Bachelor of Pharmacy

The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree is designed to provide graduates with the core skills and knowledge required for effective delivery of pharmaceutical care and the ability to proceed to research. The degree covers the study of the chemical, physical, pharmaceutical, and pharmacological properties of medicinal substances and the application of these in the pharmacy profession. Graduates have the ability to serve the Australian community and improve the quality of use of medicines. They also have the opportunity, as professional pharmacists, to improve the quality of life of the people they meet in the course of their work.

The Faculty of Pharmacy has an enviable national and international reputation. Students in the faculty are taught by and interact with world-renowned academics and have access to teaching laboratories that are leading world best practice, providing them with excellent technology.

The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree requires four years of full time study for both the pass degree and the Honours degree. There are two semesters per year and no mid-year entry. The first year is a foundation year in which students study biology, chemistry, and basic pharmaceutical sciences and are introduced to pharmacy. The remaining three years are devoted to higher levels of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, together with specialised clinical pharmacy studies. During the later years, considerable time is spent in clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacies, where valuable practical experience is gained.

On completion of this degree, and following a compulsory pre-registration training period that is required for all candidates as well as the Pharmacy Graduate Training Course (PGTC), graduates will be eligible for registration with the Pharmacy Board in your state. Once registered, graduates will be able to practice as a pharmacist.

Successful completion of this course is contingent on satisfactory performance in a number of clinical placements in NSW Health facilities. To enable participation in clinical placements, students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check (as required by the NSW Department of Health), a Prohibited Employment Declaration form (as required by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People) and relevant vaccination against infectious diseases (as required by the NSW Department of Health) at the time of enrolment.

Australian citizens, New zealand citizens, permanent residents of Australia and holders of an Australian permanent resident humanitarian visa apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

International students apply through the International Office at the University of Sydney. International students applying on the basis of a current Australian Year 12 High School examination apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) and are required to sit the multiple choice STAT.

Applications sent directly to the Faculty will not be accepted.

Entry to the Bachelor of Pharmacy is competitive. The standard required for entry to Pharmacy in 2008 was:

For HSC Students and Recent School leavers

Successful STAT (at least 150/200)
Very good UAI (93.15)

For Tertiary Record Holders

Successful STAT (at least 150/200)
Very good tertiary record in at least one year of full-time study at Bachelor’s degree level (or part-time equivalent). The UAI is not considered if an applicant has a tertiary record equivalent to one fulltime year or more.

Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

Applicants for Pharmacy applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) are required to achieve a satisfactory result in the Multiple Choice version of the STAT. The two hour test assesses verbal and quantitative reasoning skills and requires no special preparation. To guarantee consideration for Main Round offers, applicants must sit for the STAT no later than Saturday 6 December 2008. In NSW the STAT is administered by the UAC. For full details about the STAT and the registration form, please refer to the 2009 UAC Guide or UAC-STAT. Interstate applicants please click here. All Australian citizens are required to sit the STAT even if residing overseas. Please click here for overseas locations and dates for the STAT.

Assumed Knowledge: Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology or Physics

Bridging courses are available at The University of Sydney for students who have not studied one (or more) of these subjects to enable them to reach the required level of assumed knowledge before the commencement of the academic year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click here to view the most frequently asked questions for future Pharmacy students.

You can download a faculty handbook detailing individual units of study here.

First Year

• The first year contains the basic science on which the subjects in subsequent years depend. The Chemistry and Biology courses have been developed following detailed discussion with members of the Pharmacy Faculty so that they integrate well with subjects taught in subsequent years.
  Chemistry is a general introductory course which follows on from HSC chemistry. It is not dissimilar to the first year BSc course though some different topics have been included and others deleted to achieve good integration with the teaching in later years.
• Foundations of Pharmacy, Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physical Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy are taught within the Pharmacy Faculty. Foundations of Pharmacy is an introduction to the major themes and topics involved in pharmacy, including the role and distribution of medications within the health care system, dosage forms, sources of drugs, and consumers of medications. Students are also introduced to the notion of the reflective professional practitioner, and to the broad discipline areas within pharmacy.
• Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences provides an introduction to principles which will be expanded and applied in later years. Topics covered include drugs from plants, pharmaceutical calculations, intermolecular forces in liquids and solids, dissolution and solubility, drugs as acids and bases, and partitioning. Small group work in seminar/tutorial session will complement and support the learning of material introduced in lectures.
• Social Pharmacy consists of two streams:
  - Professional Pharmacy provides an introduction to the professional practice of the pharmacist through lectures and fieldwork in clinical settings. Topics include an introduction to the role of the pharmacist in the health care team, the relationship of pharmacists to other health care professionals, and client expectations of the profession. Oracy and literary skills are developed in the context of professional pharmacy issues.
  
  - Interprofessional Practice is designed to provide a broad perspective of health and illness, and encourage a view of the patient as a whole person. The emphasis will be on basic principles of psychological processes that underpin or drive patient cognition, affect and behaviour.

Second Year

• Courses include Physiology and Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Design, Microbiology, Formulation and Dispensing, Therapeutic Principles and an introduction to Pharmacy Practice which is directly related to professional work and focusses on communication skills and some therapeutic areas.

Third Year

• The emphasis is on themes related to neurology, dermatology, oncology/immunology, musculoskeletal, gastroenterology, renal/urogenital/reproductive and multiple systems pathology.

Fourth Year

• Students undertake units of study in management, therapeutics in practice, clinical placements, integrated pharmacy practice and advanced pharmaceutical sciences.
• Studies involves clinical practice externships spent on assignments at health professional locations.
• Students undertaking the Rural Major will study indigenous health issues, rural and remote care and will undertake their clinical practice externship in a rural area.

Advanced studies

Advanced studies are offered in Year 4 in pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy practice and pharmacology. Enrolment in the advanced units is by invitation only, based on meritorious performance in the first three years of the program.

Grades of award of the degree

The degree may be awarded in two grades, pass and honours. The award of honours recognises superior performance in all units of study throughout the degree - including advanced units of study in the final year - as well as completion of a research project. Students considering a postgraduate degree by research are advised to complete an honours degree.

Students who completed an Australian Year 12 examination in either 2007 or 2008, have no tertiary record, and have completed at least the last four years of secondary education at a rural school, may be eligible for admission under the Faculty of Pharmacy Rural Students Entry Scheme for study in the Bachelor of Pharmacy. Under this scheme, a limited number of places will be available to applicants whose UAI is not more than five points below the Main Round UAI cut-off.

This scheme does not apply to any other program offered by the Faculty. In addition to submitting an application with UAC, you must complete an application form for the Faculty of Pharmacy Rural Students Entry Scheme and return it to the Administration Office, Faculty of Pharmacy (Bldg A15) at The University of Sydney by the last day for change of UAC preference for Main Round offers (Wednesday 07/01/09). Applications for the scheme received after this date will not be considered.

Criteria for admission to the Bachelor of Pharmacy under the Faculty of Pharmacy Rural Students Entry Scheme

Current NSW HSC or interstate equivalent applicants may be offered a place under the Faculty of Pharmacy Rural Students Entry Scheme if they meet all the criteria set out below:

1. The applicant’s UAI (or equivalent) is not more than five points below the UAC main round cut off mark for the year of entry.
2. Applicants must have completed at least the last four years of secondary education at a rural school (the definition of “rural” is detailed below).
3. Applicants must have had a permanent home address in a rural area for a significant period (at least four years) at any time prior to their application (the definition of “rural” is detailed below).
4. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to a career in a rural health setting. (This may include an exceptional record of involvement and achievement in community affairs at school or local community level in a rural environment).
5. Applicants are not eligible for a place under this Scheme if they have completed one full-time year (or part-time equivalent) of tertiary study. (Tertiary study refers to Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelors Degree or higher qualification recognised by The University of Sydney).
6. Applicants are not eligible for a place under this Scheme if they accept an offer under any other Access and Equity Program offered by the University.
7. Applicants must satisfy the Special Tertiary Admissions Test criterion outlined above.

Rural Entry Scheme Application

Definition of “Rural”

The basis for the definition of “rural” will be the area encompassing the rural NSW Area Health Service regions, as announced by the NSW Department of Health on 16 March 1966, or the equivalent definition of rural applicable to other States. Basically, all of New South Wales is considered rural with the exception of Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and their surrounding areas. In other states, similar definitions will apply.

Fore more information about our undergraduate degree, please contact:

Student Services Assistant (Enquiries)
Phone: 02 9351 2320
Email

Most students who study at The University of Sydney are Commonwealth supported. These students have most of the cost of their education paid by the government but must also contribute themselves. More information is available at http://www.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/apply/hecs.shtml

Students who do not receive an offer for a Commonwealth Supported Place in the course they are interested in, can apply for a fee paying place. More information on fee paying costs is available at http://www.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/apply/feepaying.shtml

More information on costs for international students is available at http://www.usyd.edu.au/internationaloffice/publications/fees.shtml