Advancing Pharmacy Practice MSc

About the course

If you are a pharmacist working in primary care, hospital, community pharmacy or the pharmaceutical industry and wish to develop your role as an Advanced Pharmacy Practitioner, then this postgraduate course will be of interest to you. The course provides an indepth understanding of safety and risk management concepts which underpin the effective use of medicines in practice. You will benefit from the opportunity to learn with other healthcare professionals. The programme offers the flexibility of a choice of specialist, core and optional modules to enable pharmacists to study modules building credits towards an MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.

UK pharmacists with an existing UK postgraduate diploma or certificate obtained within the last 5 years will be able to carry forward all or part of these qualifications towards the award of an MSc. This will be decided on a case by case basis but typically a pharmacist with a postgraduate diploma in pharmacy practice/clinical pharmacy may be able to take forward 90 credits. An award of MSc requires the accumulation of 180 credits (including a 60 credit research element).

Full-time Pathway (overseas students)

The full-time pathway is for overseas pharmacists and starts in September, lasting for 12 months.

Compulsory modules: Evidence-based practice and work related learning plus two from regulation of medicines, (60 credits) patient safety, therapeutics and pharmacovigilence

Compulsory research: Research methods and Health Disciplines Project

(60 credits)

Optional: See list of optional modules

Part-time Pathway (UK only)

The part-time pathway is for UK registered pharmacist intending to top up their CPD or gain a qualification. It can be taken over 5 years if necessary, and starts at the beginning of each semester.  

Compulsory 60 credits research element and accumulation of credits via accredited modules. Accumulation of 180 credits will result in the award of an MSc.

The following modules can only be studied by practicing UK pharmacists:

• Mental Health
• Public Health
• Therapeutics
• Therapeutics Interventions in Practice (Pharmacy)
• Health and Medical Education in the workplace
• Safeguarding Children Through Advanced Health and Medical Practice
• Challenges in Child Development, Recognition and Care
• Diagnostic Dilemmas in Child Health and Medical Practice
• Work based learning in health and medical practice

Individual optional modules may also be undertaken as free standing modules and short courses.

Please note that there is an additional cost associated with studying the Independent Prescribing module. To book a place on this course please contact CPD Health 01707 284956 or e-mail cpdhealth@herts.ac.uk.

Why choose this course?

• Flexibility of choosing different modules
• The programme offers inter-professional working opportunities
• The School of Pharmacy facilities including a sterile suite and simulated pharmacy
• Helpful and friendly staff

View course leaflet for Advancing Pharmacy Practice MSc, PgD, PgC

Study routes

• Part Time, 5 Years
• Full Time, 1 Years

Locations

• University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Careers

This programme offers excellent opportunities for continuing professional development for practicing pharmacists. It is an MSc programme, but UK pharmacists can also choose to study specific modules relevant to their professional development needs as short courses.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods are varied including lectures, seminars and workshops. Problem Based Learning (PBL) will underpin the delivery of the Therapeutics and Work Related Learning modules. The course is intense and will require students to be "self directed" learners.

Our facilities

Our school, at the University of Hertfordshire offers world-class teaching and learning facilities, including Europe's largest medical simulation laboratory.

Take a virtual tour of our facilties at the School of Pharmacy.

Work Placement

There is an in-course work placement for international students.

Structure

Year 1

Core Modules

• Evidence Based Practice - Distance Learning

  Students will construct a research question and search strategy, conduct systematic searches of on-line databases, internet and other sources of information; appraise the evidence base of health and social care practice and interventions through the use of a range of tools; apply and critically explore, through discussion and debate, the contextual factors which influence application of evidence to practice.

• Leadership in Practice

  This course will enable the student to understand the multi-faceted nature of leadership. It will encourage the practitioner to recognise their approach to leadership, how leadership is undertaken within their work setting and the multiple factors that shape prevailing leadership styles and the impact of this on colleagues, team working and for clients. Within the course, particular attention will be given to the practitioner as leader within contemporary organisations. This course will equip the practitioner to recognise and develop their leadership potential so that they can develop new insights new ways of working and promote change and sustained development within their work setting.

• Medicines and Professional Practice III

  * an introduction to how social pharmacy and evidence based medicine influences the construct of medicines use reviews * interpretation and application of clinical, social and therapeutic data * the design of pharmaceutical care plans for long term conditions * an introduction to integrated care pathways linked to health policy * multi-disciplinary working and ethical issues * the development of integrated health and social care services in response to policy

• Patient Safety Pharmacovigilance and Toxiocology

  Students will be introduced to the role of pharmacy in patient safety within national healthcare organisations and the way in which different Governments have taken radically different approaches. The students will study in detail the role of national patient safety organisations in monitoring safe use of medicines. The aim of this module is to understand the nature of the toxicity of medicines and substances of abuse, and to gain an appreciation of the role of the pharmacists in limiting the adverse effects that develop as a result of these toxic mechanisms. The toxic mechanisms will be considered at a molecular, biochemical and physiological level, and will use examples from several classes of drugs. Procedures for evaluating safety of new medicines and radiopharmaceuticals pre and post-marketing (pharmacovigilance) are considered using both experimental and clinical testing. The ethical considerations associated with these testing procedures, and the difficulty of making risk/benefit decisions will be highlighted in exercises using case studies. Regulation and guidelines intended to limit adverse drug reactions will also be assessed.

• Pharmacotherapeutics in Practice

  Students will be introduced to the role of pharmacy in chronic disease management within healthcare organisations. Students will explore through private study and via simulated ward rounds a range of chronic diseases and contribute to seminars on the diagnosis, presentation and clinical management of a range of conditions. Students will review medicines management in prevention and treatment of a range of conditions. Students will explore the role of patients in safe and effective medication use.

• Project

  To carry out an independent research project and submit a written report.

• Project (Advancing Practice)

  To carry out an independent research project and submit a written report

• Research Methods

  The module will introduce the main principles of research methodology, alternative approaches to solving a problem, the choice of appropriate research methodology and review and critical appraisal of a variety of information sources.

• Work-Based Learning

  Choosing an appropriate practice-relevant issue to study Portfolio to demonstrate Professional practice

Optional

Fees & funding

Discounts are available for International students if payment is made in full at registration

View detailed information about tuition fees

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

How to apply