The Master of Pharmacy program at the University of Newcastle was the first program of its type in Australia. The integrated program consists of lectures, practicals, tutorials and experiential learning through clinical placements.

Pharmacists are one of the most accessible health professionals and work closely with patients to assist them with managing their medicines and disease states as well as promoting health and improving quality of life.

The role of the pharmacist encompasses counselling patients on the best use of medications, providing advice on symptoms, the management of common ailments, preparing and formulating medications and providing health education. The Pharmacy program is intended to build on the knowledge base gained from previous undergraduate coursework studies.

Two years full-time. This program requires the completion of 240 units over 6 trimesters. The program is not offered on a part-time basis. Applications open in approximately August/September for the following year. There is no mid-year intake. The program has 20 units of electives. Electives must be taken in Trimester 3 and Trimester 6. Students successfully completing the first 3 trimesters of the program (120 units) will be eligible to apply for award of the terminating exit degree: Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science.

Graduates with either a biomedical or a science degree or other relevant degree with majors in health or medical sciences, could seek entry into the program. The program's focus is on material that specifically provides the skills required to practice as a pharmacist and contains two elective courses allowing students to further tailor the program to suit their particular interests, and work in areas including the pharmaceutical industry, community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy.

Registered pharmacists working in each of the 3 traditional areas of employment of pharmacists: pharmaceutics, community-practice-based pharmacy, hospital-based pharmacy.

The program is designed as a basis for professional qualification in pharmacy. In order to be registered as a pharmacist in NSW the qualification held must be approved by the Pharmacy Board of NSW. The current legislation requires an approved University course in pharmacy plus a subsequent period of 1824 hours as a pre-registration pharmacist. The program is a 6 trimester (equivalent to 3 years of academic studies) post graduate program with prerequisites equivalent to a year of prescribed study. This arrangement ensures that a graduate from the pharmacy program will have completed at least the equivalent of 6 years of tertiary study. In 2005 NSW legislation was amended to recognize graduates for the MPharm program at the University of Newcastle as a program that can lead to registration as a pharmacist in NSW, following completion of at least 1824 hours as a Pre-registration Pharmacist and sucessful completion of the Pharmacy Board of Australia examination.