Introduction
Degree overview
Study at one of the top 5 universities for graduate careers, student satisfaction and teaching quality in Pharmacy1.
Learn from a University that has well-above world standard research in Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences2.
Study in UniSA’s new $247 million state-of-the-art UniSA Cancer Research Institute.
Learn in our on-campus, purpose-built pharmacy laboratories and pharmacy practice suite.
Benefit from our industry connections and strong links with internationally renowned research concentrations.
Gain professional practice experience when you complete placements in community and hospital pharmacies.
Benefit from over 50 years’ experience in pharmacy education.
Gain two qualifications with just one extra year of study when you complete Australia’s only double degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science.
South Australia’s only professionally accredited pharmacy degree, providing the pathway to become a registered pharmacist.
One of four universities in Australia to be a member of the prestigious National Alliance for Pharmacy Education (NAPE).
1ComparED (QILT): Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-19 – Full-time Employment Indicator and Course Experience Questionnaire 2018-19 — Overall Satisfaction and Teaching Quality Indicators (Undergraduate). Public universities only.22018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
Snapshot
This is South Australia’s only professionally accredited pharmacy degree, providing the pathway to become a registered pharmacist. With purpose-built on-campus learning facilities, internationally-recognised teaching staff and strong professional and clinical links with industry, we are the choice for aspiring pharmacy students.
Our on-campus facilities provide access to cutting edge technology systems including a pharmacy laboratory where you will receive hands-on experience in pharmaceutical and biological sciences to develop the skills needed to understand and prepare medicines. You will also benefit from our new purpose-built pharmacy practice suite where you will develop the clinical service delivery skills necessary to improve patient health outcomes, such as medication review, accurate dispensing of medicines and provision of expert knowledge, preparing you for a range of career possibilities.
Key focuses of this degree include:
developing skills in pharmaceutical, biologic and chemical sciences
professional pharmacy practice and patient-centred care
providing personalised drug information and expert advice for patients
preparing, studying and monitoring medicines and their use
inter-professional practise and communication
university-organised clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacy sectors.
As an honours student, you will develop advanced skills in research, focusing on an area of specialisation in pharmacy and related sciences.
You may also have the opportunity to enter into a double degree with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours), Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science with just one extra year of study. To be eligible, you'll need to receive a grade point average (GPA) of 5 or more in your second year.
What you'll need
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as a field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
All students enrolled in a programme leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant National Board. The registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the programme.
What you'll learn
This honours degree will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical expertise needed to embark on a career in the ever-changing field of pharmacy.
As an honours student, there is also a strong focus on research, and you will graduate with the skills needed to undertake and manage research projects in a health-related setting.
During your first two years you will study:
Foundations in pharmaceutical sciences and clinical skills.
Common diseases and their management.
Understanding healthcare systems and the roles of healthcare professionals.
Collecting and interpreting health information to provide individualised patient care.
Ethical pharmacy practice including responsible and legal control and supply of medicines.
During the third and fourth years you will study:
Clinical decision-making principles and interprofessional practice.
Compounding and formulation of medicines.
Advanced pharmacy practises service delivery.
Quality use of medicines.
Research skills and professional communication.
Clinical trials and international regulation of medicines.
In the fourth year, you will also complete professional placements in community and hospital-based pharmacy settings, with opportunities for rural and international experiences.
Why Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
The Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) is the only pathway to becoming a pharmacist in South Australia. We are the only South Australian provider of pharmacy education, and one of the four universities in Australia to be a member of the prestigious National Alliance for Pharmacy Education (NAPE).
Graduating with a higher-level qualification honours degree will set you apart from the crowd, ensuring you have a competitive edge and are ready for broad career opportunities including patient-facing clinical practice in settings such as primary care and hospital pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry, government regulation or further postgraduate study and research.
We offer a state-of-the-art, purpose-built pharmacy laboratory to develop skills in drug development and pharmaceutical sciences. Additionally, our Pharmacy Practice Integrated Learning Suite (PPILS) is where you will learn to dispense medicines, counsel patients and develop the clinical service delivery skills needed for contemporary pharmacy practice. The suite simulates patient interactions for the provision of over-the-counter medicines assisted by new touchscreen technology which is the first of its type in Australia and only second internationally. This technology provides students with virtual access to the entire product range that would be held in a pharmacy.
Students have exposure to the world-class research conducted by the UniSA Cancer Research Institute.
Your career
In Australia, growth in the pharmacy profession has been on the rise, with career prospects continuing to look very strong, having an expected 13,000 job openings over the next five years.1
Pharmacists are the medicines experts in the healthcare team. To be successful as a pharmacist you will need to have an interest in the care, health and wellbeing of individuals and the community. You will also need to have an interest in the physical sciences and acknowledge the significance of the social sciences in the development of a health professional. The ability to work without supervision and with a high degree of accuracy under pressure is essential, as is a willingness to develop high-level problem-solving skills.
In addition, you should be motivated to take on an intellectual challenge, have a desire to gain expert specialised knowledge in your discipline, and a strong interest in research. You will need to be meticulous, accurate and results-driven, and possess exceptional communication skills to manage interactions with patients and other professional.
With new therapeutic developments and expanding clinical roles pharmacists have more career options than ever before, which is great news for graduates.
Pharmacists gain employment in:
hospitals
pharmacies
GP practices
community services
aged care settings
pharmaceutical industry
defence services
regulatory bodies
compounding or critical care services
infectious disease services
academia and research
As an honours student, you may also choose to pursue a career in research – graduates with honours degrees are highly sought after by prospective employers, particularly within university and research settings.
The Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) qualifies students for registration as a pharmacist, however, to become a practising pharmacist, you will need to undertake the Pharmacy Intern Training Programme at UniSA or another institution. Other postgraduate opportunities include the clinical master programme.
Real-World Connections
Our strong links with research mean you will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced clinicians working with patients in the pharmacy profession, award-winning researchers and acclaimed academics. This is a great opportunity for you to build important relationships and networks that will help you accelerate your career progression after graduation. Students have exposure to the world-class research conducted by the UniSA Cancer Research Institute.
We host regular University-wide employee master classes and employment expos, and alumni events in Australia and overseas.
Professional accreditation and recognition
The programme is accredited with the Australian Pharmacy Council.
Successful completion of the programme satisfies the academic requirements for registration as a pharmacist with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. Eligibility for registration is determined by the Pharmacy Board of Australia and includes a suitably recognised and appropriate period of supervised training.
