MPharm in Pharmacy

Key facts

4 years full-time.

UCAS Code: B230

Typical offers:
A Levels: ABB in three A level subjects, including Chemistry and at least one other science subject. Additional AS and A levels are taken into account when making offers

IB: 34 points overall, including 6 points in Higher Level Chemistry and Higher Level Biology or Physics, 5 points in Higher Level Maths or 6 points in Standard Level Maths and 5 points in Standard Level English.

BTEC & other:

Three Distinctions in BTEC National Diploma in Applied Science (Forensic Science, Laboratory & Industrial Science or Medical Science) together with grade B in A level Chemistry.

Two Distinctions in BTEC National Certificate in Applied Science (Forensic Science, Laboratory & Industrial Science or Medical Science) or Pharmacy Services & NVQ level 3. With these qualifications we also require grade B in A level Chemistry and grade C in one other A level science subject.

AABBB in Scottish Highers, including chemistry, biology and maths.

Specific subject requirements:

A level: Chemistry, plus one from Biology, Maths or Physics. General Studies not accepted.

GCSE: English grade C, Maths grade B.

Tuition fees: £3,290 for UK/EU students (2010). More on fees

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Pharmacy virtual tour

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Key benefits

A modern pharmacy programme designed to meet the developing role of pharmacists in all branches of the profession (pharmacy, community, industry).
Fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Aston Pharmacy School established in 1918
Strong scientific basis integrated with professional studies throughout the programme.
Benefits from close links with local hospitals, community pharmacies, GP surgeries and pharmaceutical companies. Student work-based placements in all years of the programme.
Strong emphasis on professional studies and patient–oriented care
A reputation for high quality. 24/24 for Teaching Quality Assessment, and high student satisfaction ratings.
Research in the School ranked 3rd out of 63 universities in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)
Active and lively student pharmacy society, the APA

Course outline

The first year develops your knowledge of the basic scientific principles underpinning pharmacy. You will apply this knowledge to the dispensary and patient-based case studies to develop your patient-centred skills.

The second year extends your understanding of the pharmaceutical sciences - the chemistry of different drug

groups, their formulation into medicines, the pathology of major diseases and the pharmacological basis of therapeutics.

The third year completes your study of applied pharmacology and medicinal chemistry. You will learn how drugs can be delivered to the body, and how medicines are prepared and reach the market.

The theme of the final year is pharmaceutical practice. It focuses upon the clinical use of medicines and the use of medicines for individual patients. You will also complete an extended research project.

Subject guide & modules

Year 1

In the first year, you will develop the scientific knowledge which provides a basis for the pharmaceutical industry. You also start applying your knowledge to clinical situations that you might encounter in a community pharmacy. You will study:

Physiology (how the body works)
Cell and Molecular Biology
Pharmaceutical Calculations
Formulation of Liquid-based Medicines: How Medicines are Made
Drug Molecules, Mechanisms and Analysis (pharmaceutical chemistry)
Dispensing and Pharmacy Law and Ethics
Responding to Symptoms and Patient Care
Personal Development and Key Skills (effective learning, IT skills and career management.

Year 2

The second year builds upon your understanding of the pharmaceutical sciences and your clinical pharmacy skills. You will study:

Pharmacology and Therapeutics (how drugs work and therefore why they are used to treat disease)
Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Pharmacogenetics and Immunology
Structural Identification of Molecules
Biological Chemistry
Formulation of Solid Dosage Forms
Drug Development (how drugs get from discovery to the market place).
Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy (understanding clinical data, drug safety, clinical consultation skills)
Personal Development and Key Skills (itten and oral communication skills)

Year 3

In the third stage you will complete your study of pharmacology and therapeutics, of medicinal chemistry and of dispensing law and ethics. The research methods and statistics course will prepare you for your research project. You will study:

Pharmacology and therapeutics of drugs acting on neurological or psychiatric diseases
Chemotherapy and selective toxicity
Design of modified release formulations; biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics
Pharmaceutical technology and asepsis
Medicinal chemistry
Applied clinical skills: applying scientific knowledge to real patient cases
Pharmacy law and ethics, including dispensing
Personal development and Key skills: Research methods and statistics

Final Year

In your final year you will use and extend all the knowledge and skills you have developed in the previous years. You will develop confidence in applying your pharmaceutical knowledge to maximise individual patient benefit from treatment. You will also consider wider aspects of pharmacy such as evidence-based medicine and pharmaceutical public health.
You will study:

Advanced Drug Delivery and Targeting: Individualised Medicine
The Professional Pharmacist: Business, Risk Management and Law Update
Pharmaceutical Patient Care: Advanced Clinical Skills
Pharmaceutical Public Health
Evidence-based Pharmacy
Today’s Research, Tomorrow’s Treatments
Research Project
CPD (your professional development portfolio).

Learning, teaching & assessment

The course recognises different learning styles and provides a variety of learning opportunities, including

Lectures
Practical sessions
Interactive workshops and tutorials
Hospital and other clinical/practice placements
Group work and problem-based learning
Self-study courses
Computer-Aided Learning (CAL) e.g. clinical patient simulations.

A wide range of assessments linked to learning outcomes are also employed, including

Examinations
Portofolio
Essays
Practical reports
Project work
Computer based assessment.
Interactive clinical examinations (OSCEs)

You will be continuously assessed through the four-year courser – contributing to 40% of your final grade.

Placements

Each year of the course includes structured practise-based placements in local hospitals, clinics or pharmacies. These will provide you with invaluable professional experience.

Please note that students who enter placements in the NHS may be required to pay for CRB checks and occupational health checks.

Find out more about placement and pre-registration years in the Life & Health Sciences.

Professional accreditation

Our programme is accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for entry to their pre-registration programme leading to registration as a pharmacist.

Career prospects

Our degree programme has been specifically designed for employability in all areas of pharmacy – community, Primary Care Trusts, hospitals and industry. Aston’s long-established reputation and professional accreditation ensure that career prospects are first-class. For example, in 2007/8, 100% of our graduates gained graduate-level employment and pre-registration pharmacist places across the UK within six months of graduation. Major employers were Boots, Lloyds, Sainsbury’s and hospital-based pharmacies.

Personal development

Our course helps you develop the knowledge and skills needed to maximise your career prospects. Communicating with patients and fellow professionals is a crucial professional skill - you experience patient contact and engage in role-playing activities. IT skills are essential and we help you develop these in our up-to-the-minute IT teaching and learning suites and in our dispensary using specialist software packages.

You will develop a portfolio throughout your four years which helps you identify, plan for and record your personal and professional development.

Facilities & equipment

The MPharm utilises specialist laboratories, recently refitted to very high standards in a £3m upgrade project. In 2008 we opened a new fully computerised medicines management suite to support learning of modern pharmacy areas such as clinical care and prescribing.

Teaching staff

Aston Pharmacy School
Click here to access a list of MPharm teaching staff.

Further information

Email us.
0121 204 4101