Course content

The treatment and prevention of disease with medicines remains at the heart of the global healthcare system. Pharmacists play a key role in many aspects of the design, development, delivery, and optimisation of the use of medicines and related products. They are clinicians and scientists, with strong management and communication skills. These skills ensure that pharmacists are highly effective in community pharmacy, hospitals, GP surgeries, the pharmaceutical industry, academia, regulatory affairs and public health.

Pharmacists promote the safe and effective use of medicines and ensure the highest quality of patient care. Often, they are the first point of information for the public and other healthcare professionals, and as such must be effective communicators.

All aspects of the Pharmacy programme are taught in dedicated, wellequipped facilities using a wide variety of teaching methods. Placements form an important learning experience throughout all years of the course giving you the opportunity to place your learning in context within different working environments.

Entry requirements

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.

All students who meet the academic entry requirements will be offered an interview. This interview is with a panel composed of an interviewer and a current MPharm student. Interviews normally take place on Saturdays throughout the year, however Skype and telephone interviews are available for those unable to attend the university. Applicants with a successful interview will be made an offer.

A Level requirements

• A Level requirement ABB 
• Biology or Chemistry at grade B 
• We do not accept Dual award Applied Science, Critical Thinking, General Studies, Maths and Further Maths in combination. Media Studies only accepted with both Chemistry and Biology

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course with 64 UCAS points via a Foundation Year.

GCSE requirements

• Maths at B (or 5). If taken to AS/ A Level equivalent we can accept GCSE Maths at C (or 4). Please contact School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering for further advice on pharmacy@keele.ac.uk
• English Language at C (or 4)

BTEC requirements

• BTEC requirements DDM in Applied Science
• You must have taken certain Science units. Please contact School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering for further advice on pharmacy@keele.ac.uk

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course with 64 UCAS points via a Foundation Year.

International Baccalaureate

• 34 points to include Higher Level Chemistry or Biology at 6 or above

Access to HE Diploma requirements

• Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit. 30 credits are required in Biology and/ or Chemistry.  Please contact School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering for further advice on pharmacy@keele.ac.uk

Foundation year

You may choose to study this course via foundation year.

If you’re returning to education following a break, wish to study a new subject or don’t have the grades or sufficient equivalent experience for direct entry to this course, a foundation year may be a good option for you.

Following successful completion (including any additional progression requirements) of the foundation year you can progress on to this course.

The foundation year offers September starts across all subjects, and January starts across all science, humanities, social sciences and business routes.

The January intake excludes the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery degree with Foundation Year and other health-related foundation Year degree

For more details visit our foundation year webpages.

Foundation year

Fees and funding

Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.

We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Keele University Hardship Fund and emergency loans.

For more information visit our money, advice and guidance section.

Career prospects

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE, 2017)

Graduates from this course will have a portfolio of skills that are attractive to potential employers in primary care, hospitals, community pharmacies and in the pharmaceutical industry both in the United Kingdom and globally.

Throughout the course, you will be able to assess which areas of pharmacy are of most interest to you and practising pharmacists will be available to provide advice. MPharm graduates need to complete a statutory one year pre-registration period and the GPhC's registration assessment to qualify to practice.

Jobs that a graduate of this course could go on to do:

• Hospital Pharmacist
• Community Pharmacist
• Pharmacologist
• Research Scientist
• Clinical Research Associate
• HE Lecturer
• Regulatory Affairs Officer
• Toxicologist
• Product Development
• Science Writer
• Scientist
• Industrial Pharmacist
• GP Pharmacist

Regardless of which career you pursue after Keele, employers will want evidence of the range of skills and personal qualities you possess and which are required for the job. Your degree is clearly important in this respect but don’t forget the extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility, jobs and voluntary work you may have been engaged in while studying at Keele. These activities allow you to demonstrate the skills and personal qualities required by employers and will be vital in your attempts to secure graduate employment.

It is estimated that 60% of jobs are open to graduates of any discipline. This demonstrates the flexibility of many graduate employers when setting out their academic requirements and that students are not necessarily restricted to careers related to their degree.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

Module summary

Our degree courses are organised into modules. Each module is usually a self-contained unit of study and each is usually assessed separately with the award of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours of student effort.  An outline of the structure of the programme is provided in the tables below.

The programme is planned as four 120-credit modules – one for each year of study. During each year teaching material is delivered within themes that are designed to integrate the physical and social sciences within the context of patient care and public health.

During Level 7 students have the opportunity to choose topics to study within an electives strand that is designed to complement their chosen career path within Pharmacy. Students will choose from a range of specialist topics taught in small seminar groups and an extended project. The number of specialist options chosen and the length / nature of the project may be varied to suit each student’s interests and aspirations.

Details of the mapping of learning outcomes to themes are provided in the module guides for each level of study.

For further information on the content of modules currently offered please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/az