Overview
Gain insight into the pharmaceutical advances of the future and learn how to use modern drug technology with this accredited MPharm (Hons) Pharmacy degree.
Practise using the skills and knowledge you learn under supervision from GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council) registered pharmacists and out in the field. Achieve valuable on-the-job experience with patients and the public on placements as you prepare for practice and independent prescribing.
Once you graduate, you'll need to complete a foundation training year in a pharmacy setting, and pass the registration assessment, to register as a Pharmacist with the GPhC. You could also go onto a career in areas such as drug development and formulation, and clinical trials.
Course Highlights
- Learn from qualified Pharmacists who have backgrounds in community and hospital pharmacy settings
- Practise applying your skills and scientific knowledge in a fully-stocked model pharmacy and in simulated consultation rooms, a care home, surgery and hospital wards
- Check and dispense real prescriptions, counsel patients on medicine use, respond to symptoms and undertake medical histories
- Study alongside students from other healthcare disciplines to get an understanding of all stages of the patient experience
- Take opportunities to get further pharmaceutical experience in settings such as GP surgeries and mental health hospitals
- Get support arranging your foundation training year after the course
Careers and Opportunities
Demand for qualified pharmacists is increasing. After completing the MPharm course, you can become a fully qualified pharmacist within a year if you successfully complete the foundation training and pass the GPhC registration examination (maximum three attempts).
Foundation training can be undertaken in one pharmacy setting or split across a variety of different settings – including communities, hospitals, and general practice. You can also secure foundation training in the pharmaceutical industry.
Our Careers and Employability Service can support you in applying for your foundation year training, helping with interview techniques and the application process. You'll get help, advice and support for up to 5 years after you leave the University.
As a fully qualified Pharmacist in the NHS, you'll usually start at the bottom of band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scale (£32,306 in 2021/22). As your NHS career progresses, you could reach band 9 as a chief pharmacist (£93,735–£108,075 in 2021/22).
The expanding responsibilities of pharmacists means you'll have many other job options at the end of the course. Areas you could work in include:
- drug development and formulation
- involvement with toxicity studies
- clinical trials
- marketing
- regulatory affairs
- medical writing
Recent graduates have gone on to work for organisations including:
- Novartis
- Reckitt Benckiser
- Boots
- Superdrug
- Goldchem
- Virgin Care
- Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
