MPharm Pharmacy with a Placement Year

Key details

MPHARM PHARMACY WITH A PLACEMENT YEAR

Start Year

2021

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Pharmacy

UCAS course code

B231

Entry Requirements

ABB

Duration (years)

Our five-year MPharm degree with Placement will see you graduate as a fully-qualified pharmacist on passing of the degree and the General Pharmaceutical Council pre-registration exam at the end of year 5. The first three years will be almost the same as the MPharm programme with only very subtle differences. In your fourth and fifth year, in addition to two semesters at University, you’ll undertake two integrated six-month periods of pre-registration placement training, which on successful completion will entitle you to register to practice soon after graduation. Designed with overseas students in mind, the course will enable you to carry out all of the above under a single student visa.

Our Pharmacy degree is designed to help you develop as both a scientist and a practitioner, with embedded practical and experiential learning throughout to optimise your development. You’ll get to work with patients, developing your clinical skills to maximise your employability after graduation.

About

Our five-year course has been designed as a modification to our four-year MPharm course, which has a global reputation for exceptional, innovative teaching, backed by world-class research.

Designed for international students, the first three years of this integrated course will largely follow the same structure as our four-year programme. In each of your final two years, however, you’ll undertake a six-month placement: one in a hospital setting and the other in a community pharmacy setting.

Our course structure means you retain your student status for the duration of your course, removing the need to seek a separate Tier 2 visa for pre-registration training after graduation.

During your five years you’ll focus on practical experience in both the lab and clinical settings, and cultivate professional skills on placements from the very beginning. So you’ll benefit from extensive real-world training, and start to build a professional portfolio before you have even graduated.

With support from leading researchers and practitioners, you’ll hone your knowledge of chemistry and biology, and learn how to apply it to drug design, drug delivery and pharmacology to ultimately optimise patient care. Our course covers everything to need to be a pharmacist including the following topics:

Disease causes, prevention and treatments
Drug design and discovery
Mechanisms of drug action
The science of medicine formulation
Improving patient care through medicines optimisation
Precision medicine
The role of the pharmacist
Professionalism and ethics
Preparation for the workplace

As well as exceptional training in the core requirements, you’ll cover a broad range of subjects integrating healthcare and science, enabling you to identify and specialise in the areas you find most interesting. And you’ll have opportunities to establish links with organisations where you might hope to secure future employment.

Whatever your focus, your course will reflect the most up-to-date developments in pharmaceutical science and the most recent advances in clinical practice and is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

This course is intended for international students that wish to become a registered Pharmacist in the UK. If you wish to register in your home country we recommend you check this course is acceptable for that purpose in your country. UK students should apply for our four-year MPharm programme (B230).

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Structure

Our five-year MPharm with Placement degree programme is carefully structured to cover a number of compulsory topics on essential pharmaceutical theory and methodology, plus completion of two six-month pre-registration training placements in line with the requirements of the GPhC.

Our Pharmacy degree is designed to help you develop as both a scientist and a practitioner, with embedded practical and experiential learning throughout to optimise your development. You’ll get to work with patients, developing your communication skills and maximising the benefits of every prescription. As well as developing your employability skills through professional development, you’ll be taught about clinical and pharmaceutical management.

Our course covers topics in an integrated way, centered around different diseases and clinical topics. Throughout your degree you will develop your skills through patient-facing experiences and placements. Some parts of your learning will be alongside other healthcare professionals, just like it would be in the workplace.

In Year 1 in the module Preparing to Become a Pharmacy Professional you will have an introduction to the different areas of pharmacy: the biology behind how drugs work (pharmacology), dosage form design (pharmaceutics), how medicines are designed and made (medicinal chemistry) and, patient care and the practice of pharmacy. Building from this the degree is taught around different clinical topics, starting first with hypertension, one of the most commonly treated clinical symptoms.

Teaching and Learning

Our course combines a variety of teaching methods, designed to help you make the most of your learning and your ability to perform the professional role of a pharmacist.

We promote active learning, with a large proportion of workshops, practicals and simulations designed to help you get to grips with applying your knowledge to deliver benefits to patients and the public.

You’ll work in small groups to solve problems, and teams to help you recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, and to support your development to becoming a healthcare professional.

We give you plenty of practice of the things you will need to do as a working Pharmacist from developing a portfolio to counselling a patient and preparing a care plan, everything is taught in context.

Independent study

The course is designed to give you space to reflect on the experiences to help you to maximise your potential. You’ll have opportunities to research, test and apply your knowledge in your own time, supported through tasks and activities delivered via our virtual learning environment.

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 2

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Structure

In Year 2 you will build on your knowledge in areas relating to the Management of Common Conditions such as:

Diabetes
Asthma
Infectious diseases
Cancer

You also start to develop your skills in pharmacy management, where you will work within a team to run a pharmacy within our dedicated dispensary suite.

In year two we’ll prepare you to attend a selection day at the start of year three, encompassing interviews and practical assessments with employers.A successful outcome will result in your pre-registration placements being allocated to you at this stage. If you are unsuccessful, you’ll be required to transfer to the four-year MPharm degree programme, and you will be responsible for securing your own pre-registration training position and the corresponding Tier 2 visa.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll work in small groups to solve problems, and teams to help you recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, and to support your development to becoming a healthcare professional.

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 3

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Structure

In Year 3 you will further develop your research and clinical skills in the module Person-Centered Medicine from Bench to Bedside where you will learn about:

You will also study a number of more specialised areas such as veterinary pharmacy and nutraceuticals. In addition to the clinical topics, you will take part in an exciting research project as part of a group where you will decide not only how to design, test and formulate a medicine, but also how best to counsel a patient who needs to take the medication.

You will also attend a number of lectures and workshops in preparation for your first six month pre-registration placement in Year 4, and you will undertake a week long orientation at your first placement site.

Teaching and Learning

Our course combines a variety of teaching methods, designed to help you make the most of your learning and your ability to perform the professional role of a pharmacist.

You’ll work in small groups to solve problems, and teams to help you recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, and to support your development to becoming a healthcare professional.

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 4

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Structure

In Year Four, you’ll undertake your first six-month pre-registration placement. On return to the university you’ll bring together everything you’ve learned and apply it to complex patient situations in the module Managing Complexity in Patient Care. You will also get to focus on the two pharmaceutical subjects that best reflect your strengths and interests in Advanced Topics.

Teaching and Learning

Our course combines a variety of teaching methods, designed to help you make the most of your learning and your ability to perform the professional role of a pharmacist.

You’ll work in small groups to solve problems, and teams to help you recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, and to support your development to becoming a healthcare professional.

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 5

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Structure

In your final year, you will study Clinical and Pharmaceutical Management in Practice. Also, under the supervision of an academic working at the cutting-edge of pharmaceutical science or practice, you will complete your final year research project. Research in the school of Pharmacy covers a wide range of areas including fundamental frontier science for health, age related diseases and development of next generation therapeutics. You will be able to specialise in:

Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology
Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Materials and Soft Matter
Patient Care
Innovations in Pharmacy Education

After completing your project you will undertake the second of your two pre-registration placements, after which you will graduate and become a fully qualified pharmacist, providing you have passed all of your associated modules and assessments, including the GPhC pre-registration assessment.

Teaching and Learning

Our course combines a variety of teaching methods, designed to help you make the most of your learning and your ability to perform the professional role of a pharmacist.

You’ll work in small groups to solve problems, and teams to help you recognise your own strengths and weaknesses, and to support your development to becoming a healthcare professional.

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Years 1 and 2 of the 5 year integrated MPharm course are exactly the same as those on the 4 year MPharm course.

Assessment for Year 2

We employ a range of innovative assessment methods based on the procedures you will use as a qualified pharmacist, including portfolio-based assessment and objective clinical pharmacy examinations.

We carefully select our assessment methods to:

Optimise student learning and development
Develop professionalism
Develop clinical decision making skills
Prepare students for professional and scientific practice

Support for assessment is central to our ethos. This is achieved through provision of:

Mock assessments and feedback for exams
Feedback on first drafts of course assignments
Drop in sessions to provide time to support students throughout the degree

Examples of assessment types include:

Short answer and multiple choice tests
Essays and laboratory reports
Pharmaceutical care plans
Objective structured clinical examinations
Professional development portfolios
Oral and poster presentations
Scientific paper writing
Staff and peer assessment

Compulsory Modules

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Entry Requirements

A Levels

ABB including Chemistry and a second Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics. Science A levels must include a Pass in the practical element

BTEC

DDM in Applied Science, or Applied Science (Medical Science) is acceptable. Excludes BTEC Forensic Science, BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services and BTEC Business Administration

Scottish highers

AAABB including Chemistry and a second Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics

Scottish highers advanced

BCC including Chemistry and a second Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics

Irish leaving certificate

3 subjects at H2 and 3 subjects at H3 including Chemistry and a second Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics

Access course

Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3, including 12 credits in Chemistry and 12 credits in a second Science from Biology, Physics or Mathematics

European Baccalaureate

75% overall including 7 in Chemistry and one other Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics

International Baccalaureate

32 points including HL5 in Chemistry and one other Science from Physics, Biology or Mathematics

GCSE offer

You are required to have Mathematics at a minimum of Grade B or Grade 5 or above and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.

Additional entry requirements

Applicants without traditional A levels e.g. those with Access or BTEC qualifications may be asked to complete a chemistry test at the University during the summer. Information concerning the content of the chemistry test will be made available to such applicants.

A-Level General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted.

If you do not meet the academic and/or English requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO University of East Anglia offers guaranteed progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:

International Foundation in Pharmacy Health and Life Science

DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE (DBS) AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CHECK

During your first semester, we ask that you apply for a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. In addition to your DBS check, if you have lived outside of the UK for a continuous period of 4 months or more within the last five years, you will also be required to complete and submit a police check, (from your home country if this is not the UK) or a Certificate of Good Conduct. A template for this is provided by the Student Disclosure Service when they begin your DBS check.

You will also be required, as are all UK pharmacy students, to sign up to a national "Code of Conduct for Pharmacy Students". You will also be required to review the "Student Fitness to Practice Policy and Procedures" which are developed to address any concerns about a student's fitness to practice, including issues relating to conduct and health in relation to patient safety and professional standards.

PLEASE NOTE: Non-completion of the DBS or Occupational health checks or an adverse DBS outcome may result in withdrawal from the programme.

Alternative Qualifications

UEA recognises that some students take a mixture of International Baccalaureate IB or International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme IBCP study rather than the full diploma, taking Higher levels in addition to A levels and/or BTEC qualifications. At UEA we do consider a combination of qualifications for entry, provided a minimum of three qualifications are taken at a higher Level. In addition some degree programmes require specific subjects at a higher level.

Students for whom english is a foreign language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):

IELTS: 7.0 overall (minimum 6.0 in all components)

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Please click here to see our full list.

If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:

Interviews

Applicants submitting UCAS applications that include a good personal statement and academic reference as well as a strong academic background will be invited to an interview. We will be in touch prior to the interview to arrange a suitable time.

Interviews will be held virtually with a member of academic staff from the School of Pharmacy. Please note that we do not disclose interview questions. Typically, we will look for you to demonstrate a good understanding of the course, your approaches to decision making, effective teamwork and a desire to help others.

The selection process is designed to help us choose students with the appropriate skills and attitudes to become excellent pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists.

Gap year

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.