Designed specifically to meet the needs of the future pharmacist, this course will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to become a critical member of the healthcare team on the frontline of modern healthcare.

Throughout your studies, you will be taught the science underpinning the use of medicines, including physiology and anatomy of the human body, the effect of medicines on the human body, and how medicines are designed. Alongside this, you will be trained in clinical communications, problem solving, and decision making to ensure you have the skills to enjoy a rewarding career in pharmacy contributing to patient care.

With over five and a half million people in the West Midlands area, and a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds, your opportunities for contact with a wide range of patients and a variety of health conditions are exceptional. You will experience significant clinical placements in all four years of the course in primary care, community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy.

In addition to completing an MPharm Pharmacy degree, to become a UK-registered pharmacist you need to successfully complete a professional pre-registration year in a GPhC-approved practice setting and pass the GPhC’s professional competency examination. This pre-registration year, where trainees develop their practice to meet a number of performance standards, takes place in an approved practice setting under the supervision of a tutor and is the final step in becoming a UK-registered practicing pharmacist.

Our MPharm degree is fully accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain.

In 2019, the results of the National Student Survey (NSS) showed that 90% of our students were satisfied with the quality of teaching on the course.

 

First year

To start with, you will concentrate on fundamentals in the pharmaceutical sciences, including cell biology, physiology, and pharmacology, along with the basic principles of pharmaceutical chemistry, which underpin the formulation and synthesis of drugs. You will discover more about the pharmacy profession itself, covering areas such as the supply of over-the-counter medicines, pharmacy law, dispensing, and the pharmacist’s role in society and healthcare systems. Key aspects of information mastery and evidence-based medicine are also explored in this year.

Most of your learning takes place in a patient-orientated context supported by simulated scenarios. You will also have the exciting opportunity to experience the profession at first hand on placements in hospitals and primary care.

With over 70 outlets principally in the Midlands, we have exclusive relationships with two community pharmacies – Knights and Jhoots – who provide vital practice placement opportunities and provide essential work experience to help secure your pre-registration year.

You will also benefit from studying alongside students from Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Biomedical Science, which will prepare you for working in today’s interdisciplinary healthcare teams. 

 

Second year

You will continue to build on the scientific basics, but now you’ll start moving towards practical applications, such as the drug development process. Body-system-themed physiology and therapeutics modules focus on bringing together your understanding of basic physiology, pharmacology and clinical pharmacy. You will also explore the key principles of immunology and the concepts associated with the safe use of medicines, as well as developing evidence-based medicine skills.

Throughout the year, much of your studies will take place on clinical placements and as inter-professional learning with nursing, medical and other healthcare students.

 

Third year

During the third year you will complete your comprehensive, patient-orientated study of body systems, and there will be a substantial focus on clinical pharmacokinetics, toxicology and diagnostic skills. You will be introduced to advanced topics, such as pharmacogenetics, and there will be a continued emphasis on the pharmaceutical sciences, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical technology. You’ll learn about health information systems, pharmacoeconomics and policy, which will enable you to learn effectively in a healthcare setting.

As with previous years, there will be significant placement learning in a variety of multi-professional environments.

 

Fourth year

Your final year focuses on personalised patient care, advanced pharmacy services and the principles of prescribing. Therapeutics teaching draws on your previous studies of scientific and clinical concepts, with the aim of supporting you to deal confidently with complex patient cases involving composite medicines use. You’ll be able to practise your problem-solving skills through role play and simulated scenarios.

In this year, you’ll also be introduced to healthcare research methodology and undertake a substantial individual research project, which may have a laboratory-based scientific theme, or a professional or clinical focus in a healthcare environment. You can fulfil your own personal learning objectives by identifying an area of specialist pharmacy activity you wish to focus on.

In addition to completing an MPharm Pharmacy degree, to become a UK-registered pharmacist you need to successfully complete a professional pre-registration year in a GPhC-approved practice setting and pass the GPhC’s professional competency examination.

 

Institutional Accreditation 

University of Newcastle is accredited by the DETC Higher Learning Commission (DETC), www.detc.org.uk Since , University of Newcastle has been continually accredited by the DETC Higher Learning Commission and its predecessor.

Pharmacy MPharm

(4-year)

Course Level:

Undergraduate, Single Honours

Credits 

120

Course

CODE U516

How long it takes:

Undergraduate (4 Years)

Study Mode:

Distance learning/ Campus

Course cost

Price: US$20,220

Entry requirements

Find out more about

Department:

Newcastle Law School

Modules in the first year

To start with, you will concentrate on fundamentals in the pharmaceutical sciences, including cell biology, physiology, and pharmacology, along with the basic principles of pharmaceutical chemistry, which underpin the formulation and synthesis of drugs.

30 credits – The Professional Pharmacist 1
Non-credit bearing – Basic Life Support
20 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 1.1
30 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 1.2
20 credits – Chemistry for Pharmacists 1
Non-credit bearing – Professional Experience Placements 1
20 credits – Science of Medicines 1
Non-credit bearing – ePortfolio 1

 


Modules in the second year

You will continue to build on the scientific basics, but now you’ll start moving towards practical applications, such as the drug development process. Body-system-themed physiology and therapeutics modules focus on bringing together your understanding of basic physiology, pharmacology and clinical pharmacy. You will also explore the key principles of immunology and the concepts associated with the safe use of medicines, as well as developing evidence-based medicine skills. 

30 credits – The Professional Pharmacist 2
Non-credit bearing – Professional Experience Placements 2
20 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 2.1
30 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 2.2 
20 credits – Chemistry for Pharmacists 2
Non-credit bearing – ePortfolio 2
20 credits – Science of Medicines 2

 


Modules in the third year

You will now complete your comprehensive, patient-orientated study of body systems, and there will be a substantial focus on clinical pharmacokinetics, toxicology and diagnostic skills. You will be introduced to advanced topics, such as pharmacogenetics, and there will be a continued emphasis on the pharmaceutical sciences, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical technology. You will learn about health information systems, pharmacoeconomics and policy, which will enable you to learn effectively in a healthcare setting.

30 credits – The Professional Pharmacist 3
10 Credits – Research Methods 
20 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 3.1
30 credits – Health, Disease and Therapeutics 3.2 
30 credits – Science of Medicines 3 
Non-credit bearing – Professional Experience Placement 3
Non-credit bearing – ePortfolio 3

 


Modules in the fourth year

Your final year focuses on personalised patient care, advanced pharmacy services and the principles of prescribing

60 credits – Integrated Pharmacy Practice 
Non-credit bearing – Professional Experience Placements 4
40 credits – Research Project
Non-credit bearing – ePortfolio 4
10 credits – Professional Experience Elective
10 credits – Business and Pharmaceutical Enterprise

Entry requirements

 

Applicants should normally have one of the following:

  • A non-law bachelor’s degree (from a UK university or recognised by the BSB if you wish to study the BPTC), or
  • A ‘stale’ law degree, where five or more years have elapsed since graduation, or
  • An academic or professional qualification at degree equivalent level

If English is not your first language, you will also need to demonstrate your English Language proficiency. For example, you should have IELTS 7.5 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components.

If you intend to become a Solicitor

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has reduced its requirements for pre-authorisation this year. For details of the current arrangements, see the SRA website. You should pay special attention to the Character and Suitability section. If you think you may have a character or suitability issue, you may wish to clarify with the SRA before proceeding with the GDL.

See further details of our English Language requirement

USA,UK & EU students, 2019/20 (per year)

£8,500

International students starting 2019/20 (per year)

£13,100

 

Assessment

You’ll show your progress through a combination of written essays, problem-solving assignments and presentations.

All students take our core modules, but please note that the availability of optional modules is subject to demand.

Though most qualified pharmacists go on to work in healthcare settings, mainly community pharmacies and hospitals, there’s a wide range of career opportunities you could consider in, for example, the pharmaceutical industry, academia, government and regulatory bodies, and healthcare informatics.

In addition to completing an MPharm degree, to become a UK-registered pharmacist, you need to successfully complete a professional pre-registration year in a GPhC-approved practice setting and pass the GPhC’s professional competency examination.

Pharmacists have a unique mix of scientific and professional knowledge which makes them the healthcare experts on medicines and their effective use. 

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CV’s and job applications will help give you the edge. In addition, our employer-endorsed award-winning Personal Skills Award (PSA) recognises your extra-curricular activities, and provides an accredited employability programme designed to improve your career prospects.

We also offer voluntary work which complements your studies by helping you gain practical experiences in occupational settings while contributing back to society. This can bring new skills that will be useful throughout your future and can make a positive impact on your learning whilst at university. Volunteering enables you to develop skills such as communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork, self-confidence and self-discipline all of which can be transferred into your studies.

    

Professional Accreditation

Our 4-year MPharm degree is fully accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain. They are responsible for defining the education and training requirements for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.