Fundamentals of Pharmacology
UndergraduateUSA-HLTH20552025
Course information for 2025 intake
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 30 Mar 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 10 weeks
- Start dates
- 7 Apr 2025,
- 22 Sept 2025
- Price from
- $2,300
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Fundamentals of Pharmacology
About this subject
By the end of this 10-week course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the pharmacological principles of drug action.
- Describe the pathophysiology of common disorders, and describe the mechanism of action of the drug(s) used in these disorders.
- Explain how the mechanism of action is related to the beneficial and adverse effects of the drugs used to treat the disease states discussed in this course.
- Predict and describe the consequence of some basic drug interactions.
- Introduction to Pharmacology
- The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
- Asthma & COPD, Hypertension, and Heart Failure
- Blood lipids, Arrhythmias, and Blood Coagulation
- Inflammation and Pain
- Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, and Diabetes
- Osteoporosis and Endocrine System
- Epilepsy and Antibiotics
- Depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s
Unlock the fundamentals of pharmacology and its practical applications with our course.
Understand the core principles of pharmacology, including the action of drugs and their role in modifying the pathophysiology of common disorders. Explore the types of drug molecules, drug targets, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics, and learn about mechanisms of toxicity and drug interactions.
Gain insights into the most significant drugs affecting various body systems, including the circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, immune, peripheral, and central nervous systems, as well as those used in treating infections and cancer.
This is a second-year course from UniSA Online’s Health Science degree. When studying this course as a "single subject", prior knowledge from BIOL 1053, BIOL 1052 or equivalent will support your success.
Delivered 100% online, you’ll be able to study where and when it suits you. Access online academic and student support seven days a week, fit study around work and life commitments, view learning resources 24/7, and log in to the interactive online environment anywhere, any time and on any device.
Should your course have an exam it will be scheduled for Australian Central Standard Time or Australian Central Daylight Time, depending on the time of the year.
- Test/Quiz(s) (50%)
- Presentation (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Students must be aged 17 or older by the time teaching commences for their course of study, in accordance with UniSA’s Selection and entry to programs policy.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Why study a single subject?
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Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
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Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
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First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
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For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
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When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
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