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Pharmacy MPharm

London, Bloomsbury

Master the competencies and gain the knowledge and qualification necessary to become a practising pharmacist in the UK. At The UCL School of Pharmacy, ranked fourth in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024), you’ll spend four years mastering the pharmaceutical science needed to be a confident healthcare professional and medicines expert. 

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
B230
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAB
Subjects
Chemistry and either Biology, Mathematics or Physics required.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.

Contextual offer information

Grades
BBB more about contextual offers
Subjects
Chemistry and either Biology, Mathematics or Physics required.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
36
Subjects
A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

Contextual offer

Points
32 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects to include Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the programme will accept either 'Analysis and Approaches' or 'Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated. This qualification is not accepted where applicants have not previously studied beyond GCSE standard or have not achieved the required grades at A-level.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics

A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher). Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics, at Advanced Higher.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

As experts in medicine with a detailed understanding of the scientific basis of therapy, pharmacists play a vital role at the forefront of healthcare delivery.

The role and responsibilities of pharmacists are expanding. The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) published new Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists in 2021, placing a much greater focus on the development of clinical skills and person-centred care.

These changes will help to ensure that as a pharmacist, you’ll be fully equipped for your future role – providing clinical care to patients and the public, diagnosing disease and prescribing medicines, and applying the science that underpins pharmacy.

From 2026, all UK pharmacists will be able to independently prescribe medicines and treatment for minor illnesses. The skills, knowledge and attributes needed to do this are now part of the MPharm programme.

The changes to the MPharm also include an increased emphasis on experiential learning placements. Working in a range of placements with UCL’s partners in community pharmacies, teaching hospital pharmacies, GP practices and specialist providers, you’ll gain extensive experience through working contact with patients, communities and other healthcare professionals.  

Pharmacy involves a deep understanding of several different disciplines. You’ll learn about the anatomy, physiology and normal function of body systems, the diseases that affect them, and the chemistry, pharmacology, formulation and clinical use of the drugs used to manage those diseases.  

From your perspective as a medicines expert, you’ll find out about the delicate balances and interactions that exist between all these different factors, and how to investigate and assess different courses of treatment that prioritise patient safety and wellbeing as the primary concern. 

What this course will give you

  • Study at The UCL School of Pharmacy, ranked second in the UK and fourth in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).
  • Absorb insights and perspectives from patients and healthcare professionals on experiential learning placements at six major NHS hospital trusts in central London.
  • Plan and carry out an extended 60-credit individual research project, either in UCL’s research laboratories or with one of our partnered research organisations.
  • Broaden your horizons, with global opportunities to work on your fourth-year research project overseas with one of our partner institutions, as part of PharmAlliance.
  • Gain the benefits of learning from globally recognised teachers – 87% of our academic staff were classed as either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
  • Build your network and gain first-hand experience of the pharmaceutical industry, with site visits to leading pharmaceutical companies and commercial lab internship opportunities.
  • Enjoy life in the heart of London at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, a district famous for its cultural and educational institutions. 

Teaching and learning

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).

Upon successful completion of 480 credits, you will be awarded a MPharm (Hons) in Pharmacy.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

The MPharm Pharmacy is a four-year programme. Year 1 of the programme comprises four 30-credit modules that introduce students to the core disciplines of pharmacy. This foundation is built upon in Years 2 and 3, each comprising two 60-credit modules that emphasise the integration of science and practice, utilising a body systems-based approach. Year 4 also comprises two 60-credit modules, with an independent research project and a clinical pharmacy-focused module that prepares students for their professional practice as pharmacists. Each year of study also includes a non-credit-bearing clinical, professional and scientific skills module, which contains the competency-based assessments associated with that year of study.  

The MPharm is structured to deliver the specific competencies and comprehensive knowledge of medicines needed to become a registered pharmacist. Consequently, all modules on the programme are compulsory, and no optional modules are provided.

Students that successfully complete 480 credits, passing all compulsory modules, will be awarded an MPharm (Hons) in Pharmacy. 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Compulsory modules







Compulsory modules





Compulsory modules





Compulsory modules





Your learning

You’ll participate in a wide range of teaching and learning activities, including experiential learning, lectures, practical classes, tutorials, problem-solving classes, clinical seminars and workshops, clinical placements, skills workshops with patients, journal clubs, independent learning, and visits to hospital and community pharmacies.

There’s also an emphasis on hybrid learning – combining on-campus activities with high quality, collaborative and engaging online learning activities. 

During your four years on the programme, you’ll spend up to 16 weeks on placement, working and learning alongside healthcare professionals and patients in a variety of healthcare settings in and around London.  

Our placement partners include GP practices, community pharmacies (including Day Lewis Pharmacy and Green Light Pharmacies) and NHS training hospitals such as UCLH and the Royal Free Hospital. 

Your typical contact hours vary between 15-20 hours per week across all modules in a particular year of study, and include lectures, tutorials, workshops, practical and professional classes, experiential placements and e-learning activities. You’ll also need to demonstrate a level of independent study (again typically 15-20 hours per week). Contact hours are generally slightly lower in later years of the programme, for which there is an increased expectation of independent study.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed through:

  • written coursework and essays
  • online coursework quizzes and lab reports
  • multiple choice questions (MCQs)
  • practical exams such as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
  • lab-based examinations
  • presentations
  • portfolios
  • written examinations (short answer questions, extended written case studies, integrated questions)
  • a wiki-based project
  • an individual research project 

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Pharmacy MPharm Q&A

—

Find out about UCL's Pharmacy MPharm by attending our online open event. You'll have the opportunity to meet the course leader, learn about the structure and content of the programme, and ask any questions you might have about the course, application process, and life at UCL.

Online - Open day

Pharmacy information video

Watch this video to find out more about Pharmacy at UCL, including entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.

Watch on demand event

The foundation of your career

The most common career route for a pharmacist involves serving the healthcare needs of the community, working in high street, supermarket or GP pharmacies.

Another popular route is hospital pharmacy, working closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. With one or two years' experience, you can then choose to specialise in areas such as cancer, paediatrics, HIV, surgery or education and training.

This master’s degree also qualifies you to work as an industrial pharmacist in research and development, production, quality control, clinical trials, product registration and medical information.  

Alternatively, you could pursue an academic career through teaching and research. 

Employability

Due to the stringent entry requirements and their vital role in frontline healthcare, newly qualified pharmacists are consistently in high demand in the UK and elsewhere.  

The UCL School of Pharmacy has a dedicated foundation training coordinator and an excellent graduate employment rate, with 96% of students employed in highly skilled work 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-2021).  

Accreditation

An MPharm from an accredited UK school of pharmacy is the first step towards your pharmacy career.  

The next step is to apply through the NHS Oriel system to access a year-long foundation training programme (after graduation), before passing the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registration examination.

The four-year MPharm Pharmacy programme is fully accredited by the GPhC against the 2021 Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

If offered a place on the programme, you’ll need to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (more details on this will be provided with your offer).  

The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but you’ll also need to have your ID checked and verified at a Post Office. This will cost you around £15.  

You may also need to arrange and pay for any overseas police checks that are required (costs vary by country).

You will also need to pay your own transport costs to and from hospital visits, placements and patient interviews as part of the programme. 

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We’re looking for hardworking applicants with a deep curiosity in the science underpinning medicine. You’ll need strong scientific understanding and detailed foundational knowledge of chemistry.

You’ll be expected to contribute positively to a personal, friendly environment where teamwork and academic achievement are highly valued.

It’s crucial that you can demonstrate precision, accuracy and confident literacy and numeracy skills. You must also be able to communicate effectively with members of the public.

Here at UCL (in line with both the NHS values and the GPhC standards), we are fundamentally committed to excellent patient care. We expect you to share our commitment. 

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Interviews and tests are usually held from December to April.

Successful applicants are required to pass Occupational Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced checks before starting the programme.

Successful applicants will need to show that they espouse the professional values necessary in a pharmacist or pharmacy student. The values of the UCL School of Pharmacy and information on selection can be found on the departmental website. You should read this before you apply.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

School of Pharmacy
School of Pharmacy

sop.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.