PharmacyMPharm Honours

UCAS code B2304 Years

Printed from the web page above on 18/08/2018

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PharmacyMPharm HonoursUCAS code B2304 Years

This MPharm degree will equip you with theprofessional skills, scientific knowledge andclinical experience to become a caring, ethicaland effective pharmacist.

Pharmacists work in a variety of settings to provide essentialhealthcare services. Roles range from drug design andproduction to working in the community and the clinicalsetting.

This four-year degree focuses on developing your scientific,technical and communication skills so that you canconfidently pursue a career in this area.

It is a highly rewarding field and graduates of pharmacydegrees enjoy high employment levels.

Highlights of this degreeQuality and rankingStudy Pharmacy at Newcastle University and you will bejoining our world-renowned Faculty of Medical Sciences.

We have an international reputation for the quality of ourwell-established degrees in medicine, dentistry, psychologyand biomedical sciences.

Pharmacy at Newcastle ranks:

• top 125 – Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health category –Times Higher Education World University Rankings bySubject 2018

• top 200 – Pharmacy and Pharmacology category – QSWorld University Rankings by Subject 2017

Professional accreditation*This course has full accreditation from the GeneralPharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

The GPhC accredits and recognises Pharmacy coursesleading to pre-registration and then pharmacist registration.

After successful completion of your degree, you will need tocomplete one year as a preregistration trainee. After this,you can register with the GPhC and be allowed to practiseas a pharmacist.

*All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly bytheir professional body.

Becoming a pharmacistPharmacy is a highly varied profession with a number ofdifferent possible career paths open to graduates. Toregister as a pharmacist in the UK, you must complete theMPharm degree, a pre-registration training year and sit theregistration assessment. After registration, pharmacygraduates are highly sought after and are amongst the mostemployable professionals in the UK, with many opportunitiesto work internationally.

What you will studyOur MPharm degree will provide you with the practical skillsand knowledge base to effectively contribute to high-qualitypatient care, whichever section of the profession youultimately choose.

Through a varied range of teaching methods, you willdevelop a strong base of theoretical and academicknowledge related to:

• the structure and function of the human body• abnormal pathology• chronic disease management• pharmacology and medicinal chemistry• cutting-edge pharmaceutical science• injections, implants and transdermal delivery systems

You will develop practical skills to enable you to excel inprofessional practice, such as:

• effective communication and consultation with patients• examination skills and physiological monitoring• law as it applies to pharmacy• medicine management systems• prescribing and decision making

We develop your academic and research skills, to help youcomplete your degree and to prepare you for a researchcareer should you wish to pursue one. Skills include:

• conducting research• literature searching• academic writing• statistics

You'll also undertake numerous clinical placements duringyour degree. These are an essential part of preparation forclinical practice and introduce you to the varied settings inwhich pharmacists work.

More information about what you will study at each Stage isin the Course Details section.

Facilities and supportThis degree is taught within the Faculty of Medical Sciences,which is also home to Dentistry, Medicine and Psychology.

Situated next to Newcastle’s RVI hospital, we’re one ofthe largest integrated teaching/hospital complexes in thecountry.

However, you'll benefit from excellent facilities across theUniversity and within the regional NHS.

• Newly refurbished pharmacy laboratories in the historicred-brick George VI Building

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• Clinical skills suite, anatomy lab and biochemistry lab inthe Medical School

• Specialist medicinal chemistry facilities• Access to the hospital environment through our close

proximity to the Newcastle Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust

You'll be supported by a personal tutor throughout yourdegree – an academic member of staff who can help withacademic and personal issues.

You'll also have access to a peer mentor in your first year –a fellow student who can help you settle in and answer anyquestions you have.

The scenic quayside is a short walk from campus.

Course Details

Modules for 2018 entry

Please noteThe module and/or programme information below isfor 2018 entry. Our teaching is informed by research andmodules change periodically to reflect developments inthe discipline, the requirements of external bodies andpartners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers ofstudents interested (in an optional module). To find outmore read our terms and conditions.Module/programme information for 2019 entry will bepublished here as soon as it is available (end of May2019).Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts foran academic year and you need to complete modulestotalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Furtherinformation, including the credit value of the module, isavailable in each of the module descriptions below.

About this degreeOur Pharmacy MPharm degree is divided into four Stages.Each Stage develops your theoretical knowledge andpractical skills further.

This ensures you graduate fully equipped with theunderstanding, skills and professional competencies neededfor your future career.

After your degree, you'll need to complete a period ofpre-registration training in order to register as a pharmacist.Throughout your degree, we'll help prepare you for this nextstep in your professional journey.

Stage 1The first year will comprise a single, integratedmodule, Fundamentals of Pharmacy: the Integration ofScience and Practice.

This module will focus on patient-orientated problems. Youwill have access to patients from the very start of the courseto ensure that you understand how to apply knowledge andskills.

You'll study:

• the normal structure and function of the human body• pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and formulation

science in terms of identifying and developing drugsubstances, then formulating them into acceptable andeffective medicines

• micro-organisms and their role as agents of infection, butalso in terms of the damage they can cause topharmaceutical products

You'll gain experience of the workplace and learn a range ofprofessional and practical skills:

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• how to talk to patients and work within healthcare teams,all focused on the effective use of medicines

• simple examination skills and aspects of physiologicalmonitoring

• the importance of professional identity and the dynamicworking situations that result from multi-professionalnetworking

• research skills, including literature searching, academicwriting and referencing, statistics and how each isapplied to pharmaceutical research

Stage 2The second year will build on previous studies and willcontinue the focus on patients.

You study a single integrated module, PharmaceuticalCare: Pathology, Patients and Professionalism.

You will examine abnormal pathology and subsequenttherapeutic options to deal with disease, including chronicdisease management.

This material will be fully integrated with cutting-edgepharmaceutical science, and will be built upon by continuingto give experience of the workplace.

You will also study:

• law as it is relevant to pharmacy• systems for medicines management including the

development and use of clinical guidelines andformularies

• patient communication; communicating complexinformation to patients at a level that is understandable

Stage 3You study a single integrated module, AppliedPharmaceutical Interventions: Design, Delivery andDecisions.

You will be presented with more complex, patient-basedexamples, which will include multiple disease states andcomplex therapeutic interventions.

You will develop an understanding of how medicines areused concomitantly and how adverse effects are monitoredand managed.

The development of drugs from first principles will beexamined including the use of molecular modellingtechniques to analyse molecular structure in the context ofdrug action.

You will study the formulation of injections, implantablemedicinal devices and transdermal delivery devices.

You'll also continue to develop vital decision-making skills,skills in communication and consultation, and examination.

As with other modules this will be supported byinter-professional learning sessions and time in theworkplace.

Stage 4The fourth year will contain two 60-credit modules.

The first module allows you to choose an area of pharmacyto study in more detail as part of a Research Project.Potential areas for focus are:

• medicinal chemistry• pharmacology• pharmacy practice• formulation science• pharmaceutical microbiology

This project will be supervised by one of the academic staffand will be closely related to their current research interests.

We have international study abroad links. This means it'spossible for you to take the practical aspect of your projectat a partner institution overseas.

The second, Targeted Therapeutics: Optimisation,Critique and Responsibility will be focused on preparingfor practice.

You will examine specific areas of oncology, infection andimmunology, including support strategies for patientssuffering with such diseases.

You'll examine state-of-the-art formulation devices used inthe delivery of chemotherapy and associated medicines,including the use of nanotechnology.

The importance of personalised medicine will be discussedin detail. You will encounter complex clinical problems,which you will be required to manage from first principles.

Clinical placements and experienceClinical placements are a key element of your degree and anessential part of preparation for clinical practice.

You'll undertake numerous placements at each Stage,introducing you to a varied range of settings in whichpharmacists work.

Each is carefully thought out to ensure that you are able toexperience and learn about the different roles you will beable to take on once you're qualified.

The placements help you develop a sense of identity as apharmacist and identify your interests. They are also anopportunity for you to gain, develop and craft your practicalknowledge and skills.

In addition to placements, you'll engage in hospital-basedlearning. You'll learn at University about medical conditionsand following this up with on-site visits to local hospitals tosee what happens in practice.

You'll also engage in interprofessional education atNewcastle. You'll be working and training alongsideprofessionals and other students in the Faculty of MedicalSciences, developing your understanding of pharmacywithin the complete healthcare system.

Pre-registration trainingTo register as a pharmacist, after successfully completingthe MPharm, graduates must complete pre-registrationtraining. More information on pre-registration training can befound on the General Pharmaceutical Council website.

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This includes the requirement to pass the GeneralPharmaceutical Council Registration Assessment.

Guidance will be given on personal development,pre-registration training and the pharmacy profession by theacademic team and other dedicated staff within the division.

At numerous points throughout the course we will introduceyou to employers in order that you can prepare for theirlikely expectations at the point of applying forpre-registration training.

Work placements in community, hospital, primary care andindustry will be offered throughout the MPharm degree toensure you are fully prepared for pre-registration trainingand your future professional role in pharmacy.

The importance of continuing professional development(CPD) and lifelong learning will be introduced to you frominduction, this will include maintenance of a CPD portfoliorelating to your practical experiences throughout theprogramme.

Teaching and assessmentOur approach to teaching is primarily problem orientated.We use lectures, seminars, tutorials, problem-basedlearning, practical experience, laboratory work and caseseminars to encourage you to develop knowledge and skillsin an integrated manner.

We demonstrate the important links between fundamentalpharmaceutical science and application to professionalpractice. We do this by using a primarily case-led approach.This means we can ensure that you learn to integrate yourdeveloping knowledge and are able to apply it to your futurework.

The level of contact that each year group has with the entireMPharm programme team is high, and all students spend ahigh percentage of their week engaged in some form ofteaching.

Our range of teaching methods ensures you firmly developboth a theoretical knowledge base and practical skills to thecorrect level.

Our internationally acknowledged teaching staff haveexpertise in health informatics, pharmaceutical public healthand medicinal chemistry.

Entry Requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis.

If your qualifications are not listed here, please see ouradditional entry requirements web pages to find out whichother qualifications are considered.

The entrance requirements below apply to 2019 entry.Entrance requirements during Clearing 2018 may differfrom those outlined below.

Important Admissions InformationApplicants must satisfy Fitness to Practise requirements onadmission to the course. This includes a health declarationand submission of an acceptable disclosure and barringservice (DBS) clearance. Students coming direct to thecourse from a country outside of the UK must provide aletter of good conduct from their home country and will berequired to submit an acceptable DBS at the end of the firstyear.

A LevelsAAB including Chemistry and at least one of Biology,Mathematics or Physics at A level and  excluding CriticalThinking and General Studies. For Biology, Chemistry andPhysics A levels we require a pass in the practical element. Mathematics and English Language both required at GCSE,minimum grade C or 4, if not offered at A or AS level. Offersare made subject to satisfying fitness to practise conditions.

Scottish QualificationsAAB at Advanced Higher including Chemistry and one ofBiology, Physics or Mathematics.  Two Highers at therequired grade (in different subjects to the AdvancedHigher(s) offered) may replace each of one or two of theAdvanced Highers (but not Chemistry), as long as the overallsubject requirements are met.

Mathematics and English required at National 5, minimumgrade B (or grade 2 Standard Grade or Intermediate 2equivalent) if not offered at Higher Grade.  Where acandidate bypasses the assessment for National 5qualifications, a minimum of grade C in the Higher inMathematics and English is required.

Scottish qualifications can be taken in more than one sitting.

Offers are made subject to satisfying fitness to practiseconditions.

International Baccalaureate36 points. At least 5 points required from Higher LevelChemistry and at least 5 points required from at least one ofHigher Level Biology, Mathematics or Physics.  At least 4points required from Standard Level Maths or MathematicalStudies if not offered at Higher Level.

Offers are made subject to satisfying fitness to practiseconditions.

Irish Leaving CertificateH1H1H1H1H2 at Higher Level, including Biology andChemistry. Ordinary Level Mathematics required at gradeO1 if not offered at Higher Level. Offers are made subject tosatisfying fitness to practise conditions.

Access Qualifications45 level 3 credits at Distinction including at least 15 level 3credits in chemistry and at least 15 level 3 credits in biology,mathematics or physics.

Offers are made subject to satisfying fitness to practiseconditions.

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Pearson BTEC Level 3 National ExtendedDiploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3Extended DiplomaNot acceptable for entry to this subject.

Cambridge Pre-UD3, D3, M2 in Principal Subjects including Chemistry and atleast one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics. Mathematicsand English Language both required at GCSE, minimumgrade C or 4, if not offered at A or AS level. Offers are madesubject to satisfying fitness to practise conditions.

Extended Project QualificationWe welcome applications from students offering anExtended Project and value the skills of research andindependent learning that it is designed to develop.  If youoffer an Extended Project, it will be taken into account aspart of your application profile, but we will not usuallyinclude it in offer conditions for this degree programme.

PARTNERS - A LevelsBBB including Chemistry and at least one of Biology,Mathematics or Physics at A level and excluding CriticalThinking and General Studies. Mathematics and EnglishLanguage both required at GCSE, minimum grade C or 4, ifnot offered at A or AS level. Offers are made subject tosatisfying fitness to practise conditions.

The PARTNERS Programme is Newcastle University’ssupported entry route for students from schools andcolleges in England and Northern Ireland. Find out moreabout the PARTNERS Programme.

PARTNERS - Pearson BTEC Level 3 NationalExtended Diploma/OCR Cambridge TechnicalLevel 3 Extended DiplomaNot acceptable for entry to this subject.

The PARTNERS Programme is Newcastle University’ssupported entry route for students from schools andcolleges in England and Northern Ireland. Find out moreabout the PARTNERS Programme.

English Language RequirementsApplicants whose first language is not English requirea minimum score of IELTS 7.0 or equivalent including 6.5in each of the four elements of the test.

If you need help to meet our English Languagerequirements, we can provide support with extra tuition.

Read more about UK visas and immigration requirements.

Other International QualificationsABB at A level is typically the minimum required for entry toan undergraduate course. You can check the equivalentgrades for qualifications offered in your country.

We will also consider your application if you have lower ornon-standard qualifications.

International Foundation ProgrammesIf you are an international student and you do not meet theacademic and English language requirementsspecified above, you should consider a pre-sessionalcourse at INTO Newcastle University, which will help toprepare you for study on this degree course.

INTO Newcastle University is based on the Universitycampus and offers a range of courses including theInternational Foundation in Biological and BiomedicalSciences.

Undergraduate Admissions Policy

See our 2018 Admissions Policy (PDF: 185 KB).

See further policies related to admission.

Careers

Careers in PharmacyPharmacy is a highly varied profession with a number ofdifferent possible career paths open to graduates. Toregister as a pharmacist in the UK, you must complete theMPharm degree, a pre-registration training year and sit theregistration assessment. After registration, pharmacygraduates are highly sought after and are amongst the mostemployable professionals in the UK, with many opportunitiesto work internationally.

Community Pharmacists

The majority of pharmacists work in community pharmaciesor hospitals. Community pharmacists work at the heart oftheir local area, supervising the supply and use ofmedications for the local population. Communitypharmacists can own their own businesses or work forlarger national organisations as employees. Experiencedcommunity pharmacists can offer additional services, suchas flu vaccinations, medicines reviews and emergencycontraception.

Hospital Pharmacists

Hospital pharmacists supervise the supply and use ofmedicines for patients with serious health conditions. Theywork side-by-side with medical doctors, nurses, and alliedhealth professionals such as physiotherapists, occupationaltherapists and dieticians. Hospitals pharmacists obtainadditional clinical pharmacy and independent prescribingqualifications to support their work.

The Pharmaceutical Industry

Other pharmacists can work in the pharmaceutical industry.These roles involve designing, developing and testing newmedications that are not yet available. Industrial pharmacistsoften work in laboratories and can be involved in theregulation of medicinal products, working with national

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organisations such as National Institute for Care Excellence(NICE), the Medicines and Healthcare products RegulatoryAgency (MHRA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Emerging roles

Additional emerging roles for pharmacists include thoseworking in GP practices and care homes. These roles arenew and include working like a GP to help patients to usemedications appropriately – using the right medication, atthe right time, in the right way, for the right patient.

Flexible and varied

A career as a pharmacist is well-paid and flexible.Pharmacists can work full-time, part-time or as locums(where they chose the hours they work each week) in anumber of different roles. Our MPharm degree will provideyou with the practical skills and knowledge base toeffectively contribute to high-quality patient care, whicheversection of the profession you ultimately choose.

Our research-led programme is designed to ensure that youdevelop a keen awareness of research methods and tointroduce you to our communities of practice within theUniversity and our external NHS partners. Once registeredyou will be able to work within the breadth of fieldstraditionally associated with pharmacy, as well as havingaccess to a range of postgraduate study opportunities suchas PhDs.

What our graduates go on to do:employment and further studychoicesSee what our recent graduates went on to do and viewgraduate destinations statistics. These statistics are basedon what graduates were doing on a specific date,approximately six months after graduation. The most recentdata available is for graduates who completed their coursein 2014/15.

The destination data is available in varying levels, beginningwith the University and moving through Faculty and Schooldown to individual course reports. This final level may giveyou some useful ideas about possible options after yourcourse or a course you are considering.

Careers and employability atNewcastleNewcastle University consistently has one of the bestrecords for graduate employment in the UK.

94% of our 2014/15 UK/EU graduates progressed toemployment or further study within six months ofgraduating.

Of our graduates who entered employment 85% were in aprofessional or managerial position.

We provide an extensive range of opportunities to allstudents through an initiative called ncl+. This enables youto develop personal, employability and enterprise skills andto give you the edge in the employment market after yougraduate.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest andbest in the country, and we have strong links withemployers.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees (UK students)

2019 entry*:£9,250For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.2018 entry*:£9,250For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.*Please note:The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for UKstudents is set by the UK government.As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation, as measured byRPIX**.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.**RPIX is a measure of inflation in the UK, equivalent to allthe items in the Retail Price Index excluding mortgageinterest payments.

Tuition Fees (EU students)

2019 entry*:£9,250 You will pay the same tuition fees as UK studentsfor the duration of your course.For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.2018 entry*:£9,250. You will pay the same tuition fees as UK studentsfor the duration of your course.

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Tuition Fees (EU students)

For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.*Please note:As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation, as measured byRPIX**.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.**RPIX is a measure of inflation in the UK, equivalent to allthe items in the Retail Price Index excluding mortgageinterest payments.

Tuition Fees (International students)

2019 entry:Tuition fees for 2019-20 have not yet been confirmed.2018 entry*:£21,000 per year*Please note:You will be charged tuition fees for each year of yourdegree programme (unless you are on a shorterexchange programme).If you spend a year on placement or studying abroad aspart of your degree you may pay a reduced fee for thatyear.The tuition fee amount you will pay may increase slightlyyear on year as a result of inflation, as measured byRPIX**.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.**RPIX is a measure of inflation in the UK, equivalent to allthe items in the Retail Price Index excluding mortgageinterest payments.

Scholarships and Financial Support (UKstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.Newcastle University ScholarshipsGovernment financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support (EUstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.Newcastle University Scholarships

Scholarships and Financial Support (EUstudents)

Government financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support(International students)

We offer our Vice-Chancellor's InternationalScholarships and Vice-Chancellor's ExcellenceScholarships to eligible international students.We also offer International Family Discounts which areavailable for all international students with a close familymember who has graduated from or is now studying atNewcastle University.Some of our subject scholarships and sportsscholarships are also available for international students.

Apply

Applying to Newcastle Universitythrough UCASTo apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle you mustuse the online application system managed by theUniversities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS codes for Newcastle University

• institution name - NEWC• institution code - N21

UCAS buzzwordAsk your teacher or adviser from your school or college forthe UCAS buzzword. You need the buzzword when youregister on the Apply system. This makes it clear whichschool or college you are applying from.

All UK schools and colleges and a small number of EU andinternational establishments are registered with UCAS.

If you are applying independently, or are applying from aschool or college which is not registered to manageapplications, you will still use the Apply system. You will notneed a buzzword.

Making your applicationOn the UCAS website you can also find out more about:

• application deadlines and other important dates• offers and tracking your application

Application decisions and enquiriesFind out more about our admissions process and who tocontact if you need help with your application.