93% of graduates from this course are employed in a graduate level job six months after graduating Pharmaceutical scientists work in the challenging field of drug discovery and development, an area key to sustaining the health and wellbeing of our society. Professionals in this area are experts in the development of new drugs, discover of diagnostic markers of disease and the assurance of safety, quality and efficacy of manufactured drugs. The course puts you at the forefront of recent trends in pharmaceutical research, in which increasing numbers of drugs are coming from large biopharmaceutical molecules. As a result you can look forward to a wide range of career opportunities in a large and growing industry. Over a quarter of all industrial research in the UK is performed by pharmaceutical companies. The University provides excellent facilities in our modern Sciences Complex. The quality of our analytical science equipment, and its quantity, is outstanding among UK universities. Teaching at Sunderland is kept fully up-to-date through our strong links with employers who help guide the content of the course. We encourage our students to apply to undertake a year-long placement between the second and final years, although it is not compulsory. There may be possibilities of placements with multinationals such as GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis or a local laboratory. Watch a short film of students and staff talking about BioPharmecuetical Science at the University of Sunderland:

Sunderland has an excellent employment record. The reason for the exceptional employment rate is the quality of the course - at the core of the BioPharmaceutical Science course is the development of industrially-relevant practical skills. Examples of companies that have employed our graduates include pharmaceutical multinationals and NHS laboratories. Placements: The employability of Sunderland graduates reflects our mix of academic rigour and practical skills. To enhance this mix, we encourage you to apply to undertake a 48-week placement between your second and final year. It effectively becomes a third year of a four-year course. Placements are usually paid, with an average salary of £14,000-£18,000 a year depending on your location. Possible providers include multinational pharmaceutical companies or biomedical clinical laboratories. Placements are subject to availability and interviews are required. Placements are an excellent opportunity to put your learning into practice and understand the context for your new knowledge. The contacts made during placements can also be valuable for future job offers. In addition, you will be eligible for a City & Guilds Licentiateship that will recognise personal achievement and the application of professional knowledge in the workplace.