Pharmacy

Course detail Description

We have designed our MPharm degree to provide an integrated course that combines pharmaceutical science with the practice of pharmacy. It will train you to deal effectively with change and the increasing complexities of the pharmacists’ role. Our course adheres directly to the requirements and guidance of the professional regulatory body, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We teach the therapeutic use of medicines (professional practice) throughout the four years, and you will spend an increasing amount of time on placements to consolidate this learning.

King's has an excellent reputation for inter-professional learning, and you will spend time learning alongside others, for example nursing, medical, dental and midwifery students.

Your first year will give you a grounding in the underpinning scientific principles needed by pharmacists’, as well as a sound introduction to pharmacy practice. Your second and third years will involve studying a series of modules that integrate the disease, drugs and clinical uses of medicines, as well as scientific modules specific to pharmacists. In your final year, you will study, clinical decision-making, emerging therapeutics in modern medicine and undertake a substantial research project, which we hope you will publish.

As part of King’s Health Partners, we work closely with three of London’s major teaching hospitals - Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’. These hospitals are a unique training resource, offering you multiple locations for clinical placements and the benefit of expert teaching from staff at the hospitals.

Teaching

Across the four years of the course, an average of 22% of time is spent in lectures, seminars or similar. The number and type of contact hours vary according to each module. Students have access to a module database, which details number and type of contact hours for each module.

The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic year might look like as you progress through your studies:

Course Stage

Percentage of Time in Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities

Percentage of Time in Guided Independent Study

Year 1

26%

74%

Year 2

28%

72%

Year 3

29%

71%

Year 4

13%

87%

A proportion of your scheduled learning time will be experiential learning, comprising 13% in Year 1, 24% in Year 2, 28% in Year 3 and 35% in Year 4.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include coursework, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and examinations. Coursework contributes approximately 40%, OSCEs contribute approximately 10% and examinations approximately 50% to your final mark.

This course is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Clinical placements are located in London and South East England. The School of Bioscience Education offers you unrivalled education resources, including modern, well-funded teaching facilities. You can read more about specialist facilities here.

Read more

Structure

• Year 1
• Year 2
• Year 3
• Year 4

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 480 credits.

Science Underpinning Practice: Principles of Pharmacy

You are required to take:

• Biochemical Basis of Therapeutics (30 credits)

• Principles of Clinical Care (30 credits)

• Physical Pharmaceutics (30 credits)

• Chemistry of Drugs (30 credits)

• Core Competencies - MPharm Year 1 (0 credits)

There are no optional modules for year 1.

King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Year 2

Science Informing & Influencing Practice: Pharmacy & Therapeutics

You are required to take:

• Formulation & Analysis of Drugs (30 credits)

• Nervous System (30 credits)

• Cardiovascular & Renal Systems (30 credits)

• Respiratory & Musculoskeletal Systems (30 credits)

• Core Competencies - MPharm Year 2 (0 credits)

There are no optional modules for year 2.

King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Year 3

Science Informing & Influencing Practice: Pharmacy & Therapeutics (continued)

You are required to take:

• Infection & Pharmaceutical Microbiology (30 credits)

• Medicines Discovery & Development (30 credits)

• Endocrine System & Cancer (30 credits)

• Gastrointestinal System & Skin (30 credits)

• Core Competencies - MPharm Year 3 (0 credits)

There are no optional modules for year 3.

King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Year 4

Science Advancing Practice: Pharmacy into Practice

• Clinical Decision Making (30 credits)

• Research Project (60 credits)

• Emerging Therapeutics & Modern Medicines (30 credits)

• Core Competencies - MPharm Year 4 (0 credits)

You will also have the opportunity to study abroad for the first semester of your fourth year. Our partner institutions currently include:

• Universität Wien

• Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main

• Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid

• Universita degli Studi di Bologna

• Universita degli Studi di Padova "Il Bo"

• Paris Descartes University

• University of Rome 'La Sapienza'

• Philipps-Universität Marburg

• Universiteit Utrecht

• Göteborgs Universitet - Sahlgrenska Academy

• University of São Paulo (USP)

• University of Auckland

• University of Pittsburgh

• Universiti Sains Malaysia

• University of Hong Kong

There are no optional modules for Year 4.

King's College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.