Program Overview

---

Pharmacy - MPharm (Hons)

2025/26 Full-time Undergraduate course

Award:

Master of Pharmacy with Honours

Faculty:

Faculty of Life and Health Sciences

School:

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Campus:

Coleraine campus

UCAS code:

B230

Start date:

September 2025

With this degree you could become:

• Community pharmacist
• Hospital pharmacist
• General practice pharmacist
• Independent prescribers
• Industrial pharmacist
• Consultant Pharmacist

Graduates from this course are now working for:

• National Health Service
• Community pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Industry
• GP Federations

Overview

The MPharm programme at Ulster will provide you with an academically challenging and vocationally relevant pharmacy education and training.

Summary

The aim of the MPharm course at Ulster is to educate pharmacy students to a high standard in an environment of modern clinical relevance, thereby facilitating their immediate integration into a forward thinking, healthcare-based profession that practises clinical excellence and understands fully the pharmaceutical principles underpinning therapeutic application of drug substances.

About this course

About

The MPharm course at Ulster University, Coleraine is delivered by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences consistently ranked as one of the top universities for Pharmacy and Pharmacology in the UK.

Attendance

This is a 4 year full-time on-campus provision of the course.

Start dates

• September 2025

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The programme is taught as an integrated spiral curriculum, with the integration of science and practice elements being explicitly taught through a systems approach.

Modules

Year one

Professional Practice Skills 1 - Part A

• Year: 1
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an overview of pharmacy and the profession in the delivery of pharmaceutical care to patients; pharmaceutical calculations and numeracy; basic statistical methods and core mathematical techniques used in experimental reports and research, and to develop essential learning skills.

Professional Practice Skills 1 - Part B

• Year: 1
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an overview of pharmaceutical legislation and the profession in the delivery of pharmaceutical care to patients to optimise patient outcomes.

Science and Clinical Practice of Pharmacy - Foundations One

• Year: 1
• Status: C
• Description: This module provides an introduction to the physical, organic and inorganic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology and minor ailments.

Science and Clinical Practice of Pharmacy - Foundations Two

• Year: 1
• Status: C
• Description: The module is designed to provide an introduction to biological systems and the cells and macromolecules involved in these systems, the chemical processes underlying life and the role of pharmaceutical chemical sciences for the study and understanding of structures, properties and behaviour of drug molecules which will interact with these systems.

Year two

Professional Practice Skills 2

• Year: 2
• Status: C
• Description: To develop essential skills and understanding of the strategic context of pharmacy, and the application of standards and practice within pharmacy.

Central Nervous System (inc. Anaesthesia), Joints, Eye and ENT 1

• Year: 2
• Status: C
• Description: The module will develop knowledge and understanding of the modes of action of pharmacological agents implicated in the treatment of diseases of the central nervous system, joints and the eye.

Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Renal, Nutrition and Blood 1

• Year: 2
• Status: C
• Description: This module will provide the knowledge and professional skills required in the application of pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutics and pharmacology to the therapeutic use of medical products pertaining to cardiovascular, endocrine, renal, nutrition and blood systems.

Respiratory, Reproductive, Urinary Tract, Skin, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease 1

• Year: 2
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an understanding of physicochemical properties of drugs and excipients and how these contribute to formulation of medicines aimed for management of respiratory, reproductive, urinary tract, skin, gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Cancer, Infection and Immunology 1

• Year: 2
• Status: C
• Description: This module will provide the knowledge and professional skills required in the application of pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutics and pharmacology to the therapeutic use of medical products pertaining to the treatment of cancer, infection and immune disorders.

Year three

Professional Practice Skills 3

• Year: 3
• Status: C
• Description: To provide the skills and knowledge to prepare a scientific proposal through critical review and evaluation with the application of research governance and ethics.

Cancer, Infection and Immunology 2

• Year: 3
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an understanding of the principles underpinning the use of drugs in the treatment of cancer, infectious disease and disorders of the immune system.

Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Renal, Nutrition and Blood 2

• Year: 3
• Status: C
• Description: This module will also develop skills in critical thinking, communication, problem solving and both team and individual working, to enable students in their consideration of management of specific pathophysiologies from both a professional and patient point of view.

Central nervous system (inc. anaesthesia), joints, eye and ENT 2

• Year: 3
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an overview of and develop appropriate knowledge and skills for applying physicochemical principles and preformulation information in relation to centrally acting drugs.

Respiratory, Reproductive, Urinary Tract, Skin, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease 2

• Year: 3
• Status: C
• Description: To provide an overview of and develop appropriate knowledge and skills for applying fundamental physicochemical principles and preformulation information to the design and production of stable pharmaceutical dosage forms in relation to drugs / medicinal products used for respiratory, reproductive, urinary tract, skin, gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Year four

Professional Practice Skills 4

• Year: 4
• Status: C
• Description: This module will provide the, knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical public health in relation to the practice of pharmacy and develop the professional attitudes and skills necessary for prescribing practice.

Translational Medicine 1

• Year: 4
• Status: C
• Description: Translational medicine is about translating pharmaceutical research into practice - delivering the chemical entity to the patient in order to achieve a desired therapeutic outcome.

Translational Medicines 2

• Year: 4
• Status: C
• Description: Translational medicine is about translating pharmaceutical research into practice - delivering the chemical entity to the patient in order to achieve a desired therapeutic outcome.

Zoonoses and Public Health

• Year: 4
• Status: C
• Description: To provide students with a comprehensive, detailed and systematic understanding of the impact of zoonoses on public health and the role of government, local authorities and pharmacy practice on zoonoses prevention and monitoring.

Research Project

• Year: 4
• Status: C
• Description: This module provides experience in research philosophy, planning and methodology by relevant literature survey, and generation and evaluation of original data.

Business Practice and Commercial Awareness

• Year: 4
• Status: O
• Description: This module provides students with the fundamental principles of business practice, commercial awareness and staff management and the opportunity to critically evaluate these principles within the context and application of pharmacy practice.

Complementary Medicines

• Year: 4
• Status: O
• Description: This module provides students with the principles and background of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and its evaluation according to the principles of evidence-based practice.

Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology

• Year: 4
• Status: O
• Description: This module provides an introduction to the understanding of the formulation, characterisation, evaluation and application of novel pharmaceutical delivery systems based on nanotechnology.

Pharmacy Practice in the Republic of Ireland

• Year: 4
• Status: O
• Description: To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the legislative and practice requirements, and the organisational structures within which they will be working, for the practice of pharmacy in the Republic of Ireland.

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

A level

Grades AAB

A Level Essential Subjects: Chemistry required and one subject from Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Applied Science or Life and Health Sciences.

Applied General Qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science (RQF) (601/7437/7) - Award profile of DDD.

Irish Leaving Certificate

Grades H2, H2, H2, H2, H2 to include Chemistry and at least one other subject from Biology, Physics, Mathematics or Agricultural Science.

Scottish Highers

Grades BBBBB to include Chemistry and one subject from Mathematics, Physics or Biology.

Scottish Advanced Highers

Grades BBB to include Chemistry and one subject from Mathematics, Physics or Biology.

International Baccalaureate

Overall profile minimum: 28 points with 14 points at Higher Level to include 6 points in Higher Level Chemistry and 7 points from Higher Level Physics, Biology or Mathematics.

Access to Higher Education (HE)

Only science based courses are acceptable, specific modules will be required and must include Chemistry.

GCSE

For full-time study, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in English Language and Mathematics. Chemistry Grade C or Double Award Science Grade CC or above also required.

English Language Requirements

English Language minimum requirement for International applicants:

Academic IELTS overall 6.5, with speaking 6.5 and no other band score less than 6.0.

Careers & opportunities

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course are now working for:

• National Health Service
• Community pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Industry
• GP Federations

Job roles

With this degree you could become:

• Community pharmacist
• Hospital pharmacist
• General practice pharmacist
• Independent prescribers
• Industrial pharmacist
• Consultant Pharmacist

Career options

Following successful completion of the MPharm programme, graduates will enter a Foundation Training year, following successful completion of which they will be able to register as a pharmacist.

Professional Recognition

Accredited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for the purpose of registration with that body.

Accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in order to progress to pharmacist pre-registration training and then to register as a pharmacist.

Fees and funding

Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlement Status Fees

£4,855.00

England, Scotland, Wales and the Islands Fees

£9,535.00

International Fees

£17,010.00

Additional mandatory costs

Entry to the course is subject to a satisfactory medical check and also a criminal record check carried out through AccessNI. Students will be required to meet the costs of any vaccinations required and for the AccessNI checks. The current cost of an AccessNI Enhanced Disclosure is £33.

Students will be required to meet the travel costs of attending placements during the programme. Students will also be required to purchase required reading materials in the form of the BNF (annually) and Medicines, Ethics and Practice. Students will also be required to dress professionally for clinical and practice elements of the course - this will include purchasing scrubs/tunics for experiential placement.