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Studies & Degrees in Drug Research and Development

Drug research and development (R&D) is the work of turning a scientific idea into a medicine that patients can use. It covers the whole path of a new drug: finding a promising molecule in the laboratory, testing it for safety, studying it in people, having it reviewed by a regulator, and watching its safety after it reaches the market. The subject draws on chemistry, biology, pharmacology and medicine, and also on statistics, law and quality management.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) describes the process in five steps: discovery and development, preclinical research, clinical research, FDA review and post-market safety monitoring. Preclinical research means laboratory and animal testing to answer basic questions about safety. Clinical research means testing in people, in a series of trials that runs from small Phase 1 studies (20 to 100 participants) to large Phase 3 studies (300 to 3,000 volunteers, lasting 1 to 4 years). Courses in this field follow the same sequence: medicinal chemistry and drug design, pharmacology and toxicology, formulation, clinical trial design, and regulatory affairs.

Qualifications and levels

Drug R&D is mostly a postgraduate specialisation. Students usually start with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, biology or biomedical sciences and specialise at master's or doctoral level.

  • Bachelor's degrees. A first degree in a chemical or biological discipline is the normal entry route. The University of Copenhagen, for example, admits holders of other bachelor's degrees to its MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences if the degree includes at least 120 ECTS credits in chemical and/or biological disciplines. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) normally has 240 ECTS credits.
  • Master's degrees. Drug Innovation at Utrecht University is a two-year master's programme of 120 European credits, taught in English, on the improvement and management of small molecule drugs and biomolecular drugs. Its largest component is a research project of 51 credits, a nine-month internship in a research team. The MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Copenhagen is a two-year programme in which students can specialise in Drug Discovery, Drug Development, or Medicines and Society. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • United States. Graduate study is organised around the Master of Science and the PhD. Long Island University offers thesis and non-thesis options in the pharmaceutical sciences, including a Master of Science in Drug Regulatory Affairs and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Wayne State University describes its expertise as drug discovery, development and evaluation.
  • Doctorates. Independent research usually requires a PhD. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical scientists typically have a PhD, usually in biology or a related life science, although candidates sometimes qualify for positions with a master's degree and experience.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 10 active schools for drug research and development. Three are in the United States and two in the United Kingdom; Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Russia have one each. The list includes Long Island University, Wayne State University in Detroit and Bellevue College in the United States, the University of Sunderland and the University of London, Utrecht University, the University of Copenhagen and the Universitat de Barcelona.

English is the working language of the pharmaceutical industry and of many master's programmes outside English-speaking countries: Utrecht teaches Drug Innovation in English, and Copenhagen sets an English language requirement for its MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Tuition differs widely by nationality. Utrecht lists a statutory fee of €2,694 for Dutch and other EU/EEA students and an institutional fee of €25,306 for non-EU/EEA students for 2026-2027.

Careers

Graduates work in the research laboratories of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in universities and research institutes, in clinical research, in regulatory affairs and in drug evaluation agencies. Utrecht University reports that about 66% of its Drug Innovation graduates aim for a PhD programme, and lists research-intensive institutes, drug evaluation boards, government institutions and health care (industrial regulatory affairs, clinical research or policymaking) as non-academic options.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of medical scientists in the United States to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035. Its figures show that pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing employs 4% of them; research and development services, hospitals and universities are the larger employers.

Frequently asked questions

Which degree do I need to work in drug research and development?

Most people enter with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, chemistry, biology or a related science and add a master's degree. Leading independent research usually requires a PhD.

How long does a master's in drug development take?

Often two years. Drug Innovation at Utrecht University is a two-year programme of 120 European credits, and the MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences in Copenhagen also takes two years. In Spain official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

Can I study drug research and development in English?

Yes. Besides the universities in the United States and the United Kingdom, Utrecht University teaches its Drug Innovation master's in English.

What are the phases of a clinical trial?

According to the FDA, clinical trials run from early, small-scale Phase 1 studies to late-stage, large-scale Phase 3 studies. Phase 1 involves 20 to 100 participants and Phase 3 involves 300 to 3,000 volunteers who have the disease or condition.