Master of Drug Discovery and Development

Learn about drug discovery, design, and development from a professional research organisation with experience taking drug and industrial processes from the bench to the market.

Combine biological sciences with chemistry to develop the skills to target, design, synthesise, create, and assess new drugs. Learn how to identify drug targets and develop them into new therapeutics.

You can study courses to develop skills to protect intellectual property, assess the financial viability of drugs, and negotiate the path to pre-clinical and clinical trial processes.

If you have a strong background in chemistry—or relevant subjects like biochemistry, biomedical science, pharmacy, or pharmacology—the Master of Drug Discovery and Development is a good fit for you.

Get the postgraduate handbook

Fill in the form to find out more about your study options in our Wellington Faculty of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Handbook.

Download the handbook

Scholarships for international students

We are currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme. Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.

What you’ll learn

Learn about the development of approved drugs and the modern techniques used to optimise them.

You’ll learn aspects of drug development such as:

• handling chemicals on a large scale in a way that is safe, reliable, and robust
• the analytical methods used to characterise the drug process.

You’ll also learn about real-world issues facing pharmaceutical development.

Learn from leaders in the field

Academic and industry specialists teach your courses, giving you access to a wide range of real-world research and development expertise.

Learn from academics and professionals who have experience in successfully taking drugs to market and in the local and international biotech industry. Ferrier Research Institute teaches the programme in partnership with the:

• School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
• School of Biological Sciences
• Centre for Biodiscovery.

Get hands-on research experience

The MDDD gives you first-hand experience with the Ferrier Research Institute’s drug design and development research activities. You’ll work alongside the largest carbohydrate research team in the world, with more than 50 scientists.

The Institute also has its own manufacturing facility, where you can observe the drug-development process from discovery to product.

The programme links with the Centre for Biodiscovery, where you will interact with the wider University research community as they actively discover, design, and assess novel bioactive compounds.

Research topics

Be part of a dynamic and collaborative scientific research community. Past students’ research areas in drug discovery and development include:

• development of a new scaled-up catalytic process for a high-value fine chemical
• isolation and characterisation of a novel bioactive from a New Zealand marine organism
• formulation of a novel therapeutic for cancer immunotherapy.

Live and study in New Zealand’s creative, compact, and beautiful capital. With access to more scientific research organisations than anywhere else in New Zealand, you’ll be part of a thriving scientific community.

Future careers

Develop the broad skills you need to work in drug discovery in:

• companies
• universities
• research institutes
• drug regulatory authorities.

Graduates from this Master’s programme have had success in:

• commercial pharmaceutical drug development
• veterinary therapeutics
• patent assessment
• PhD-level research
• government research
• commercial organisations.

Scholarships

You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.

We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas.

• Postgraduate and doctoral scholarships
• Search scholarships.

Financial support

You can get support to stay on top of your finances by downloading our money management resources or by meeting with one of our student finance advisers.

We can show you how to manage your student loan or allowance, and help you sort out your budget. For students facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for support from the Hardship Fund. Depending on your situation, you might also be able to get government or community support. Talk to a student finance adviser Financing your study

Community

Become part of an active community of scientists. Postgraduate study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff, and future colleagues.

This programme gives you access to global industry leaders who visit as guest lecturers and run seminars with students.

The Postgraduate Students' Association can give you information about postgraduate study and provides a voice for you on campus.

Advance your expertise with PhD study

Once you’ve completed your MDDD, if you want to pursue an academic or research career, you’ll be eligible to apply for PhD programmes. Full-time candidates usually complete their PhD within three to four years, carrying out original and sustained research under supervision from world-class academics in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

As a PhD candidate, you’ll also be supported by the Faculty of Graduate Research.

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington offers three postgraduate qualifications in Drug Discovery and Development. Choose the one that suits your career goals, time constraints, and financial situation.

• Master of Drug Discovery and Development (MDDD)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Drug Discovery and Development (PGDipDDD)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Drug Discovery and Development (PGCertDDD)

If you begin by enrolling in the Certificate or Diploma programme, you can continue on to complete your Master’s. Or if you enrol in the Master’s but can’t finish it for whatever reason, you may have completed enough points to be awarded a Certificate or Diploma.

What you'll study

Each qualification includes the core courses DRGD 401 Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, and at least one of DRDG 402 Drug Design or CHEM 421 Organic Chemistry and Bio-organic Chemistry.

After that you'll choose from selected courses from the study areas of Drug Discovery and Development, Biomedical Science, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Clinical Research, and Microbiology.

Master of Drug Discovery and Development

You'll study for the Master's qualification in two parts over three trimesters.

In Part 1, you'll complete seven courses worth 120 points:

• two core courses
• four electives
• the 30-point course DRGD 580—Research Preparation.

In Part 2, you'll complete a full research project that builds on your findings in Part 1.