Course Structure

Introduction	The course integrates the chemical, and biological sciences with the discovery, design, evaluation and production of medicines and their clinical application to all areas of practice. A variety of placements and simulated learning with multidisciplinary teams help students develop the knowledge and skills to be a valued and effective member of the healthcare team.
Level 1	• Structure, Reactivity and Mechanism in Organic and Biorganic Chemistry • Practising as a Pharmacist • Physiology for Pharmacy • Pharmaceutical Microbiology • Physical Pharmaceutics
Level 2	• Pharmaceutical Technology • Applied Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics • Medicinal Substances
Level 3	• Drug design/Pharmaceutical analysis • Advanced Delivery Systems for Large and Small Molecules • Clinical Therapeutics • Pharmacy Practice
Level 4	• Research Project • Pharmacy Practice Responding to Symptoms • Advanced Pharmaceutical Care • Preparation for Practice • Advancement of Practice Through Evidence

Contact Teaching Times

Large Group Teaching	6 (hours maximum) Hours of lectures per week.
Medium Group Teaching	11 (hours maximum) Hours of practicals per week.
Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial	4 (hours maximum) Hours of workshops/tutorials per week.

• Advisor of Studies
  Who can provide additional support for students and can give advice on academic progression.
• E-Learning technologies
  Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme through the use of, for example, interactive support materials and web-based learning activities.
• Induction – Skills weeks
  A formalised induction for all undergraduate students in the School of Pharmacy. This allows first year students to familiarise themselves with the campus and the degree programme. During the first two weeks there are a number of sessions on topics such as academic writing, referencing, plagiarism, communication skills, examination preparation and managing time effectively.
• Interprofessional learning
  The course also includes opportunities to engage in interprofessional learning in all four years of the degree. Pharmacy students engage with nursing and medical students to address real world problems in healthcare. Students are also expected to develop a range of clinical skills that they will be able to use in both primary and secondary (hospital) care upon qualification. In addition, students are encouraged to develop their lifelong learning skills through the use of reflective portfolios and task booklets.
• Lectures
  These introduce foundation information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. As the module progresses this information becomes more complex. Lectures, which are normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers, also provide opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on key issues as well as gain feedback and advice on assessments.
• Peer Mentoring Scheme
  Whereby students in second and third year of their degree programme volunteer to mentor year one students.
• Personal Development Planning
  To encourage students to engage in independent learning.
• Personal tutor
  Who acts as a first point of contact for students with academic or personal issues that they may require guidance and/or support with.
• Practicals
  You will have opportunities to develop technical skills in our teaching laboratories and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts through the modules you study.
• Self-directed study
  This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.
• Simulated learning
  The Pharmacy Practice Unit and Faculty simulation facilities allow students to practise in a safe environment with simulated patients and peers. These facilities replicate the community pharmacy, GP practices, a patient's home and hospital environment at the highest level.
• Supervised Projects
  You will get the opportunity to complete an individual final year research project with an academic in an area of pharmacy that you are interested in and enjoy. The project helps you to develop critical thinking skills by completing a critical review of the literature. You then develop your project research protocol, collect and analyse data and present this at the end of the year in the form of a research paper.
• Workshops/seminars
  A significant amount of teaching is carried out in smaller groups (typically 25-30 students). These sessions are designed to explore, in more depth, the information that has been presented in the lectures. This provides students with the opportunity to engage closely with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of their peers.

• The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the intended learning outcomes of each module. The majority of modules are assessed through a combination of coursework, OSCEs (objective, structured, clinical examinations) and three end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in Canvas (the virtual learning environment).

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
• Face to face comments, either as part of scheduled classes or through meetings with members of staff
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comments
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
• Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

Facilities

Students have access to simulated clinical environments and large teaching laboratories.

Entrance requirements

A level requirements AAB including A-level Chemistry and at least one other A-level from Biology, Mathematics or Physics + GCSE Biology grade C/4 or GCSE Double Award Science grades CC/4,4 + GCSE Mathematics grade C/4. Note: Biology to at least AS preferred. Please note that only one Mathematics subject will be counted at A-level. A-level Critical Thinking and General Studies are not acceptable.

Irish leaving certificate requirements H2H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H2 in Chemistry and Biology + if not offered at Higher Level then Ordinary Level grade O4 in Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma 34 points overall including 6,6,5 at Higher Level including Chemistry and at least one of Biology (preferred), Mathematics or Physics + GCSE Biology grade C/4 or GCSE Double Award Science grades CC/4,4 + GCSE Mathematics grade C/4. If not offered at Higher Level/GCSE then Standard Level grade 4 in Biology and Mathematics would be required.

Graduate A minimum of an Upper Second Class Honours degree preferably in a relevant subject. Those with an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a non-relevant subject may be considered if they have the appropriate science background at GCSE and A-level. Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Access Course Not considered

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma Not considered

All applicants 1. As a result of current legislative requirements any offer made will be conditional on a satisfactory criminal history check (Access NI Enhanced Disclosure Check). To enable the University to request this check you will be required to provide some personal information which will be treated in the strictest of confidence and in line with Data Protection Principles. The current cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Check is £33. At the time of printing changes are due to be implemented and relevant procedures and/or costs may change. Applicants will be advised of the relevant requirements at the appropriate time. For international students, a Certificate of Good Conduct or equivalent will be required in lieu of an Access NI check. 2. The degree is subject to the University’s regulations on Fitness to Practise. 3. Applicants will be required to give permission for a check against the Excluded Student Database prior to offers being made. This is a national database which records those who have previously been excluded from professional programmes

Career Prospects

Introduction
The MPharm course at Queen's is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Society (GPhC) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
To become a pharmacist in the UK, you will need to complete a four year MPharm degree, a year of foundation training in the UK and pass an entrance exam set by the GPhC and the PSNI.


Our graduates typically pursue careers in four main employment sectors, namely, community pharmacy and primary care, hospital pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry; however, graduates can develop careers in a range of other sectors. Examples of the major career sectors that have attracted our graduates in recent years:

• Hospital pharmacy
• Community pharmacy
• Primary care (GP based Practice Pharmacists)
• Scientific publishing
• Industrial pharmacy
• Academic pharmacy
• Varied graduate programmes (Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters/AGR, Association of Graduate Recruiters UK)

Further information regarding careers in pharmacy may be obtained from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Consultations

We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, multinational and independent pharmacies, trusts and GP Federations who provide placements for students and who contribute to the undergraduate teaching on the MPharm and who are members of the stakeholders panel for the course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovEImh8UHL4&list=PLfDdUE0cOJYDIu9_JDKiZFzEND05cMJBX&index=4&t=0s

Additional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)

Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1	£4,630
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2	£4,630
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1	£9,250
EU Other 3	£22,000
International	£22,000

¹ EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

² EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted are for the academic year 2022-23, and relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

Pharmacy costs

All students entering this programme are required to undergo an enhanced disclosure check with Access NI which costs £33.

Year 1 students are required to buy a laboratory coat at a cost of £13.

Once enrolled on the MPharm students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs associated with clinical placements in hospital and community pharmacies, if necessary, in the region of approximately £100 per year.

However, the School will try to allocate placements in pharmacies close to a student's home or study address, when possible

How do I fund my study?

There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.

Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/International-scholarships/.

How and when to Apply

How to Apply
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2022 from 1 September 2021.

Advisory closing date: 26 January 2022 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2022) subject to the availability of places.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2022. If you apply for 2022 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

1. Applying through UCAS
   Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2022.
2. Applying direct
   The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
3. Applying through agents and partners
   The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

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