinal chemistry, molecular pharmacology and preclinical/clinical drug development.

Graduates leave this course ready to excel in the pharmaceutical sector, small biotech companies, contract research organisations, government regulatory bodies or ready to undertake a further research degree.

“I wanted somewhere that had good facilities, lecturers who know what they’re talking about, who are more passionate than I am about everything! There are so many societies to choose from! I have choirs on Monday and Thursaday, wine on Tuesday, and Wednesday is sports night. The city is great vibes, with so many bars, cute pubs and lovely restaurants. Come to Leeds, it’s absolutely fantastic!”

Celina Worraker, MSc Drug Discovery

Learn more about Celina’s time at Leeds

Why study at Leeds:

• Choose the pathway right for you: Specialise based on your experience and interests and build your degree around different career areas within the pharmaceutical discovery and development pipeline.
• Take on a research project: Undertake a substantive research-based project, which will develop your expertise and help you gain new research skills to prepare you for the professional lab environment.
• Expert teaching across facilities and industry: You'll be taught by experts from the School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Chemistry, the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, the Faculty of Medicine and Health, the Business School, as well as medicinal chemists, structural molecular biologists and pharmacologists in the pharma sector.
• Close pharmaceutical links: Benefit from our close connections with the pharma industry and the Faculty of Medicine and Health to gain valuable real-world insight into drug discovery and clinical drug development.

Course details and modules

Modules on this course cover the entire drug discovery and development pipeline, enabling you to develop an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the process.

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 Drug Discovery and Development MSc in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Learning and teaching

The learning and teaching on this course have been designed in order to reflect the current needs and activities in the industry, preparing you for the workplace after you graduate.

You’ll be challenged to think about creative solutions to complex problems, enhance your interpretation and data analysis skills, improve your ability to communicate information and defend ideas. You'll also develop your understanding of legal, economic and social elements affecting the area of drug discovery and development.

The course follows a blended learning approach. All tutorials, seminars, debates, discussions, data analysis sessions, laboratory sessions, oral/poster presentations and computer-based learning activities will be delivered face-to-face on campus. However, traditional lecture content will often be delivered via pre-recorded screencasts that enables flexible access and the ability to study it at your own pace.

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

Assessment type varies by module, but methods may include in-course essays, oral presentations, business reports, annotated bibliographies, short answer questions, problem-based assignments, preclinical and clinical trial designs, computational drug design tasks, laboratory reports, ethics reviews, and the main research project dissertation paper.

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, preferably in a chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, pharmacy or pharmacology subject. Consideration will be given to applicants holding a 2:2 but who have 2:1 level marks in modules relevant to the programme.

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).
• 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).
• Completed supporting statement.

Find out more about how to apply.

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.

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.

Interviews

It is standard procedure to interview applicants, prior to making a decision on their application, for MRes Neuroscience, MSc Biopharmaceutical Development (Industrial), MRes Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, and MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine. Interviews do not form part of the standard admissions process for other programmes in the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

International application deadline: July 31 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.

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 2026

This course is taught by

School of Chemistry
Faculty of Biological Sciences

Contact us

Faculty of Biological Sciences postgraduate taught admissions team

Email: fbspgt@leeds.ac.uk

Fees

UK: £14,500 (Total)

International: £35,500 (Total)

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.

Career opportunities

Where this degree could take you

This course is designed to ensure you’re workplace ready. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped with the necessary skills to work for large pharmaceutical companies, small biotech companies, contract research organisations and government regulatory bodies. It will also put you in a strong position to undertake a further research degree.

Here’s an insight into the job roles some of our Faculty of Biological Sciences graduates have obtained:

• Medicine and Drug Researcher
• PhD student
• Clinical Research Fellow
• Researcher
• NHS Doctor
• Research Assistant
• Associate Scientist
• Associate Professor
• Senior Scientist
• Protein Production Technician
• Policy Manager
• Science Teacher
• Senior Healthcare Analyst
• Lecturer
• Account Executive
• Protein Production Technician
• Medical Laboratory Assistant
• Microbiologist
• Medical Writer
• DNA Scientist
• Clinical Pharmaceutical Assistant

Our dedicated employability and opportunity team will ensure that you're aware of events and opportunities to increase your employability.

Our Masters career development programme will also support you to explore career options, practice job interviews and understand the PhD application process.

You'll also have access to seminars and presentations from industry professionals (including our alumni) at faculty-led career events. We also have regular research seminars presented by leading academics from around the world on their specialist subjects.

“I want to go into the pharmaceutical industry, and this course has set me up perfectly by teaching me not only about the biology of drug development, but also about commercialisation and how the industry actually works.”

Celina Worraker, MSc Drug Discovery

Learn more about Celina’s time at Leeds

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.

Guaranteed industry experience  

The Global Industry Programme gives Masters students a great opportunity to gain real-world experience through live industry projects.  You’ll connect with leading companies worldwide to work on impactful, hands-on consultancy projects, enhancing your employability skills and enabling you to apply your theoretical knowledge to real business challenges.