The University of Western Australia (UWA)
Master of Pharmacy
Masters (Coursework)
This course provides advanced study in the areas of pharmacy practice, clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapy and health systems, and includes practical training.
Key details
Degree Type
Masters (Coursework)Duration
2 - 6 years full-timeCourse Code
51500, 051547JStudy Mode
In personAbout this course
Our program differs in many respects from others, most notable are: Our small yearly intake on average of 50 students are selected from a pool of applicants each year, which fosters an excellent learning culture. Our students study in small groups with ready access to academic and professional staff, plus a great level of peer support. Our 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 our students' professional interpersonal skills. We are also in the very fortunate position to be able to offer every student the opportunity of work place based training not only in community but also in a number of major hospitals and aged care facilities. This provides students with insight into the various career pathways and exposes them to the very diverse range of health care in our society (primary, acute, women, children and aged care). For eligible students we offer alternative placements in rural Australia and International locations. The Australian government predicts strong employment growth for pharmacists over the coming years. Part of this is because of the expanding role for pharmacists in health care delivery.
Entry requirements
Admission requirements
If you're interested in furthering your career by studying this postgraduate course, find out the admission details below
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
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.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
Master of Pharmacy - Prerequisites
If you have completed, or are currently undertaking, a degree at any university, including UWA, you must ensure you have successfully completed at least one unit from each of the topics listed in the prerequisite areas listed below. These units can form part of your major or be added in as complementary, broadening or elective units.
UWA units which meet the prerequisite requirements at the tertiary level are provided as an example. It is not essential that you complete these exact units in each topic area,and if you are studying at another university, you will need to complete a unit with similar content.
- Chemistry - Year 12 ATAR Chemistry is accepted, or a tertiary chemistry unit, for example Introductory Chemistry (CHEM1003)
- Mathematics OR Statistics - Year 12 ATAR Mathematics is accepted, or a tertiary mathematics or statistics unit, for example Mathematics Fundamentals (MATH1720) or Statistics for Science (STAT1400)
- Microbiology - for example Introductory Microbiology (MICR2208) or Infectious Diseases and Immunology (MICR2209)
- Pharmacology - for example Foundations of Pharmacology (PHAR2210) note: Drugs that Changed the World (PHAR1101) does not qualify as a prerequisite unit for Pharmacology
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
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.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
English competency
University graduate
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.
University graduate
Graduate entry to Pharmacy
Eligibility requirements
To be considered for admission into the MPharm, an applicant must:
- have a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA. Recognised bachelor's degrees are those conferred by Australian universities or higher education institutions recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework or the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR). While academic results from postgraduate study will be taken into account, postgraduate studies undertaken without a bachelor's degree cannot be accepted as an equivalent qualification
- have the equivalent of a selection Weighted Average Mark (sWAM) of at least 65, and
- meet the prerequisites in chemistry, mathematics, microbiology and pharmacology
Applicants who can meet the prerequisites are initially ranked according to sWAM.
Candidates will be ranked by sWAM, with the highest-ranking applicants being offered a place. Rural applicants will be ranked based on sWAM, and rurality rating (equally weighted).
Read through all sections for a detailed understanding of the requirements. The Future Students team is happy to assist with any further queries.
Application timelines and due dates- Domestic and International applications open on 1 March and close on 31 August the year prior to commencement. Apply via UWA's online application process for postgraduate coursework studies. International students may also apply via an authorised international education agent.
- Domestic applicants who may be eligible to apply as an Indigenous applicant should contact the Admissions team or contact the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health (CAMDH) regarding this pathway.
- Domestic and International applications should submit the MPharm prerequisite checklist document or PDF
- Domestic applicants who may be eligible to apply as a rural applicant should submit the Rural Eligibility form with their application.
Course offers
- Offers are planned to commence during November. Timing of subsequent round offers will depend on the outcome of previous rounds
- An offer cannot automatically be deferred; in exceptional circumstances, a deferral request may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should consider their personal circumstances and apply during an admissions period where they are prepared to commence should they receive an offer.
- Final ranking for non-rural domestic and international candidates will be based on sWAM.
- Final ranking for rural candidates will be based on sWAM, and rurality rating.
Applicants who are eligible for a course offer during the final year of their initial bachelor's degree will be made a conditional offer requiring them to:
- attain a minimum selection WAM of 65 for semester two of the final year of their degree; and
- complete their bachelor's degree requirements by 31 December prior to commencement.
Applicants who are in progress of their initial bachelor's degree and undertake a course of action that will result in receiving late results may not meet offer conditions. Therefore applicants must take care when undertaking any course of action which could delay the receipt of results or degree completion. This may include undertaking deferred/supplementary exams, undertaking units that fall outside normal semesters (e.g. summer units or trimester units) or going on exchange during the final year of study. Applicants who do not complete all requirements for their initial bachelor's degree by the 31 December deadline will have their offer withdrawn.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
Selection WAM Calculation
The selection Weighted Average Mark (sWAM) forms part of the eligibility and selection criteria for entry into this course. The UWA Admissions team will calculate the sWAM. Applicants must meet the specified minimum sWAM to be considered for a place in this course.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
Selection WAM Calculation
WAM refers to Weighted Average Mark and is a numerical value out of 100 that is calculated from marks received in each completed unit.
For Allied Health courses with a competitive entry process the selection WAM (sWAM) will be calculated from all degree qualifications completed or due to be completed by 31 December the year prior to course commencement.
Results from any degree which will be incomplete as at 31 December of the application year will not be included in the sWAM calculation. The exception is where such studies have been applied as credit or advanced standing to a later degree which is due for completion by 31 December of the application year.
The sWAM will be determined for each included qualification and then weighted by overall duration. All marks received within or credited to a completed degree will be included, including Fail results.
All studies up to the application deadline will be included. Where an applicant qualifies for a course offer with a sWAM calculation which includes a degree due for completion by 31 December of the application year there will be a condition to meet the minimum sWAM of 65 in the final semester of study.
The sWAM will be rounded to two decimal places.
PhD holders will be automatically awarded a selection WAM of 85. This is regardless of other completed degree studies.
For Allied Health courses with a competitive entry process the selection WAM (sWAM) will be calculated from all degree qualifications completed or due to be completed by 31 December the year prior to course commencement.
Results from any degree which will be incomplete as at 31 December of the application year will not be included in the sWAM calculation. The exception is where such studies have been applied as credit or advanced standing to a later degree which is due for completion by 31 December of the application year.
The sWAM will be determined for each included qualification and then weighted by overall duration. All marks received within or credited to a completed degree will be included, including Fail results.
All studies up to the application deadline will be included. Where an applicant qualifies for a course offer with a sWAM calculation which includes a degree due for completion by 31 December of the application year there will be a condition to meet the minimum sWAM of 65 in the final semester of study.
The sWAM will be rounded to two decimal places.
PhD holders will be automatically awarded a selection WAM of 85. This is regardless of other completed degree studies.
Study locations
Perth
Career pathways
Careers and further study
Explore the career opportunities available to you.
Career Pathways
What career paths are there for pharmacists?
Community Pharmacy
Hospital Pharmacy
Consultant Pharmacy
Other careers for pharmacists
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.
Career Pathways
What career paths are there for pharmacists?
Community Pharmacy
Hospital Pharmacy
Consultant Pharmacy
Other careers for pharmacists
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.
Course structure
Year 1
Take all units (60 points):
- MICR5833 Antimicrobial Agents (6)
- PHCY5601 Introduction to Pharmacy Practice (6)
- PHCY5602 Integrated Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Pharmacy Practice 1 (6)
- PHCY5606 Foundations of Primary Care (6)
- PHCY5610 Physical Pharmacy and Biopharmaceutics (6)
- PHCY5611 Medicinal Product Formulation (6)
- PHCY5615 Pharmacy Placement I (12)
- PHCY5618 Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Analysis (6)
- PHCY5619 Medicinal Chemistry for Pharmacy (6)
- PHCY5631 Professionalism in Action Part 1 (0)
Take all units (60 points):
- PHCY5603 Applied Pharmacotherapy (6)
- PHCY5609 Fundamentals of Research in Pharmacy (6)
- PHCY5612 Integrated Therapeutics and Pharmacy Practice (6)
- PHCY5613 Management and Economics in Pharmacy (6)
- PHCY5614 Pharmacy Research Project (12)
- PHCY5616 Pharmacy Placement II (12)
- PHCY5630 Applied Pharmacology for Pharmacists (6)
- PHCY5632 Professionalism in Action Part 2 (6)
Related opportunities
Project Everest Ventures
Supplement your studies and kickstart your career; take your skills for a test drive with industry experience this Summer.