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Smiling pharmacist in drug dispensary

Pharmacy (OSPAP) PGDip

  • Intro
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
  • Entry
    criteria
  • Fees
  • Location and
    student life
  • Stay in
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Intro

This course is fully accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council as an Overseas Pharmacists' Assessment Programme (OSPAP), certifying international pharmacists to practise their profession in the UK.

Brighton is the most flexible course provider in the country. You are required on campus for two days per week, with the rest of the time being used for distance learning and independent study.

One of the days is spent in our clinical skills lab, which offers a simulated experience of working in a pharmacy, and you also have a chance to do a placement in a clinical setting to maximise your practical experience.

Our International Office is here to help you whatever your needs, and the course is renowned among students for its diverse, supportive and close-knit atmosphere.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year

Accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council

This course is full for 2023

This means we are not accepting applications for September 2023.

Your next opportunity to start this course is September 2024 – online applications will open in October.

Course content

Course structure

This is a full-time course with a combination of seven modules run over two semesters: one independent study and six university-based modules. The independent study module is supported by specifically written module materials and staff-led tutorial sessions. The remaining six modules involve a mixture of lectures and skills-based workshops and are run over two days per week at the university.

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Areas of study

Studies focus on new developments in the areas of pharmaceutics, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice. In addition, you explore pharmacy law and ethics, contemporary pharmacy issues and UK healthcare provision. There is also an opportunity for you to develop a programme of work that suits your individual requirements.

Modules

  • Scientific Basis of Pharmacy Practice
  • Applied Therapeutics
  • Clinical Drug Delivery
  • Advanced Professional Studies
  • Health Promotion for Pharmacists
  • Novel Medicinal Products: A Clinical Perspective
  • Pharmaceutical Skills

Careers

Satisfactory completion of this course enables you to undertake pre-registration training in order to apply for the General Pharmaceutical Council registration exam, which officially enables you to become a pharmacist in the UK.

A student in a white coat looking into a microscope

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Degree and experience
Applicants must have the following qualifications and/or experience:

  • an overseas degree in pharmacy normally with a 2:1 or above (or equivalent)
  • satisfactory adjudication of qualifications by the General Pharmaceutical Council
  • achievement of 40% or above in the online pharmaceutical calculations admission test.

Applicants who have failed an OSPAP award from an alternative provider are ineligible.

COVID-19 vaccine requirement

The COVID-19 vaccination requirement has been removed. Find out more about this decision.

English language requirements
IELTS (Academic) Level 7.0 or above in each parameter at one sitting. If you have been exempted by the General Pharmaceutical Council from an IELTS qualification you will not be required to have IELTS for an application to this course. Check this link for possible General Pharmaceutical Council exemptions. For exemptions under evidence types 1 and 2 in this guide, IELTS may still be needed if you are going to require a student visa for study.

If we make you an offer
We will ask you to pay a non-refundable £200 deposit to secure your place. This amount will be deducted from your course fees when you enrol on the course. If you are an international student requiring a visa to study, you will be asked for a further deposit (the international student tuition fee deposit) to secure your CAS at a later date.

To fulfil the professional requirements of the course you will also need to:

  • provide a satisfactory overseas police check
  • undergo a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
  • complete satisfactory Occupational Health checks.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 13,700 GBP

International (full-time)13,700 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Applied Sciences in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • Where required:
    • all students are provided with a laboratory coat, safety glasses and log book.
    • a budget to cover laboratory consumables and equipment for your final year project is included in the fees for all students.
    • access to key subject journals and subject specific databases is provided, as well as a site licence for industry-standard chemical drawing software.
    • essential instruction booklets (laboratory handbooks) are provided, as is project poster printing and thesis binding. However, you should budget for books, printing and stationery for personal study.
  • For our ecology and conservation courses there are compulsory field trips for which you should budget up to £200. There are also optional field trips for which you may choose to budget up to £2,700. You may also need to buy appropriate clothing for outdoor use.
  • DBS checks for MPharm students are included in the fee.
  • Costs for MPharm placement travel is reimbursed up to a specified amount depending on location of placement.
  • The independent mapping project is a mandatory part of the Geology BSc(Hons) involving independent fieldwork that is undertaken in the summer between years 2 and 3. The cost of this fieldwork is not included in the fee, and you will need to meet this additional cost yourself.
  • Travel and accommodation costs are included for all mandatory taught residential field trips, but you’ll need to provide your own food and drink.
  • Optional placements and day trips may include additional costs. This will vary depending on where and how long the field trip is but you should budget approximately £1,500.
  • Some students require specialist outdoor equipment and/or personal protective equipment (PPE) and should budget up to £100.
  • If you choose to take an optional paid placement you’ll be expected to cover your own travel, accommodation, food and drink.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses. Find out what free software is available from the University of Brighton.
  • In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but students may wish to print notes which would involve an extra cost.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you'll find new Students' Union, events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our halls, Moulsecoomb Place and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains and to all the exciting things happening in our home city.

Two people walking past Mithras halls

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Mithras halls and Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
  • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Park

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Students eating at the Hub

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

Find out about postgraduate events

Find out more

School of Applied Sciences
01273 642090
SAS-office@brighton.ac.uk

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