Course description
Our MSc/PGDip Clinical Pharmacy course and offers a mix of clinical, applied practice, public health and research units, giving you the knowledge and skills to be an excellent clinical pharmacist.
Our first year (PGCert) offers a strong foundation of clinical skills that you will continue to use throughout your career.
Having completed these core units, you can choose from 12 options in Year 2 (PGDip) to tailor the course to your own interests. This includes clinical topics, public health, health economics, medicines management, education, leadership and research topics.
Eligible pharmacists can also opt for independent prescribing.
If you want to undertake research, you will be supported by one of our leading academic researchers to undertake a small-scale clinical research project to complete the MSc award.
This is a completely online route and allows you to study from home at times convenient to you, which is ideal for international students, shift workers and those based outside the Manchester area. Interactive online learning is supplemented by webinars to enhance your skills in optimising drug therapy and clinical problem-solving.
Aims
This course aims to help you develop:
- advanced knowledge and understanding of the management of a range of acute and chronic conditions;
- skills in medicines optimisation and the ability to communicate with a range of healthcare professionals to promote the appropriate use of medicines;
- skills in the critical evaluation of a range of health services literature;
- non-clinical skills to support wider advanced practice and research objectives.
Special features
Apply your knowledge to work
The content of this course has been written by clinical experts with a focus on workplace application.
Varied unit options
This course can be tailored to meet the needs of your career goals through a range of options in the second year and your choice of research topic for the dissertation in the final year.
We offer 12 options in the second year, including paediatrics, mental health, surgery, medicines management and public health.
Develop research skills
You will have the opportunity to conduct master's level research in a top three university for research power in pharmacy within the UK in the national Research Excellence Framework (UoA3 REF 2021).
Teaching and learning
The course uses a range of teaching and learning approaches, including:
- the Blackboard learning management system;
- e-lectures, podcasts and webinars;
- online discussion forums and wikis;
- e-journals.
All students will benefit from:
- shared learning content online, including evening webinars;
- content mapped against the RPS Post-registration Foundation and Core Advanced Pharmacist curricula;
- access to materials to pursue RPS recognition;
- access to academic staff and clinical teachers;
- an educational supervisor
Coursework and assessment
We use a range of assessments that allow you to demonstrate your clinical knowledge and skills in medicines optimisation and critical analysis.
Formative and summative assessments vary according to the units you choose, but may include:
- online quizzes and exams;
- participation in online discussion boards;
- patient-specific case studies and care plans
- oral case presentations; · professional development and clinical portfolios;
- business case, new drug report or teaching portfolio;
- research protocol.
To progress to subsequent years and for an award in Clinical Pharmacy, you must achieve an overall mark of 50% in each course unit you study.
Course content for year 1
You will study four core units to build your clinical, problem-solving and critical appraisal skills.
- Foundations of Clinical Pharmacy
- Medicines Optimisation and Therapeutics 1
- Medicines Optimisation and Therapeutics 2
- Evidence Based Practice
Course content for year 2
You will choose four optional units from the following:
- Economic Evaluation in Healthcare
- Education and Training
- Leadership and Management
- Medicines Management
- Mental Health
- Paediatrics
- Pharmacy Public Health Practical Statistics for Population Health
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Specialist Medicines Optimisation and Therapeutics
- Surgery
Eligible pharmacists can apply to take Independent Prescribing in place of two second-year options. Please refer to the Independent Prescribing course webpage for details.
Course content for year 3
Course unit details
You can tailor the course to your own development and career goals through a range of optional course units in the second year and a choice of research dissertation in the final year.
The first year consists of four compulsory course units. On completion of these four units, you can choose to exit with PGCert Clinical Pharmacy or continue to year 2.
You choose four units from a selection of 11 that cover a broad range of topics and completion of the second year allows the option to exit with PGDip Clinical Pharmacy or continue to year 3.
An alternative in the second year is to secure a place on the Independent Prescribing course and choose two other second-year options. This offers the exit award of PGDip Clinical Pharmacy with Independent Prescribing or the option to continue to year 3.
To be eligible to progress to the dissertation year, you must choose one of two research units in the second year so that you have the foundational knowledge to undertake your research project. Completion of all three years leads to the award of MSc Clinical Pharmacy or MSc Clinical Pharmacy with Independent Prescribing, according to your route through the second year.
Although we ring-fence places on the Independent Prescribing course for eligible Clinical Pharmacy students, you must demonstrate that you meet the regulatory eligibility criteria by completing the standard application process before the application deadline. See the Independent Prescribing course webpage for more information.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicines Optimisation & Therapeutics 1 | PHAR60411 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Pharmacy Research Dissertation | PHAR62230 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Foundations of Clinical Pharmacy | PHAR63001 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Evidence Based Practice | PHAR63002 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Medicines Optimisation and Therapeutics 2 | PHAR63012 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Education and Training | PHAR60431 | 15 | Optional |
| Surgery | PHAR62252 | 15 | Optional |
| Leadership and Management | PHAR62262 | 15 | Optional |
| Specialist Medicines Optimisation and Therapeutics | PHAR63021 | 15 | Optional |
| Mental Health | PHAR63031 | 15 | Optional |
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Facilities
The course is delivered online, so you will not be required to come to campus. However, our staff use a range of facilities to deliver high-quality online learning experiences. Of course, you are welcome to come to Manchester and enjoy access to the varied resources and facilities on campus.
Disability support
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service .
CPD opportunities
These are delivered in the same method used on the full course. After completing two CPD units you will be invited to apply for a postgraduate qualification (Certificate, Diploma or Masters). If you apply for a postgraduate qualification after completion of CPD units you must complete the relevant core units.
If you take a stand-alone CPD unit you must re-apply if you want to undertake a postgraduate qualification within three years of starting your first CPD unit. You then have up to five years to complete the qualification.