Department Student Resources (Pharmacology)
Getting advice
Students presently studying in, or intending to study in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, should contact the following people for advice about course planning and other course-related issues:
Honours Co-ordinators
A/Prof Christine Wright and Dr Elena Schneider
Email: pharm-honours@unimelb.edu.au
Academic Program Co-ordinators
Associate Professor James Ziogas
Email: jamesz@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Graham Mackay
Email: gmackay@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 3932
Useful Links
Majors administered by Pharmacology and Therapeutics
A Major consists of 50 points of third year subjects in a defined area. All students enrolled in a BSc or BBiomedicine are required to complete a major. A major may have compulsory (core) subjects and additional subjects chosen from a list of electives. In planning your path to a Major, please pay attention to prerequisites for core and elective subjects. Prerequisities will have to be completed prior to undertaking the major.
- Pharmacology: The handbook entry for the Pharmacology Major can be accessed here.
Subjects Administered by Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- PHRM20001 Pharmacology: How Drugs Work. Semester 2. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM30002 Drugs Affecting the Nervous System. Semester 2. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM30003 Drug Treatment of Disease. Semester 1. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM30008 Drugs: From Discovery to Market. Semester 2. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM30009 Drugs in Biomedical Experiments. Semester 1, Semester 2. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM40001/PHRM40006 Pharmacology Research Project. Semesters 1 & 2. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM40002 Advanced Topics in Pharmacology. Semester 1. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
- PHRM90002 Pharmacology for Health Professionals. Semester 1. The handbook entry for this Subject can be accessed here.
Further information
Prospective PhD Candidates
The Handbook entry for PhD - Science can be found here.
The Handbook entry for PhD - Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences can be found here.
FMDHS Study Hub
Specific information for prospective PhD candidates including Course Description, Degree Structure, Entry Requirements and an Enquiries page.
Prospective MPhil Candidates
The Handbook entry for MPhil - Science can be found here.
The Handbook entry for MPhil - MDHS (Biomedical Sciences) can be found here.
FMDHS Study Hub
Specific information for prospective MPhil candidates including Course Description, Degree Structure, Entry Requirements and an Enquiries page.
Select an Area of Research you are interested in
A note on nomenclature: some Departments in the School refer to their graduate researchers as RHD students (Research Higher Degree) by which they mean PhD or MPhil students.
Your choice of research project/topic is critical because this is something you will study and research intensively over the next 2 - 3 years. It should be something that really interests you because you will need to sustain that interest for the duration of your research and the final writing of the thesis.
The following will assist you in your choice:
- Check the contents of the Research Project Booklets of the Department of your choice;
- Although these projects are primarily for Honours and Masters students, some Departments in the School also list projects available for RHD students;
- The Research Project Booklet will give an idea of the scope of research within a Department and will also provide valuable insights into the focus of research within the Research Groups;
- The Booklet will also show the supervisors for each of the projects and their contact details;
- The contents of the project booklet are updated in mid September each year.
- Narrow your focus to one or two research projects. Supervisors often include a short reading list following the description of the project. Make sure you read these;
- Have a really close look at your potential supervisor's research pages on the Departmental site, particularly any projects closely related to the one(s) that you have chosen;
- Check their recent publications which will be listed on their research pages or on their 'Find an Expert' pages;
- Contact the supervisor and arrange to meet them to discuss the possibility of working in their Research Group on the particular project you have chosen. To get the most out of this meeting have ready a list of questions you can ask them about the research, their expectations etc;
- Contact other current graduate researchers in the same Research Group and find out more details about the research, what the supervisor is like to work for, what is the rest of the Research Group like etc. You will find their contact details on the Research Group or individual Project pages or in the Department Staff Directory;
- Contact anyone you know who has completed their PhD or MPhil/Masters and find out from them what were the most difficult aspects of their research, they may be able to give you valuable insights into the process.
Graduate Research Hub
This is a University Resource for graduate researchers. There is no specific Departmental information but the Hub does contain a wealth of information and contacts for graduate researchers including a number of guides that include:
- Getting Started
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Being a Candidate
- Developing my skills
- Confirmation
- Making changes
- Preparing my thesis
- Examination
- Planning my future
- Getting support
Visit the Graduate Research Hub.
Current Honours & MBiomedSci Research Project Booklet
The Booklet details the research projects that are available for prospective Honours Students in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics for 2020.
Prospective PhD Students will find the Handbook useful as it gives an indication of the diversity of research within the Department and also has information about potential supervisors.
Departmental contacts
Academic Program Co-ordinators
Associate Professor James Ziogas
Email: jamesz@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Graham Mackay
Email: gmackay@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 3932
This project is only open to students enrolled in the MD course. The Scholarly Selective represent 56.25 pts of work in years 3 and 4 of the MD course. It is a research project that is examined by written report. In year three, you will identify a supervisor, plan the project and obtain the necessary ethics clearance. In year 4, you will spend half the year carrying out the research project and writing it up.
How to apply
The application process is yet to be finalised. However, students can make contact with potential supervisors in the department at any time to discuss the possibility of pursuing an MD Selective in their lab.
Projects available
Laboratories in any of the Departments in the School of Biomedical Sciences may offer projects for the Scholarly Selective. These will be adapted from existing projects from within the Research Group.
Contact Dr Justin Bilszta for further details:
Phone: +61 3 8344 7826
Email: jbilszta@unimelb.edu.au