Postgraduate
Master of Pharmacy
Contact us
Address
Student Central
The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009
Telephone
131 UWA (131 892)
International
(+61 8) 6488 1000
Hours
Frequently asked questions
Events you may be interested in
Show more eventsCareers and further study
Explore the career opportunities available to you.
Career Pathways
Community Pharmacy
The most visible face of pharmacy is the community pharmacy. Community pharmacists are often the first point of contact for members of the community who need health advice or someone to talk to about their health concerns. This role as a primary health care provider carries a lot of responsibility as decisions need to be made about the best plan of action for your patient and whether referral to another health care professional is warranted. This responsibility requires not only sound professional judgement but also excellent communication skills. A pharmacist needs to be a good, empathetic listener and be able to communicate complex scenarios in a way that helps members of the general public understand their health issues and the various treatment options that may be available to them. This puts pharmacists in a position of trust and allows them to develop strong and often very long lasting professional relationships with their patients. For many pharmacists, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of their profession. There are also new roles evolving all the time for the community pharmacist, including immunisation, pain management, wound care and diabetes care.
Hospital Pharmacy
A small army of pharmacists are an integral part of the health care team in hospitals, working together with doctors, nurses, and specialists to ensure optimum care for every patient. Often pharmacists become involved in clinical trials conducted in the hospital to evaluate the worth of a new therapeutic agent, or in hospital based research to look for new and better ways to manage patients and their medications. Hospital pharmacists may also specialise in a particular area of health care (for example oncology or infectious diseases) and become expert in the pharmaceutical management of what are often very difficult and complex health conditions. They also need to be excellent communicators, not only in their interactions with the patients on the wards, but also in their role as a member of an inter-professional health care team.
Consultant Pharmacy
These pharmacists work in general practice alongside general practitioners to review a patient's medications to optimise their therapy - this may occur in the home or at aged care and special needs facilities. All too often a patient becomes ill because their medications are not being taken correctly and this leads to a significant number of hospital admissions. Pharmacists have a role in preventing these unnecessary and unfortunate occurrences and in improving health outcomes.
Other careers for pharmacists
Many other career paths are also open to pharmacy graduates; some graduates work for pharmaceutical companies in the areas of marketing, regulatory control, clinical trial co-ordination, manufacturing, quality assurance or research in drug design and development; others become involved with government organisations or opt for a career in academia and research. With a sound scientific and clinical education, there are a wide range of options to suit individual interests and career aspirations.
Fees and scholarships
Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course.
Domestic Student Fees
For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required. More information on how fees are calculated.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Rural placement scholarships
This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health as part of the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Learn more about available scholarships below:
Cost of living
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme
This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health as part of the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Learn more about the scholarship:
International Student Fees
Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load. Check the handbook to confirm the annual study load for your course.
Find out more about international student tuition fees and visit the fee calculator for the relevant course fees.
Fees are subject to annual indexation.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Admission requirements
If you’re interested in furthering your career by studying this postgraduate course, find out the admission details below
Master of Pharmacy - Prerequisites
To be eligible to enrol in the Master of Pharmacy Program, you will need to have successfully completed studies in Chemistry and Mathematics at either Year 12 or tertiary level, and tertiary level Microbiology and Pharmacology units.
English competency
English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.
Graduate applicants require at least two successful years of full-time or equivalent degree studies undertaken in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 7.0. For more information visit ELC requirements.
Graduate entry to Pharmacy
Bachelor degree holders or students who are in progress of their first bachelor’s degree may be eligible to apply for graduate entry into the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm).
Graduate entry into the MPharm is a competitive process based on selection WAM.
Selection WAM Calculation
How to apply
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Find out how to apply through our simple online application process.
We'll guide you through our entry requirements, admission pathways available to you and application deadlines for your chosen course.
We can’t wait for you to join us!
Course details
About the course
Quick details
- Available
- Perth (Crawley campus)
- Full-time
- On-campus
- This course begins in January. This course works on non-standard teaching periods and requires attendance on-campus.
- The estimated time commitment for a standard full-time enrolment is approximately 46 hours per week (over 13 weeks) which includes contact hours, personal study and examinations.
- Postgraduate
- 51500
- 051547J
Important dates
- January 2025
- Friday 1 March 2024. Visit our Admissions Page for information on how to apply.
- Saturday 31 August 2024 for domestic and international students.
Refer to Admissions Requirements for information on eligibility criteria and how to apply.
Reasons to study Pharmacy
- Every student participates in a work based training (e.g. placements in community and hospital pharmacies), providing an insight into the various career pathways and an opportunity to grow your professional connections with pharmacists and healthcare practitioners.
- Eligible students can participate in alternative placements in rural Australia and International locations.
- Small yearly intake means students benefit from a lot of one-to-one interaction with academic and professional staff, particularly in the area of Pharmacy Practice, which greatly enhances students' professional interpersonal skills.
- Through close association with other health professions at UWA, pharmacy students engage in genuine inter-professional learning during the course
- Taught by world renowned academics who are leaders in their field.
Course structure
Postgraduate coursework degrees and combined (coursework and research) degrees comprise a number of units. Refer to the course structure for more information.
Who should study a Master of Pharmacy?
This degree is for people who:
- Have an empathetic personality
- Are good communicators
- Can see themselves working closely with other health care professionals
- Like the thought of a career that comes with a lot of challenges and carries a lot of responsibility but can be tailored in many different, exciting ways
Graduate outcomes
On completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the foundations of pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences
- Demonstrate knowledge in primary care and clinical therapeutic areas, and patient assessment and consultation
- Provide socially accountable person-centred care to address the needs of individuals and the wider community
- Apply principles of pharmacy business management to develop a pharmacy business plan
- Retrieve, critically evaluate and apply evidence in professional practice
Course accreditation
The Master of Pharmacy (51500) is accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) and is approved by the Pharmacy Board of Australia as a qualification leading to registration as a pharmacist in Australia.
Graduates are eligible to register to practise as a pharmacist in Australia after completion of an internship in a community or hospital pharmacy.
Graduate Pathways
Work integrated learning
There are two experiential learning placements in the course exposing students to the practice environment and provide a platform for students to develop their professional, communication and clinical skills.
The first placement will be at a community pharmacy and the second rotation will offer students an opportunity to experience a range of hospital pharmacy environments.