Program overview
Pharmacology is, simply put, the study of how drugs work in the body. You'll learn how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted, as well as how they affect the functions of cells and organs. Core courses include molecular pharmacology, clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, medicinal chemistry, and more. Lab work takes up a significant portion of the curriculum — you'll get hands-on experience with animal experiments, cell experiments, and even computer simulations of drug actions. This major is ideal for students who are interested in both biology and chemistry, enjoy hands-on lab work, and have the patience to analyze data. If you're curious about why aspirin relieves pain or why anticancer drugs have side effects, then pharmacology is for you. Chinese universities have strong research capabilities in pharmacology, such as Peking University, Fudan University, China Pharmaceutical University, etc., with advanced laboratories and extensive international cooperation projects. Many advisors focus on the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine and innovative drug development, which offers international students a unique learning opportunity — you can experience the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern pharmacology.