Pharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs on living organisms, where the term 'drug' can be defined as a chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which affects a biological system. Knowledge of pharmacology and its associated concepts is fundamental to the safe and effective use of medicines by health professionals. It's also essential for the identification of new therapeutic targets and their pharmacological modulation, and can lead to increased understanding of human physiology. An understanding of the way in which drugs produce their effects is becoming increasingly important as the use and abuse of drugs becomes more widespread in society. Pharmacology at Monash provides students with an understanding of the major pharmacological concepts and how they can be applied to the development and use of drugs in the treatment of specific diseases. A range of teaching modes is used to provide you with opportunities to learn how a wide variety of chemicals and drugs produce their effects on living organisms, and to apply this knowledge to critically evaluate information relating to drugs. You will be taught by academics who are experts in their fields, and the units you study include the most recent advances in pharmacology, along with ideas about future developments in the discipline.

As a graduate with a major in Pharmacology, you will have a foundation for a career in drug discovery and development, either as part of a research program in a university, a research institute within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries, or in government regulatory bodies.