Pharmacy MPharm
Master the competencies and gain the knowledge and qualification necessary to become a practising pharmacist in the UK. At the UCL School of Pharmacy you’ll spend four years studying the pharmaceutical science needed to be a confident healthcare professional and medicines expert.
Key information
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAB
- Subjects
- Chemistry and either Biology, Mathematics or Physics required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade B or 6
Contextual offer
- Grades
- BBB
- Subjects
- Chemistry and either Biology, Mathematics or Physics required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade C or 4 and Mathematics at grade C or 4
At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- 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
- 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.
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 and International Education.
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who do not 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.
About this course
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 course.
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.
We’re looking for hardworking applicants with a deep curiosity about 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.
Course structure
The Pharmacy MPharm is a four-year course. Year 1 of the course 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 course 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.
Modules
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).
Please note that the list of compulsory modules given here is indicative. Up to 10 optional modules per year are displayed for this course: this may not be the full range of optional modules available for selection. 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. For more detail regarding module availability, please contact the department.
Compulsory modules
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 course, you will 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.
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
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 course, for which there is an increased expectation of independent study.
The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
| Study mode | UK fee (2026/27) | Overseas fee (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Full time | £9,790 | £35,400 |
UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval 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. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.
International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.
International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.
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 course, you will 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 will also need to have your ID checked and verified at a Post Office. This will cost you around £15. You may need to arrange and pay for any overseas police checks that are required (costs vary by country). You may also need to pay your own transport costs to and from hospital visits, placements and patient interviews as part of the course.
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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2026. 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).
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.
Why study this course at UCL?
- Study at the UCL School of Pharmacy, ranked third in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).
- 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 strong ties 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. Take a virtual tour and see what our campus has to offer.
Discover Uni
To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.
What this course will give you
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.
Our graduates typically find employment in community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry, medicines regulation and information, or go on to postgraduate research and roles in higher education and academia.
Employers of our graduates include Astra Zeneca plc, Boots UK, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Green Light Pharmacy, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Johnson and Johnson Ltd, Medicare, Pfizer, and Roche Pharmaceuticals.*
*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2019–2023 cohorts.
- Scientific research, development and analysis
- Academic research and HE
- Other professional, scientific and technical activities
- Health and social care
Professional 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 Pharmacy MPharm course is fully accredited by the GPhC against the 2021 Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists.
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Register your interest in undergraduate study and become part of the UCL community.
Register nowHow 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.
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 course.
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.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Apply for this course
You are applying for the Pharmacy MPharm course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.Course starts: September 2027
UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.
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School of Pharmacy
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