Drug Discovery and Development MSc

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.

Student profile: Celina Worraker
“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

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: Youll 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.


Rankings and awards
86th in the world, QS World University Rankings 2026

Where this degree could take you
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



Career support
Top 10 most targeted for 10+ years by the UKs leading employers, The Graduate Market 2026, High Fliers Research
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.