Pharmacy
MPharm Honours
- UCAS code: B230
- Full time
- 4 years
- Next start date: September 2021
This accredited Pharmacy degree will prepare you for a career at the forefront of healthcare and medicine.
Fees (per year)
- Home: £9250
- International: £23400
Entry requirements
- A Level: AAB
- IB: 36 points
UCAS Institution name and code:
- NEWC / N21
Course overview
This degree focuses on developing your scientific, technical and communication skills. You'll leave as a professional, caring, ethical and effective pharmacist, able to contribute to the health of future generations.
Hands-on learning and clinical placements are embedded throughout the degree. You will have access to patients from the start of the course, as well as access to our on-campus skills labs.
You’ll become a confident expert in medicine by learning the fundamentals of the human body and the principles of areas such as:
- pharmaceutical microbiology
- biomedical science
- pathology
- microbiology

COVID-19
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to COVID-19.
See our terms and conditions for more information
View our Frequently Asked Questions
Quality and ranking
Study Pharmacy at Newcastle University and you will be joining our world-renowned Faculty of Medical Sciences.
We have an international reputation for the quality of our well-established degrees in medicine, dentistry, psychology and biomedical sciences. Pharmacy at Newcastle ranks top 150 in the Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health category, Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2020.
We achieved 92% for overall student satisfaction in National Student Survey 2019 (subject area Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy).
Teaching excellence
TEF GoldA ringing endorsement of Newcastle University’s long tradition of excellence in teaching.

Professional accreditation

This course has full accreditation from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
The GPhC accredits and recognises Pharmacy courses leading to pre-registration and then pharmacist registration. After successful completion of your degree, you will need to complete one year as a pre-registration trainee. After this, you can register with the GPhC and be allowed to practise as a pharmacist.
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.
Modules and learning
Modules
The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Your learning will be focused on patient-orientated problems.
You'll study areas such as the normal structure and function of the human body, pharmacology and medicinal chemistry.
You'll gain professional and practical skills including how to talk to patients, working within healthcare teams and simple examination skills.
During Stage 2, you will study pharmaceutical care, such as pathology, as well as topics such as systems for medicines management.
You will examine abnormal pathology and subsequent therapeutic options to deal with disease. This will be integrated with cutting-edge pharmaceutical science and continued workplace experience.
In Stage 3, you'll study applied pharmaceutical interventions such as design and delivery and develop an understanding of how medicines are used concomitantly and how adverse effects are monitored and managed.
You will explore the development of drugs from first principles, and the formulation of injections and implantable medicinal devices. You will also experience more complex patient-based cases.
In Stage 4, you'll study targeted therapeutics such as optimisation, critique and responsibility.
You will encounter complex clinical problems and examine specific areas of oncology, infection and immunology.
You'll also learn about state-of-the-art formulation devices used in the delivery of chemotherapy and have the opportunity to choose an area of pharmacy to study as part of a research project.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
You'll be taught through:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- problem-based learning
- practical experience
- laboratory work
- case seminars
These combined methods of teaching are designed to encourage you to develop knowledge and skills in an integrated manner.
You'll be supported in case-led teaching so you are able to confidently apply your knowledge to future work.
Assessment methods
You'll be assessed through a combination of:
-
Assessments
-
Coursework
-
Examinations – practical or online
Skills and experience
Research skills
Undertake a Research Project in your final year. Areas of focus include:
- medicinal chemistry
- pharmacology
- pharmacy practice
- formulation science
- pharmaceutical microbiology
Business skills
Gain hands-on learning through a range of experiential opportunities throughout the degree and access to patients from day one.
Embedding these opportunities at all stages of the course will give you the skills to excel as a pharmacist and effectively contribute to high-quality patient care to improve the lives of millions.
Practical skills
Reinforce your learning through:
- on-site visits to local hospitals
- practical sessions in our on-campus pharmacy labs, clinical skills suites and anatomy and biochemistry labs
- working and training alongside professionals and students within the Faculty of Medical Sciences
Clinical placements and experience
Clinical placements are a key element of your degree and an essential part of preparation for clinical practice.
On placement, you'll have a diverse range of clinical experiences. This will introduce you to the many and varied roles that qualified pharmacists can undertake.
The placements help you develop a sense of identity as a pharmacist and identify your interests. They are also an opportunity for you to gain, develop and craft your practical knowledge and skills.
Chat to a student
The teaching quality is very high, I can really see that my supervisors are professionals and that they are passionate about their work and research.
Facilities and environment
Facilities
Our School is part of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, which is also home to Dentistry, Medicine, Psychology and Biomedical Sciences, encouraging inter-professional collaboration.
You'll have access to newly refurbished pharmacy laboratories in the historic red-brick George VI Building, in our city-centre campus. You'll also benefit from:
- a clinical skills suite, anatomy lab and biochemistry lab in the Medical School
- specialist medicinal chemistry facilities
- access to the hospital environment through our close proximity to the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Support
You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.
Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.
Your future
Pharmacy is a highly varied profession with a number of different possible career paths open to graduates.
To register as a pharmacist in the UK, you must complete the MPharm degree, a pre-registration training year and sit the registration assessment. After registration, pharmacy graduates are highly sought after and are amongst the most employable professionals in the UK, with many opportunities to work internationally.
Career paths include:
- community pharmacist
- hospital pharmacist
- industrial pharmacist
- emerging roles, including working in GP practices and care homes
Make a difference
Careers support
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Visit our Careers Service website
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK.
Entry requirements
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2021 entry.
A Level
AAB
International Baccalaureate
36 points
Other UK qualifications (and PARTNERS)
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
PARTNERS
Through our PARTNERS programme, you could receive an offer up to three grades lower than the typical requirements, and get support throughout the application process. To apply through PARTNERS, you must be based in the UK and meet our eligibility criteria.
Entrance courses (INTO)
International Pathway Courses are specialist programmes designed for international students who want to study in the UK. We provide a range of study options for international students in partnership with INTO.
Find out more about International Pathway Courses
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University, including Newcastle University London. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
- Download our admissions policy
- Find out more about unconditional offers
- Other policies related to admissions
Fitness to Practise requirements
Applicants must satisfy Fitness to Practise requirements on admission to the course.
This includes a health declaration and submission of an acceptable disclosure and barring service (DBS) clearance.
Students coming direct to the course from a country outside of the UK must provide a letter of good conduct from their home country and will be required to submit an acceptable DBS at the end of the first year.
Tuition fees and scholarships
Tuition fees for 2021 entry (per year)
Home Fee Students
£9250
International Fee Students
£23400
The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for home fee-paying students is set by the UK government.
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
You will be charged tuition fees for each year of your degree programme (unless you are on a shorter exchange programme).
The tuition fee amount you will pay may increase slightly year on year as a result of inflation.
For courses commencing from September 2021 and beyond, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fees or Student Finance England support.
If you are from the EU you will pay international tuition fees.
Year abroad and additional costs
For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year.
Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.
Find out more about:
Scholarships
Find out more about:
Open days and events
The situation with Covid-19 means that we're unable to hold Open Days on campus. However, you don’t have to visit in person to experience Newcastle.
From the comfort of your sofa you'll be able to:
• explore our beautiful campus
• find out about our vibrant city
• discover what students think about studying at Newcastle
You'll also have the opportunity to speak to academic staff and find out more about the subjects you're interested in.
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University. Visit our events calendar to find out when we're visiting your region.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS
To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:
- the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
- the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
- the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college
If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.
Apply through UCASApply through an agent
International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.
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