MPharm student case studies
Louise – 2nd year MPharm student
How many hours a week are you in university?
We have about 20 hours of teaching a week
How is this split between lectures/seminars etc?
We have lectures, workshops and practicals. For each module we study we have 2 hours a week for the lecture and one for the workshop. Over the course of the year we also have many practical sessions, so we can put our learning into practice.
How many hours of self study are expected of you each week?
In addition to the 20 hours of teaching per week we are expected to self study for another 20 hours. So it’s really like a full time job being 40 hours a week
Do you feel you get the necessary support from lecturers?
Yes, whenever I had problems concerning lecture material or coursework I could always easily contact my tutors. They were happy to respond through emails for simpler queries or I could arrange a time to meet up if I needed additional support.
What happens if you miss a lecture?
Lecture slides are always put onto StudyNet (the University's intranet) so if I miss a lecture I can still refer to the lecture slides. However, I try not to miss any lectures as lecturers go into more detail than what is on the lecture slides, as it’s so much harder to understand on your own!
What facilities does the University of Hertfordshire have to benefit MPharm students?
The University has the most up to date facilities which benefit us MPharm students. We have a mock pharmacy where we can actually practice being in a real pharmacy setting. We have lots of different labs for practical work and the Learning Resource Centre is a great place to study, as all the books are readily available.
Do you/have you lived on campus?
Yes I lived in College Lane campus on my first year
Describe life on campus in 5 words
Convenient, safe, social, economic, independent
Where did you live after your first year?
I am living in a student house close to the town centre with 3 friends which we rent through a local estate agent.
What is the social life like?
The social life is great. You can get as involved as you want. I am a member of the rowing club and train 3 mornings a week. I had never done this before and it’s great for my fitness and especially to make friend.
There is a new night club and a pub where students can chill out at night or watch footy with friends after lectures or at night. There is also the Galleria (shopping mall, restaurants, and cinema) which is within walking distance; I spend quite a lot of time eating there with my friends.
Do you have a part time job to support your studies? Would you recommend this?
I work as a student ambassador which is great as it’s so flexible. My job involves helping out at open days and showing potential students around the campus. The course is very full on so if you are getting a part time job I would only recommend a couple of hours a week. Some of my friends have part time jobs in local pharmacies which is brilliant for experience.
What is the best part of the MPharm degree at the University of Hertfordshire?
The pharmacy school is new so it has really modern facilities. The LRC on both campuses provide lots of places to study and lots of useful study materials.
Lecturers are experienced, friendly and are always ready to help students when they are need it. International tuition fees are relatively low compared to some other universities.
There is a pharmacy society which helps all pharmacy students get to know each other.