Pharmacy MPharm (Hons) with Preparatory Year
- Pharmacy, pharmaceutical science and chemistry
- Undergraduate
- Foundation
Take your first steps to becoming a pharmacist, and build a solid foundation with the Pharmacy MPharm (Hons) with Preparatory Year degree course from Kingston University.
Build the skills you need to progress into a career in Pharmacy
Apply knowledge to real-life problems and develop practical, technical and communication skills.
This Pharmacy with Preparatory Year course will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to progress onto your journey towards a Pharmacy MPharm degree.
On this course, you will practise your people and diagnostic skills using our:
- Pharmacy simulation suites – consisting of a mock hospital ward, pharmacy dispensing suite and GP surgery
- Patient simulator manikins – to administer drugs to and monitor their pulse and breathing
- Pharmacy practice laboratory – including 40 medicine-dispensing stations, a pharmacy counter, consulting area and computers connected to the Pharmacy Manager System (used in many pharmacies)
- State-of the art laboratories – with specialist equipment
Pharmacy at Kingston University
Pharmacy students are creating a safer world for tomorrow with the skills they are gaining as part of their course. Hear how the simulations they are participating in help them prepare for their future careers.
The practical sessions on this course have interested me the most. We are put in a pharmacist's shoes for a few hours a week and this enables us to do dispensing. I have done both community and hospital pharmacy placements. These have helped me understand more about the way pharmacies work.
Why choose this course
If you are interested in health issues and the treatment and prevention of disease, our Pharmacy MPharm (Hons) with Preparatory Year degree course provides the ideal preparation for a career as a pharmacist. Throughout this course, you’ll study law, ethics and clinical practice, as well as the role of hospitals, communities, GP practices, care homes and industrial pharmacists in managing the supply of medicines.
Working alongside other future healthcare professionals, you'll talk to patients about their conditions and treatments. Through case studies, you'll learn how chemistry, pharmacology and pharmaceutics affect clinical practice. In Year 5, you'll complete a research-based project, for which you'll receive specialist tuition.
The Clinical Pharmacy module also includes placements in hospitals and community pharmacies. This gives you the chance to apply your academic studies to real situations and experience on-the-job training.
This course has recently been updated in line with the General Pharmaceutical Council's standards for initial education and training for pharmacists, which enables pharmacy graduates to prescribe at the point of registration.
Accreditation
The Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree is fully accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Course content
Preparatory year
Please note, to progress to the MPharmacy programme, you must achieve 70% in the chemistry modules and a minimum average of 70% across the core modules, and pass a progression interview.
Core modules
Year 2
Year 1 of the Pharmacy MPharm introduces the scientific basis of pharmacy, including cell biology, physiology and pharmaceutical and biological chemistry (including the importance of natural products as medicines).
You will gain a foundation in important pharmaceutical dosage forms, formulation and manufacturing processes, physico-chemical aspects of drug stability and regulatory requirements.
You will gain a clear understanding of the profession of pharmacy and the practical and theoretical aspects of dispensing, ethical and legal requirements, responding to symptoms in minor illnesses and counter prescribing.
Core modules
Year 3
Year 2 of the Pharmacy MPharm places more emphasis on the role of hospital, community and industrial pharmacists. You will integrate science with practice, learning through case studies how chemistry, pharmacology and pharmaceutics affect clinical practice. You will also learn about conditions that affect the central nervous system, such as depression and those that affect the cardiovascular system such as atrial fibrillation.
Core modules
Year 4
Year 3 of the Pharmacy MPharm focuses on body systems and disease states. Examples of study include: the role of the liver in health and disease; cancer – its causes, the science behind its treatment and the clinical management of cancer patients; and diabetes – its public health impact and management. You will have opportunities to learn alongside other future healthcare professionals, and talk to patients about their conditions and treatment.
Core modules
Year 5
A major element of Year 4 of the Pharmacy MPharm is the research-based project. You will develop your research skills. A problem-based approach is used for advanced teaching in areas such as pharmaceutical technology and biotechnology. Professional practice topics include advanced prescription analysis, risk management and drug interventions, as well as the wider role of the pharmacist in pharmaceutical care and public health. Students run themed health campaigns directly to the public and also virtually via social media. A total of 20 placement and inter-professional activity days, mostly in hospital or community pharmacies, are spread throughout the year to further develop your professional and leadership skills.
Core modules
What career opportunities does this course offer?
To become a pharmacist you need to:
- Achieve an accredited four-year degree in pharmacy, like this one
- Complete a year of pre-registration foundation training in approved pharmaceutical establishments
- Pass the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) professional registration exam
This course's accreditation means that after graduation you can:
- Progress to register for your pre-registration foundation training
- Go on to become a pharmacist in Great Britain after carrying out your pre-registration foundation training and passing the GPhC registration exam
A number of other healthcare-related jobs will also be open to you.
Fitness to Practise
Annual self-declarations will be required during the MPharm course. New conduct issues may be referred to the pharmacy department Fitness to Practise (FtP) Committee for consideration.
The Department of Pharmacy at Kingston University is part of the Excluded Students Database. The Excluded Students Database runs between Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Veterinary Schools Councils, and General Medical Council in order to verify the applicant FtP. This is used only for FtP purposes in order to protect patients and the public, and to prevent fraudulent applications.
Future Skills
Our Future Skills programme is embedded within all our undergraduate courses and throughout the whole Kingston experience. These skills will help you to become a future-proof graduate by equipping you with the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency and adaptability.
As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills. You’ll also understand how to demonstrate and articulate to employers how these future skills give you the edge.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching includes lectures, workshops, tutorials, seminars and practical classes, backed up by computer-assisted learning, problem-based learning and self-directed study. A unique feature of the course is that a significant component of teaching is by scientists and clinicians at the medical school at St George's, University of London. As well as being taught by practising pharmacists, doctors and pharmaceutical scientists you will also work with hospital and community pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. You will also have contact and learn from patients.
Assessment includes module (not modular) exams, coursework and practical assessments including professional and clinical skills.
Fees and funding
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
What our students and graduates say
I chose pharmacy at Kingston University due to the placements it offers, and the University's location by the River Thames and proximity to the centre of London. Coming from Greece, I was able to build my personality and independence as well as meet students from different backgrounds. This multicultural experience gave me the chance to create new friendships that will last for life.
What are the facilities like?
When you join Kingston University, you will have access to a wide range of facilities and resources designed to support your studies. Use the virtual tour below to explore some of the facilities you will use as part of your course.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Key information
The scrolling banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
