Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) Programme

The Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a 4-year full-time programme that prepares graduates for a successful career in any healthcare setting. The programme emphasizes problem-solving, decision-making, critical and creative thinking, built upon a strong foundation of basic knowledge and skills.

Programme Structure

The programme is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitude to be lifelong learners and innovators who accept the responsibility of meeting the public's needs for safe, efficacious, and cost-effective medicine.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes a range of courses, such as:

• Faculty Package: Foundation Course for Health Sciences I and II
• Interprofessional Healthcare I and II
• Introduction to Pharmacy
• Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Anatomy and Physiology I and II
• Pharmaceutical Analysis
• Dosage Form Science I and II
• Principles of Pharmaceutical Dispensing
• Pharmacology and Therapeutics I, II, III, and IV
• Fundamentals of Herbal Medicines
• Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design
• Pharmaceutical Product Development and Manufacturing
• Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
• Pharmacy Law
• Contemporary Pharmacy Practice
• Clinical Assessment and Monitoring

Admission Requirements

Applicants who are inquisitive, creative, and collaborative and who welcome the challenge of applying science to bring innovative, cost-effective medicine to patients are encouraged to apply. The minimum admission requirements are stated as below:

JUPAS Admission Requirements

• 4 Core Subjects + 2 Elective Subjects
• Upper Quartile: 33.5
• Median: 32
• Low Quartile: 30.5

Non-JUPAS Admission Requirements

• Students are normally expected to have a GPA of at least 3.0 or a B equivalent from a highly ranked University.
• Academic results from high school may also be taken into consideration.

Experiential Learning

A key component of the BPharm curriculum is experiential learning, which allows students to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world pharmacy practice. Experiential learning encourages a deeper understanding of pharmacy and contributes to the student's own personal and professional development.

Student Placement Opportunities

CUHK School of Pharmacy has built a network of over 50 partnering sites across the 18 districts of Hong Kong. Our sites include a wide range of pharmaceutical industries from manufacturing to distribution to direct patient care settings.

Pharmacy Clerkship

In the final year of their studies, students may choose to participate in our signature Pharmacy Clerkship program, which highlights the CUHK Pharmacy curriculum and transforms our students into competitive graduates.

Student Exchange

The CU Pharmacy International Exchange program offers an intensive and immersive learning experience of international pharmacy practice. The program provides attachments in various specialty areas, such as Community Practice Management, Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Organ Transplant, etc.

Partner Institutions

• Queensland University of Technology, Australia
• University of British Columbia, Canada
• China Pharmaceutical University, China
• Fudan University, China
• Sichuan University, China
• Southern Medical University, China
• Sun Yat-sen University, China
• United Family Healthcare, China
• Wakayama Medical University, Japan
• Korea University College of Medicine, Korea
• University of Arizona, USA
• University of California San Diego, USA
• University of Illinois Chicago, USA
• University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA
• University of Southern California, USA
• University of Toronto, Canada
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

Scholarships and Prizes

The School of Pharmacy offers various scholarships and prizes to students, including:

• Jacobson Admission Scholarship
• Viatris School of Pharmacy Scholarship
• Monica Y M Leung Academic Exchange Scholarship
• Viatris Academic Exchange Scholarship
• Bright Future Leading Scientist Scholarship
• Bright Future Research Excellence Scholarship
• D.H. Chen Foundation Scholarships
• Fortune Pharmacal Lai Yung Kwoon Foundation Scholarships
• HKPMA Best Improvement Award
• Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry Scholarship
• Jacobson Undergraduate Fellowship
• Kong E Suen Memorial Scholarships
• Mannings Future Pharmacist Scholarship
• Mannings Pharmacy Practice Subject Prize
• Pfizer Scholarships
• Pharmacists Connect Scholarship
• Sally Ng Ho Scholarship
• SHPHK Outstanding Performance Award
• The Pharmaceutical Society of Hong Kong Scholarship
• Wei Lun Foundation Scholarships for the Faculty of Medicine

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete four years of full-time study for graduation and one additional year of internship to be qualified as registered pharmacists. In their final year of study, students will have training in Research or Pharmacy Clerkship.

Future Career

The goal of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program at CUHK is to provide our graduates with the core knowledge, skills, and attitude to flourish in any career setting. In general, our graduates are attractive to the employers in all sectors of pharmacy practice, including:

• Hospital Pharmacist
• Pharmacist in Teaching and Research
• Non-government Organization Pharmacist
• Public/Private Clinic Pharmacist
• Pharmaceutical Industrial Pharmacist
• Government Pharmacist
• Retail Community Pharmacist

Alumni Sharing

The School of Pharmacy has a strong network of alumni who have gone on to successful careers in various fields. Some notable alumni include:

• Jason Chan (2023 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Tiffany Chow (2023 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Harmony Wong (2023 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Isabella Fan (2022 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Hazel Poon (2022 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Steven So (2022 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Timothy Wong (2021 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Jonathan Poon (2021 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Jeffrey Kuong (2021 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Jacky Goh (2021 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Joanna Ho (2020 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Sara Chiu (2020 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Emily Ip (2020 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Alfie Chan (2020 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Yuki Cheng (2019 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Reeman Chu (2019 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Ivan Leung (2019 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Louisa Li (2019 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Cherry Wong (2018 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Brayden Chan (2016 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Alex Wong (2016 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Florence Ma (2012 CUHK BPharm Graduate)
• Ms. Helen Ho (2004 CUHK BPharm Graduate) - Director of Pharmacy in CUHK Medical Centre
• Mr. Terry Chui (2005 CUHK BPharm Graduate) - General Manager - Operations, Fortune Pharmacal Co., Ltd.
• Ms. Cindy Ko (2007 CUHK BPharm Graduate) & (2014 CUHK PMQ Graduate) - Head of Quality & Head of Chai Wan Operations, Fortune Pharmacal Co., Ltd.
• Dr. Sophia Fong (2009 Graduate) & Dr. Eric Wong (2007 Graduate)
• Mr. Twinny Chow (2016 Graduate)
• Ms. Karen Cheung (2004 Graduate)
• Mr. Michael Yim (2000 Graduate)
• Mr. Philip Chiu (1999 Graduate)
• Ms. Connie Kong (1998 Graduate)
• Prof. Kenneth To (1997 Graduate)
• Mr. Freddie Poon (1995 Graduate)