Master of Arts [M.A] [Economics and Politics] From University of Aberdeen

Degree benefits

• The UCL School of Pharmacy is one of the most highly rated pharmacy schools in the UK, with a long tradition of academic and research excellence.

• The programme includes contact with patients from the start, in the form of pharmacy visits and patient interviews. You will have the chance to study abroad during the fourth year.

• The UCL School of Pharmacy has a dedicated pre-registration co-ordinator and an excellent graduate employment rate.

Degree structure

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

The Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). An MPharm from an accredited UK school of pharmacy is the first step towards a career as a pharmacist. To qualify as a registered pharmacist in Britain you will need to undertake a year of pre-registration training after graduation and then pass the qualifying examinations of the GPhC.

The programme gives graduates an integrated and interdisciplinary perspective on the science of medicines and links this to the practice and ethics of the pharmacy profession. It includes contact with patients throughout, with students taking part in hospital and community pharmacy placements and in-house patient interviews.

In the fourth year students undertake a research project in an area of pharmacy or pharmaceutical science. This project may be carried out in the school or with one of our NHS or European (Erasmus) partners.

Careers

MPharm graduates must apply for and undertake a year in pre-registration training then pass the registration examination to qualify as a professional pharmacist. As a pharmacy professional you will be a frontline healthcare provider and can have a direct impact on people's lives and health.

Six out of every ten pharmacists work in community pharmacies on the high street or in supermarkets. Another popular branch of the profession is hospital pharmacy, working closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. After one or two years, a hospital pharmacist can choose to specialise in areas such as cancer, paediatrics, HIV, surgical or education and training.

There are also career routes into industry and academia. Industrial pharmacists work in research and development, production, quality control, clinical trials, product registration and medical information. Those choosing to stay in the academic world undertake teaching and research.