"Students should be studying because they love their discipline" and "Degree courses are there to provide an appropriate workforce". Each of these statements has its adherents, but it is generally appreciated that degree courses supported by the tax payer should contribute to the provision of a well-qualified and creative workforce that can make a contribution to wealth generation and the economic future of a country. Pharmacology graduates have made an outstanding contribution to the success of the international pharmaceutical industry, which employs more than 1.5 million people, has made an enormous contribution to the overseas earnings of some countries and has improved the human situation by developing effective treatments for major diseases. Graduate-level pharmacologists have traditionally originated from medical and pharmacy courses, and (especially in the United Kingdom) from specialist pharmacology degrees that have recently expanded substantially. Pharmacology courses that used to enrol 8–15 students now enrol 50–100 per year; more universities provide pharmacology degrees, and combined pharmacology degrees have been extensively developed. There is no shortage of graduates who have pharmacological training. The question is more whether they meet the needs of their employers.