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Course starts: 16 September 2024Apply now
Play a vital role in improving the health of patients. Become an expert in the design, development and therapeutic use of medicines. Graduate and develop a fascinating and rewarding career, both holistically and financially.
Our highly-regarded Pharmacy course begins with a broad overview of the fundamental pharmaceutical and biological sciences. You will develop more specialised knowledge and skills in medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, therapeutics, clinical management and patient-focused clinical skills.
The course lasts four years and you will graduate as a Master of Pharmacy. The MPharm is the only undergraduate qualification in the UK which leads to professional registration as a pharmacist which is a key worker profession.
Lectures cover key principles and are delivered by experienced and research active academics in the field. You will also learn in small seminar groups, practical laboratory classes and dispensing classes.
Assessment methods include examinations, time constrained tests (some web-based), assignments, essays, reports and presentations.
Over the past 100 years we have produced tens of thousands of pharmacy heroes who have gone on to offer expertise, support and assistance to people in all corners of the world.
Find out about some of their careers
Kathryn Davison, Team Leader for Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Therapeutics, explains everything you need to know about your foundation training year.
Discover more about foundation training Pharmacy
You may think the career paths for a pharmacy graduate are limited. High street chemists, hospitals, and the industrial pharmacy sector are common destinations, but did you know this course gives you a lot of transferable skills, so there’s a huge range of other sectors where pharmacy graduates are highly valued? Here are five careers you may never have thought about before...
Find out what else you can do with a Pharmacy degree
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade - SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or higher with Grade 12 Chemistry and one other science (or Maths) at grade C or above |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
A Levels must include Chemistry and one other science subject at Grade B or above excluding General Studies.
We accept T Level Science only with an overall grade of Merit or Distinction.
We accept Access to Higher Education Diploma which must include Distinctions in Chemistry and one other science.
If English is not your first language, you should have an IELTS (or equivalent) score of at least 7.0, with a minimum of 6.5 in each band.
All offers are subject to interview, this includes a multiple mini-interview (MMI's) consisting of situational judgment tests/ scenarios where you are assessed on how you would react in a certain situation and a numeracy assessment.
Students studying a health or social care course, that has a placement within the NHS or any other Care Quality Commission establishment, are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Find out more in our Help and Advice article.
The annual fee for this course is:
*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area), and Swiss nationals who do not qualify for the EU Settlement Scheme are classed as international, however, for 23/24 admission you will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the home tuition fee rate for the duration of your studies. The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
Many of our students go on to work in Community Pharmacy, Primary care, Secondary care, and Industrial pharmaceuticals, or progress on to research degrees.
Financial rewards compare favourably with most other professions. Typical starting salaries for pharmacists range from £25,000 - £40,000 depending on sector, location, conditions of employment and experience. Currently, there is virtually no unemployment of qualified pharmacists.
On graduation as a Master of Pharmacy (MPharm), you will need to undertake a further year of postgraduate training after the end of the course to become eligible for registration as a pharmacist in the UK. We have never had an MPharm graduate who has not obtained a pre-registration placement and the University will support you in finding a position, however we are unable to guarantee one.
This one-year placement is known as the ‘pre-registration training year’ and involves you working under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist. We offer a support programme during the pre-registration year at Sunderland: Pharmacy pre-registration training programme.
On successful completion of the pre-registration training year, you will be required to pass the national registration assessment set by the General Pharmaceutical Council before you are eligible to start your career as a Pharmacist.
Although the MPharm is primarily a route to becoming a pharmacist, it can also open up many other career pathways where expertise in medicines is vital. Examples include pharmaceutical research and working in the Research and Development industry.
We have well-established links with professionals working in all the main branches of pharmacy. Through these links we organise a programme of guest speakers who help you relate academic theory to current trends and issues.
Many of the staff teaching on this course are practitioners from hospital, community and primary care backgrounds. This ensures that our course is employer-led, and means that you will have regular contact with the ‘real world’ of the pharmacy profession.
I have had the opportunity to meet people with same ambitions in life who will forever be friends
This job really is a dream come true, I always hoped to eventually move into hospital pharmacy
The teaching enables you to work to an exceptional level in your role as a pharmacist
If you want to focus on developing your life skills and knowledge, then this is your destination.
I am looking forward to working in a community pharmacy
I don’t know how I would have coped without the support of my lecturers.
