Pharmacy PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

A PhD in Pharmacy gives you the chance to lead your own research project that will further our current understanding of pharmaceuticals. Whether you are researching medicines tailored to an ageing population, optimising existing drugs through changes in dosage, or looking at the causes of neurological and psychiatric diseases, you will be aiming to improve the lives of millions of people around the globe.

What’s it like to study a PhD in Pharmacy?

Doing a PhD in Pharmacy, you will become proficient in the skills necessary to contribute to a research portfolio which spans pharmacy practice, pharmaceutics, and drug discovery. You will spend time reading around your research area and gain inspiration for methods to improve your experimental work. Your main aim will be to exploit the current advances in pharmaceutical practices and biological sciences.

Some typical research topics in Pharmacy include:

• nanomedicine and biotherapeutics
• developing nanomaterials for drug delivery
• infection and antimicrobial resistance
• pharmacy practice

Typical Pharmacy PhD research projects take between three and four years to complete. During a standard PhD day, you will either be in the laboratory performing, preparing, or planning experiments, (if your project is laboratory based), researching pharmacy practice and policy, writing up sections of your thesis, and chatting to your colleagues and supervisor about your current and upcoming work.

To be awarded your PhD, you must submit a thesis of about 60,000 words and defend this during your viva exam.

PhD in Pharmacy entry requirements

The entry requirements for a typical PhD in Pharmacy usually involves a Bachelors and a Masters degree in a related subject. You will also need to submit a compelling research proposal detailing your study plans. You may also need some professional experience in Pharmacy, depending on the programme.

PhD in Pharmacy funding options

In the UK, PhDs in Pharmacy are funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), which provides a tuition fee waiver and a living cost stipend. Depending on the programme, you may submit your own research proposal before being considered for funding or apply for a project that already has funding attached. 

It is also possible to apply for a PhD loan to help with the costs of a doctorate in Pharmacy (although this cannot be combined with Research Council funding). Other options for financial support include university scholarships, graduate teaching assistantships and charities.

If you are considering a part-time PhD in Pharmacy, it may also be worth asking your employer if they are happy to sponsor you. 

PhD in Pharmacy careers

On completion of your PhD, you may go into a research role at a university or pharmaceutical company, or you may find a career in regulatory affairs, the NHS (National Health Service) or scientific publishing, drug licensing or clinical trial research.