Master of Pharmacy

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.

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.

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.

a) Bachelor Degree with specified prerequisites

b) Provide satisfactory evidence of successful completion in the following courses at a tertiary level

The completion of all prerequisites is mandatory and must have been completed within the last ten years.

Essential pre-requsites:

• Chemistry equivalent to a minimum of 20 units
• Mathematics equivalent to a minimum of 10 units
• Physiology equivalent to a minimum of 10 units
• Biochemistry/Molecular Biology equivalent to a minimum of 10 units
• Pharmacology equivalent to a minimum of 10 units

Desirable pre-requsites:

• Microbiology equivalent to a minimum of 10 units
• Statisitics equivalent to a minimum of 10 units

Course or discipline requirements can be satisfied by studies deemed by the Head of School to be equivalent. If an applicant believes they have suitable equivalent qualifications and/or experience to those identified above, they are encouraged to apply online through UAC and if further information is required to evidence content of prerequisite(s) completed, may be asked to provide further information to the university for consideration.

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Newcastle satisfies the entry requirements.

c) Pharmacists are required to possess a high level of communication skills in English. This competency is specifically evaluated by the registering authorities prior to registration. In view of the large number of placements during the program, proficiency in English must be a prerequisite for entry as per the University IELTS standard.

Please be aware that the current standard English language competency for registration as a practitioner in your discipline in most states of Australia is IELTS 7.5.

• National Police Certificate
• Prohibited Employment Declaration

• NSW Health Immunization requirements

The Master of Pharmacy program is designed as a primary qualification in the profession of pharmacy and credit will not be granted for previous studies undertaken in any undergraduate program including pharmacy or related programs. Credit for elective courses will only be granted for courses undertaken at 6000 level.

The integrated sequential nature of the program also means that credit for any related postgraduate studies will not normally be considered. In exceptional circumstances, however, provision for specified credit for previous postgraduate studies will be considered.

If you wish to apply for credit for studies completed at another institution or if you are changing programs within the University and wish to transfer your credit to new program go to http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/credit-transfer/ and click on How to apply for credit.

Clinical skills work/professional placements are a compulsory component of this program.

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.

Entry into the M Pharm program is open to International students who have completed an undergraduate degree in either Biomedical Sciences; Health Sciences; Science with a major in physiology, pharmacology or biotechnology; or an Applied Science degree with a major in Medical Laboratory Science. In addition to completion of their undergraduate degree, students will be expected to have completed all the required pre-requisites for the program. International students will be required to be proficient in English, as determined by the University IELTS standard. In 2008, after full accreditation is obtained from the Australian Pharmacy Council Inc, accreditation will be sought from key jurisdictions in Asia, Middle East and North America to allow the International students to return to their home country to undertake any required pre-registration training.

The Faculty accepts that it is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations for students with special needs, in liaison with the Student Support Unit, which offers practical assistance and advice to students with a disability or chronic illness. The Faculty will seek advice from the Student Support Unit as to what constitutes "reasonable accommodations" under Anti-Discrimination legislation.

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.