Course profile for the School of Medicine's Medical Physiology and Therapeutics BSc.

Medical Physiology and Therapeutics BSc

Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK

Course overview

Biomedical sciences play a vital role in everyone's lives. They help us understand how our bodies work, what can go wrong with our bodies, and how we fix them. Our Medical Physiology and Therapeutics BSc degree, based in Derby, is a chance to learn about the body from its molecular level all the way through to the full complexity of the body as a whole.

Located at the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine based within the Royal Derby Hospital, you will be taught in our specialist facilities within our purpose-built medical school.

We teach you the medical sciences, with a focus on physiology, pharmacology, pathology, anatomy, immunology, microbiology, and psychosocial topics, through the human biosciences. You also have the option to tailor the course to your needs and interests as you go, through a variety of specialised optional modules. Contact hours with tutors are variable dependent on the modules you choose.

You will benefit from our friendly team of clinical and non-clinical teachers and the strong relationship with our Graduate Entry Medicine and foundation year medical students who are also based at the Royal Derby Hospital.

We will give you the tools to succeed in your future career.

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Cell Structure and Function

Mandatory

Year 1

Infection and Defence

Mandatory

Year 1

Movement

Mandatory

Year 1

Study and Academic Skills

Mandatory

Year 1

Supply and Demand 1: Nutritional Supply and Demand

Mandatory

Year 1

Supply and Demand 2: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

Mandatory

Year 1

Supply and Demand 3: Renal and Endocrine Systems

Mandatory

Year 2

Contemporary Insights and Skills for Medical Physiology and Therapeutics

Mandatory

Year 2

Neuroscience

Mandatory

Year 2

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Mandatory

Year 2

Reproduction

Optional

Year 2

Cancer Biology

Optional

Year 2

Cardiovascular Diseases

Optional

Year 2

Respiratory Diseases

Optional

Year 2

Skeletal muscle in health and disease

Mandatory

Year 3

Personal and Professional Development

Mandatory

Year 3

Research Design, Research Methods and Statistics

Mandatory

Year 3

Research Project and Audit

Optional

Year 3

Ageing Systems Physiology

Optional

Year 3

The Cellular Basis of Disease

Optional

Year 3

Clinical Toxicology

Optional

Year 3

Rehabilitation and Long Term Conditions

Information Icon

About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Wednesday 19 June 2024. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

Teaching methods

  • Anatomy sessions
  • Case-based learning
  • Clinical skills sessions
  • eLearning
  • Lab sessions
  • Lectures
  • Practical classes
  • Problem-based learning
  • Prosection
  • Self-study
  • Small group learning
  • Tutorials
  • Workshops

Assessment methods

  • Case studies
  • Coursework
  • Dissertation
  • Examinations
  • Formative assessments
  • Lab reports
  • Literature review
  • Portfolio (written/digital)
  • Poster presentation
  • Practical write-ups
  • Presentation
  • Short project
  • Verbal exam
  • Website production

 

Medical Physiology and Therapeutics students have around eight to 17 hours contact time per week covering lectures, practicals, workshops, tutorials and seminars.

There are usually around four to nine lectures each week lasting around an hour or so. Contact hours are variable dependent on the modules you choose. 

Teaching is delivered through a mixture of in-person and online methods.  The majority of your teaching will be in person.   

Students are expected to spend around 20 to 30 hours per week on self-study.  

Class sizes are around 20 to 30 for practicals and tutorials and around 60 for lectures depending on the module. 

 

As a graduate you'll have obtained a broad range of skills valued by employers. Our students regularly go on to further study or jobs in areas such as:

  • research in medical and clinical sciences
  • medicine (via five-year medicine undergraduate courses or four-year Graduate Entry Medicine courses)
  • other healthcare graduate entry programmes like physician associates, midwifery, physiotherapy, radiography
  • Masters or PhDs in subjects like Public Health, Sports and Exercise Medicine, Cancer, Neuroscience, Molecular Biotechnology, and Infectious Diseases or the NHS Scientist Training Programme
  • physiologists
  • clinical perfusionists
  • clinical trials co-ordinators
  • technicians and technologists

 

Beyond biomedical sciences and the healthcare industry, graduates have also gone on to careers in areas including:

  • pharmaceutical sales
  • market research
  • data analysis
  • digital learning
  • management
  • public relations
  • finance and scientific communication

 

Students from the course have secured employment with a variety employers, including:

  • Ashfield Healthcare
  • Babylon Health
  • Basildon and Thurrock Hospital
  • Charles River Laboratories
  • DXW Digital
  • Glaxo Smith Klein
  • Illumina Biotechnology
  • Leeds General Infirmary
  • Nottingham City Hospital
  • Royal Derby Hospital
  • The Pharmacology Society

 

Average starting salary and career progression

96.50% of undergraduates from the school of Medicine secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £35,089.


HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017- 2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).

University undergraduate students studying in the Monica Partridge Building Digital Hub. Friday November 5th 2021.Khaqan Khan (red jumper); Megan Mahoney (blue top); Cole Pearce and Sara Bintey Kabir (yellow top).

Course data

Open Day June 2022