Study at Cardiff | Undergraduate

Our MPharm programme is delivered in the Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which is internationally renowned for the quality of its teaching and research. It is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) of Great Britain as a route of entry to the profession of Pharmacy. A strong academic degree, integrating science with therapeutics and clinical practice and incorporating hospital and community placements, together with planned inter-professional learning with medical students makes our graduates popular with employers. The School is undoubtedly one of the best in the UK, year after year being at or near the top of national league tables.

Key Facts

Our School is one of the smaller pharmacy schools in the UK and retains a strong and supportive ‘family’ atmosphere among staff, current students and alumni (former students). In this regard, having our own Redwood Building, named after the first professor of pharmacy in the UK, greatly helps. Nearly all classes take place in Redwood and students are well provided for in terms of study and social space for use between classes. You get your own locker for coats, umbrellas and books you do not want to be carrying around. There is an active pharmacy student society, the Welsh Pharmaceutical Students Association, which arranges social and sporting events and operates a buddy system for newly joining students. Of course the main reason you will be coming to Cardiff will be to study pharmacy. We think both are good choices, Cardiff and pharmacy.

Pharmacists are experts in the field of drugs and medicines, and many now prescribe medicines independently of a doctor. They may be involved in any aspect of drug/medicines preparation and use, from discovery to supply to the patient, while many have a role in optimising drug therapy. This means that once qualified as a pharmacist you have a wide choice of career options in hospitals and community practice, industry and research in the UK or elsewhere in the World. Latest figures show that 100% of our graduates seeking pharmacy employment achieve that goal. A few others choose immediately to go on to further study with us or elsewhere or choose other career options for which a pharmacy degree has given them a broad health and life sciences grounding.

On our four-year programme, you will learn about the discovery and development of new drugs; about their chemical, physicochemical, pharmacological and toxicological properties; you will study the clinical uses of medicines and the role of the pharmacist in relation to other healthcare professions. You will learn about the underlying pathophysiology of many human diseases, and how the use of medicines can halt, slow the progression of, or reverse disease processes.

You will study in a thriving intellectual environment, alongside leading research programmes, and a variety of postgraduate and professional courses in the pharmaceutical sciences and clinical pharmacy.

The programme is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council, and following graduation and a successful pre-registration year in practice, you will qualify to register as a pharmacist. The UK pharmacy qualification is recognised throughout Europe; UK pharmacists are eligible to practise in any EU country, and in many other countries around the World.

The course structure is as follows:

Year One

• Chemical and Biological Properties of Drug Molecules
• Molecule to Patient
• Structure and Function of Cells and Microbes
• Human Body Systems
• The Role of the Pharmacist in Professional Practice

Year Two

• Introduction to Drug Design and Synthesis
• Instrumental Analysis
• Formulation Science
• Drug Disposition
• Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Therapeutics
• Clinical and Professional Pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Clinical Immunology

Year Three

• Optimisation of Drug Design
• Design, Formulation and Quality Assurance of Medicinal Products
• Endocrine and Autacoid-Therapeutics
• Central Nervous System Therapeutics
• Optimisation of Pharmaceutical Care
• Research Methodology

Year Four

• Problem-Solving in Pharmacy Practice
• Problem-Solving in Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Specialist topics
• Research Project
  

The Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ overall objective is to encourage students to become independent learners, able to undertake and understand new challenges in the use of medicines and in healthcare, and to respond to them effectively. The School’s teaching staff supports students in achieving this independence, so that they develop their intellectual, scientific and clinical skills and knowledge progressively over the course.

Students are taught, learn and assessed through a combination of lectures, practical classes, workshops, practice placements and seminars. These are complemented by individual and group assignments and, of course, directed independent study. Study will become more demanding as students progress. The School’s teaching is supported by a substantial element of web-based and other learning resources, to which students have access throughout their studies, particularly through the University’s virtual learning environment, ‘LearningCentral’.

Progress in each module is assessed during and at the end of the semester(s) in which it is taught. Most modules include formative assessments (assessments which do not count towards the module mark) that are intended to assist understanding and to provide students and tutors with an indication of progress. Methods of summative assessment (assessments which count towards the module mark) are varied; essay assignments, multiple-choice question examinations, conventional written examinations, assessed presentations and practical/skills tests are all used as appropriate.

The Personal Tutor System is a central part of student support within the School. The role of the Personal Tutor is to monitor academic progress and to help tutees understand feedback from assessments. Just as importantly they are there to give advice to tutees regarding non-academic matters, acting as the first point of contact and a gateway to the student support services provided by the University and the Students’ Union. Each student is assigned a deputy as well as a main personal tutor, so that if the main tutor is unavailable they may see the deputy.

A list of commonly accepted alternative entry qualifications and admissions and selection criteria for this degree programme can be read here.