Program Overview

---

Pharmacy MPharm

Key information

Course type: Single honours Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time Required A-level: AAB Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements Duration: Four years Application status: Closed Start date: September 2025 Application deadline: 29 January 2025 Optional study abroad

Course essentials

We have designed our MPharm degree to provide an integrated course that combines pharmaceutical science with the practice of pharmacy. It will train you to deal effectively with change and the increasing complexities of the pharmacist's role. Our course adheres directly to the requirements and guidance of the professional regulatory body, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We teach the therapeutic use of medicines (professional practice) throughout the four years, and you will spend increasing amount of time on placements to consolidate this learning. Kings has an excellent reputation for inter-professional learning, and you will spend time learning alongside others, for example nursing, medical, dental and midwifery students.

Your first year will give you a grounding in the underpinning scientific principles needed by pharmacists’, as well as a sound introduction to pharmacy practice. Your second and third years will involve studying a series of modules that integrate the disease, drugs and clinical uses of medicines, as well as scientific modules specific to pharmacists. In your final year, you will study clinical decision-making, emerging therapeutics in modern medicine and undertake a substantial research project, which we hope you will publish.

As part of King’s Health Partners, we work closely with three of London’s major teaching hospitals - Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’. These hospitals are a unique training resource, offering you multiple locations for clinical placements and the benefit of expert teaching from staff at the hospitals.

During the course, you will also have the opportunity to study abroad for the first semester of your fourth year. Our partner institutions currently include: Universität Wien, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Universita degli Studi di Bologna, Universita degli Studi di Padova “Il Bo”, Paris Descartes University, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Universiteit Utrecht, Göteborgs Universitet - Sahlgrenska Academy, University of São Paulo (USP), University of Auckland, University of Pittsburgh, Universiti Sains Malaysia, University of Hong Kong.

Base campus

Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Special features

Optional study abroad

On this programme, you will have the opportunity to apply to study abroad, supported by the Study Abroad Tutor in your department and King’s Global Mobility Office. Together with partner organisations around the world, you will be supported in navigating your international, educational journey, developing new skills and competences and learning to apply different perspectives to your chosen discipline.

Find out more about Study Abroad

Course accreditation

General Pharmaceutical Council

Regulating bodies

General Pharmaceutical Council

Entry requirements

Subject requirements

Required subjects:

• A-level (or equivalent) grade A and B in Chemistry and one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (in any order)

Preferred subjects:

• None

A-Levels

Required grades:

• AAB

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

Must include grade A and B in Chemistry and one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (in any order)

Contextual A-Level information

ABC

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.

Must include grade A and B in Chemistry and one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (in any order)

International Baccalaureate Diploma

35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels.

Must include grade 6 and 5 in Higher Level Chemistry and one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (in any order).

Contextual International Baccalaureate information

32 points overall or an aggregate score of 15 from three Higher Levels.

Must include grade 6 and 5 in Higher Level Chemistry and one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (in any order).

You will also need:

GCSEs: GCSE grade 6/B in both English Language and Mathematics is required.

Alternative accepted qualifications

• Access to HE Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

Standard requirements

The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total.

Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 33 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Chemistry awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits awarded at Distinction in one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science, or similar - to be considered.

Contextual requirements

Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 30 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit, and 3 at Pass. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Chemistry awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits awarded at Distinction in one from Biology, Mathematics or Physics. The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science, or similar - to be considered.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

Select a country to view the equivalent international qualifications.

English language requirements

English language band: B

Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test. For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection process

Age restrictions

King’s is only able to accept applicants who will be 18 years of age on 1st January on the first year of the MPharm programme. This is due to a minimum age requirement for placements. Applicants who will not be 18 by the 1st January of the first year of the degree, should submit an application the following year.

Criminal conviction disclosure

Due to the nature of this programme, UCAS requires all applicants to declare on their UCAS application if they have any spent or unspent convictions, cautions or reprimands. All offers of a place, and continued enrolment, are made subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly Criminal Records Bureau) check.

Contextual consideration

We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements. As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.

Deferrals

Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application.

If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request.

Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military
ational service.

Foundation courses

Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions.

We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.

Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your qualification, such as a list of modules and course specifications.

The King's International Foundation Programme has guaranteed pathways available for progression onto our King's undergraduate degree programmes, and information can be found on the website.

Graduates

Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application.

Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive.

Where a programme has subject requirements, these will still need to have been met. If you have not met the subject requirements via A-level (or equivalent) then we may be able to consider the content within your degree. We would be looking for significant study of the subject across the degree programme with a 2:1 or above grading on those modules.

Once you have submitted an application, the Admissions Office may contact you via King's Apply to ask for further details on your degree study.

Interviews

Interviews are an essential part of the assessment process, and our interviewers are assessing communication skills, exploring general social and ethical issues, normally health related, and assessing the interviewee’s general suitability for the programme and as a health professional, as well as how the interviewee will contribute to the university as a whole.

Those applying this year will be invited to an interview with a member of staff to take place online on Microsoft Teams. The interview will be 30 minutes in duration and will be recorded for quality assurance and review purposes. At the beginning of the interview session, you will be required to confirm your identity by showing a valid form of ID, for example your passport, full or provisional driving licence, or student ID card to the interviewer by holding this up to the camera. The interviewer will then ask you a series of questions focussing on your motivation to study pharmacy, numeracy skills, experience and communication skills, as well as your values and judgement in relation to a situational scenario. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions toward the end of the session.

Following your interview, your marks will be used alongside your personal statement and academic qualifications to decide on whether an offer will be extended to you for a place on the MPharm programme. The admissions tutor or other members of the admissions team reserve the right to review the video-recording of your interview to check for consistency and where a query arises, for example if a decision is made to decline an offer based on your interview.

We operate a “fit-to-sit” policy for interviews, therefore, we are unable to take into account mitigating circumstances for the interview performance. If there are any issues within the interview which you consider affected your performance, you should ensure these are raised with the Admissions team.

Occupational Health clearance

Due to the nature of this programme, all offerholders will be required to complete the Occupational Health Clearance process. Once your application is firmly accepted, the application will be set-up for the Occupational Health Clearance checks. Information is usually sent out by the end of May/early June. Occupational Health Clearance is a requirement for enrolment onto our MPharm programmes.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement should demonstrate a clear commitment to pursuing a career in Pharmacy. It is your opportunity to make yourself stand out and to outline why you would be a strong candidate for our MPharm programme. We are looking for students with a firm commitment both to study the subject of Pharmacy and the Pharmacy profession. We can consider Medicine and Dentistry personal statements but as Pharmacy is a unique, professional programme we would still be looking to see evidence of your aptitude for study of Pharmacy and your potential as a Pharmacist.

We look for applicants with an enthusiasm for scholastic activities in general such as reading, debating, theological interests etc. Participation will be valued but achievement in these areas of interest will also be recognised. We look for applicants who have participated as fully as possible in school, college or community life, making the most of the opportunities available to them and also those who have demonstrated some experience of society beyond their immediate environment. We look for applicants who have varied extra-curricular interests and enjoy active participation in areas such as sport, music and the arts in general. Participation will be valued but any achievement in extra-curricular activities will also be recognised. King’s aspires to recruit applicants who will continue with their personal interests and contribute to the vitality of the College community. Although we do not require applicants to have any paid or voluntary work experience, we welcome applications from those with any work experience.

Resits

We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.

Transfers

Transfers into this programme are not permitted.

Teaching & structure

Teaching methods - what to expect

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Self-Study

Across the four years of the course, an average of 20% of time is spent in lectures, seminars or similar. The number and type of contact hours vary according to each module. Students have access to a module database, which details number and type of contact hours for each module.

A significant proportion of your scheduled learning time (up to 30%, depending on the year of study) will be experiential learning (clinical simulations or placements in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy or GP practice).

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Clinical placements are located in London and South East England. The School of Bioscience Education offers you unrivalled education resources, including modern, well-funded teaching facilities. You can read more about specialist facilities here.

Assessment

• Coursework
• Written/Practical Examinations

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include coursework, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and examinations. Coursework contributes 40% and examinations amount to 60% to your final module mark. OSCEs and other forms of assessments (e.g. pharmaceutical calculations) do not contribute to module marks, but must be passed in order to progress in the programme.

Regulating Body

King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 480 credits. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Required modules

Science Underpinning Practice: Principles of Pharmacy

You are required to take:

• Biochemical Basis of Therapeutics (30 credits)
• Principles of Clinical Care (30 credits)
• Science of Medicines (30 credits)
• Chemistry of Drugs (30 credits)
• Core Competencies - MPharm Year 1 (0 credits)

Optional modules

There are no optional modules for Year 1.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Careers

Employability

Pharmacy is a rewarding, well paid, secure career with opportunities to contribute to the health and well-being of the nation.

Pharmacists are experts on the discovery, development, manufacture and supply of medicines. In addition to making sure medicines are safe and helping patients get maximum benefit from them, pharmacists provide advice on staying healthy and dealing with minor ailments. Practising pharmacists are an important part of the healthcare team that also comprises doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians and others.

Traditional settings for pharmacists to practice have included in the community, in hospitals’ and in the pharmaceutical industry. Exciting developments now include pharmacists working in GP practices, in A&E departments and in care homes to ensure medicines use across the healthcare system is safe and effective.

The vocational nature of the MPharm degree, combined with the permanent demand for qualified healthcare professionals both in Great Britain and abroad, means that there are exceptionally high graduate employment rates for MPharm graduates. The career and salary prospects are attractive, as are the opportunities for part-time work. Almost all pharmacy graduates undertake the one year pre-registration training programme; the majority in community practice or hospitals, with the remainder employed in industry or pursuing postgraduate studies.

Pharmacists are expected to continue learning and developing throughout their careers.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

Full time tuition fees UK:

The UK tuition fee for the academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.

Full time tuition fees International

The International tuition fee for the academic year is £31,600 per year.

Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King's.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

• Books if you choose to buy your own copies
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
• Library fees and fines
• Personal photocopies
• Printing course handouts
• Society membership fees
• Stationery
• Graduation costs
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses

You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling. If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying).

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.