Work towards your career goals
The choice of which course to study at the University of Greenwich between BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy (MPharm) will depend on the career you wish to pursue. Our accredited BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences course focuses on the research, formulation and testing of current and future drug therapies and medicinal products, and you will develop your understanding of the safe and effective design, development, production and regulation of medicines. Students who would like to work as scientists in public or private laboratories within industries such as the pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries will benefit from the modules on this course that delve into pharmacology, toxicology and physiology.
However, if you would like to become a pharmacist, you will need to study a Pharmacy (MPharm) course and then complete a foundation training year followed by a national registration assessment set by the pharmacy regulator. Graduates of a BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences course will be able to work as pharmacy assistants or undertake a pharmacy technician qualification to work as technicians, but they will not be able to work as pharmacists, who are legally certified to advise patients on their care and doctors on which medicines and dosages to give to patients. Pharmacists can also prescribe medications if they have a prescribing certificate. Your learning on our accredited MPharm degree will be complemented by the facilities on our Medway Campus, which replicate real pharmacy settings, to help you develop your practical skills.
Follow in the footsteps of our alumni
An MPharm degree is a full-time four-year degree course, and you will need to continue this with a foundation training year in a paid work placement. You will then have the possibility of embarking upon a career as a pharmacist or furthering your learning with a PhD. BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Greenwich is a full-time three-year course, and upon graduation students may wish to undertake a Master’s degree or a PhD or begin their career journeys. Students of the course can apply for membership of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
There are many career opportunities in both academia and industry for graduates of both our Pharmacy (MPharm) degree and BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences degree. These vary widely and can be laboratory-based or involve clinical teaching. Some of the roles may involve formulating new products, QC (quality control) or stability testing of current products within a pharmaceutical company, or working as medical writers, sales representatives, managers and more. Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations including Pfizer and the NHS or as independent prescribers and consultants.
