MPharm Pharmacy
- Entry year:
- 2026/27
- Start date:
- September
- Study mode:
- Full-time
- Campus:
- City
- UCAS Code:
- B201
Available in Clearing for 2026 entry
Visit our Clearing hub: You can call one of our helpful and friendly Clearing advisors on 0808 5 564 565 or complete our online application form.
Why study this course with LJMU?
- LJMU ranked in the top 20 universities in the UK for Pharmacology and Pharmacy (Complete University Guide Subject League Tables 2027)
- LJMU ranked 18th in the UK for pharmacy and pharmacology (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
- Accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Taught by one of the oldest and well-established schools of pharmacy in the world
- Excellent links and work placement opportunities with leading local hospitals, community pharmacies and primary care teams
- Focus on the application of science to clinical practice
- Work placements, student-patient engagement and inter-professional learning from Year 1
- Strong support for students personal and professional development to help achieve their full potential
- 98% of students on this course said teaching staff were good at explaining things (NSS 2025)
- International Foundation Year course available offering direct progression onto this programme
About your course
By studying the professionally-accredited undergraduate Masters degree in Pharmacy (MPharm) at Liverpool John Moores University you will enjoy innovative and high quality pharmacy teaching, plus opportunities to complete placements in community, hospital and primary care settings, inter-professional learning, patient/public engagement and practice simulations.
The MPharm Pharmacy programme offers you the opportunity to develop as a key healthcare practitioner with an advanced understanding of the science-basis for practice, leading you to become an 'expert in medicines'. We place a strong emphasis on ensuring the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviours and values necessary for individuals to work in partnership with patients and other healthcare professionals in order to provide accessible, compassionate and integrated person-centred care with a focus on enhancing patient outcomes.
Our MPharm programme undergoes continual review to ensure we provide our students with the most up-to-date knowledge, practice-relevant skills and professional confidence to become competent, safe and effective person-centred prescribing practitioners, while still retaining the advanced scientific knowledge and skills basis that is so unique to pharmacy.
Students will graduate from the LJMU programme with the confidence to continue personal and professional development more independently, with the confidence to begin making good clinical and professional decisions based on evidence and risk assessment, and with a spirit of team-based working. Following graduation with an MPharm Pharmacy degree, students will be fully prepared to begin the Foundation Training Year for trainee pharmacists, as part of the formal professional development path leading towards registration with the GPhC.
Course modules
What you will study on this degree
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Integrated Foundations of Pharmacy
0 credits
0 credits
The entire curriculum for year 1 of MPharm Pharmacy is taught in this module. This single module approach to delivery ensures we integrate the science and practice through all aspects of learning and development. Year 1 topics include the underpinning sciences (anatomy and physiology, basic principles of pharmacology, cells and biomacromolecules, principles of medicinal chemistry) and a number of patient-focused systems including Blood, the Gastrointestinal system, and the Peripheral Nervous System. The application of knowledge to practice forms a continuous strand through this level of study, both on campus and on placement.
Research Skills assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student research skills in year 1.
Person-Centred Care assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding of patient-centred care in year 1.
Formulary assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding and early development of a personal formulary in year 1.
End of Year examination paper 1
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this is a synoptic assessment of student learning from year 1.
End of Year examination paper 2
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this examination assesses student ability to make professional decisions and to justify those decisions based on good evidence and sound reasoning.
Pharmacy skills assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student practice-based skills.
Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
Pharmaceutical calculations assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student ability to accurately perform calculations.
Core modules
Medicines, Patients and the Pharmacist
0 credits
0 credits
The entire curriculum for year 2 of MPharm Pharmacy is taught in this module. This single module approach to delivery ensures we integrate the science and practice through all aspects of learning and development. Year 2 topics build on those from year 1 and include the Central Nervous System, the Cardiovascular system, the Respiratory system, and Infection control. The application of knowledge to practice continues to form a key strand through this level of study, both on campus and on placement.
Person-Centred Care assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding of patient-centred care in year 2.
Formulary Assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding and early development of a personal formulary in year 2.
End of Year examination paper 1
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this is a synoptic assessment of student learning from year 1 and year 2.
End of Year examination paper 2
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this examination assesses student ability to make professional decisions and to justify those decisions based on good evidence and sound reasoning.
Pharmacy skills assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student practice-based skills.
Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
Pharmaceutical Calculations assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student ability to accurately perform calculations.
Optional modules
Study Year Abroad - Pharmacy
120 credits
120 credits
Core modules
The Complexities of Healthcare
0 credits
0 credits
The entire curriculum for year 3 of MPharm Pharmacy is taught in this module. This single module approach to delivery ensures we integrate the science and practice through all aspects of learning and development. Year 3 topics include Mental Health, Immunology, Endocrine health and disorders, Oncology and a pharmacy-focused Research Project. The ongoing application of knowledge and skills to practice continues to form an ever more important strand through this level of study, both on campus and on placement. In year 3, students develop a greater focus on clinical reasoning and skills needed for independent prescribing.
Research Skills assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student research skills in year 3.
Person-centred care assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding and demonstration of patient-centred care in year 3.
Formulary assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding and ongoing development of a personal formulary in year 2.
End of Year examination paper 1
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this is a synoptic assessment of student learning from years 1, 2 and 3.
End of Year examination paper 2
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this examination assesses student ability to make professional decisions and to justify those decisions based on good evidence and sound reasoning.
Pharmacy skills assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student practice-based skills.
Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
Professional Portfolio assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
Pharmaceutical Calculations assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student ability to accurately perform calculations.
Core modules
Advancing Person-Centred Care
0 credits
0 credits
The entire curriculum for year 4 of MPharm Pharmacy is taught in this module. This single module approach to delivery ensures we integrate the science and practice through all aspects of learning and development. Year 4 is heavily practice-focused and supports students in integrating the learning and skills from years 1 to 3 to consider the patient as a whole, further developing their skills in providing person-centred care. Students will develop advanced clinical skills, hone their skills in clinical reasoning and professional judgement, and be provided with opportunities to practice their prescribing skills in a safe environment as preparation for the National Foundation Training year.
Research Skills assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student research skills in year 4.
Person-centred care assessment
20 credits
20 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student understanding and demonstration of patient-centred care in year 4.
End of Year examination paper 1
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this is a synoptic assessment of student learning from years 1, 2, 3 and 4.
End of Year examination paper 2
30 credits
30 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this examination assess student ability to make professional decisions and to justify those decisions based on good evidence and sound reasoning.
Pharmacy skills assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student practice-based skills.
Pharmacy Law and Ethics assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student knowledge and understanding of how the Law applies to pharmacy practice.
Professional Portfolio assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student reflective practice and personal development.
Pharmaceutical Calculations assessment
0 credits
0 credits
This module is solely for assessment and this assessment focuses on student ability to accurately perform calculations.
Professional accreditation
The MPharm Pharmacy programme is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
Your Learning Experience
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
Teaching is provided via a combination of structured online learning and lectures, interactive workshops, practical laboratory and clinical practice sessions, small-group tutorials, seminars and professional placements. You will be expected to engage fully with all aspects of the programme (including, for example: lectures, workshops, practicals, simulation and placements) and to undertake additional study around the taught subjects in your own time using our libraries and virtual learning environment, Canvas.
As the course progresses, practical work and clinical skills development accounts for an increasingly large proportion of your study time, and you will also develop some of the skills you need to undertake independent research.
The MPharm Pharmacy programme makes full use of innovative learning enhancement practices, which our students tell us they value very highly. This includes the use of technology to enhance the learning experience, for example through the use of interactive patient communication/clinical assessment mannequins and virtual patient technology during “clinical simulation” workshops. In addition, we incorporate development of a range of clinical, professional and interpersonal skills necessary for becoming an effective and safe, future independent prescriber.
Work-related learning
Applying scientific principles to practical clinical situations is the key focus of this programme, and there is no better way to practise this than by undertaking a professional placement. Thanks to our links with many local hospitals, community pharmacies and primary care providers, you will be able to gain direct experience of the day-to-day work of a pharmacist and build up your skills in preparation for your Foundation Training Year. Employers tell us that our graduates are able to apply excellent clinical skills as soon as they begin work, and this is largely down to clinical experience gained on the course.
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
One-to-one support is crucial for your academic and career development, and for this reason you will be allocated a personal tutor for the duration of your studies at LJMU. They will arrange regular tutorials with you to discuss course issues, monitor progress, support professional development and plan work.
The school is fully committed to promoting a learning environment that supports a culture of equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) and has a Disability Support Coordinator, an EDI Coordinator and a School EDI Working Group. Personal Tutors also play a vital role in promoting awareness of support services for students.
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
We acknowledge that all students perform differently depending on how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of different assessment methods. For example, coursework could be in the form of a pharmaceutical care plan for a fictional patient, development of a medicines formulary, preparation and delivery of a research seminar or a viva voce examination to assess your awareness and understanding of your own practice.
We pride ourselves on developing our students by ensuring we equip you with the knowledge and skills base required in your journey to become competent professional pharmacists. As such, we include assessments to ensure you meet the minimum expectations for competence in various skills at each level of study. You will have to carry out clinical examinations of patients and take practical exams to ensure that you can perform the core duties of a pharmacist under UK law and meet the expectations and Professional Standards of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Over the course of the programme, exams range from multiple-choice or short answer questions to longer analytical essays or discussions of therapeutic strategies in a clinical scenario.
Where you will study
You will study at the Byrom Street site in the university's City Campus in the heart of Liverpool. Our state-of-the-art laboratories and teaching spaces will ensure you enjoy a first-class study environment. The City Campus Library is within easy walking distance and here you'll find all the information you need to support your studies.
You are prepared for the challenges you may face in your career and the future. The course is based on the application of knowledge to real life scenarios, enabling you to think critically
Career paths
The MPharm qualification is your first step towards qualification as a pharmacist in the UK.
When you graduate, you will need to undertake a Foundation Training Year in practice and be successful in a national registration assessment to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Once you have demonstrated your practical competence, taken professional examinations and provided the GPhC with a statement of fitness to practice (and sometimes evidence of a Disclosure Barring Service check), you will be eligible to work in any branch of pharmacy.
The School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences has strong links with a number of leading hospitals and primary care providers, including the Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust (at the Royal and at Aintree), Broadgreen, Arrowe Park (Wirral), Countess of Chester, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Whiston Hospital, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (Mental Health) Trust, Merseycare and the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, and also with local GP medical centres and community pharmacies. This means you can be confident that you will have excellent training on placement and with teacher-practitioner pharmacists on campus during your studies.
A career in pharmacy has excellent prospects and salaries are very competitive. Most pharmacists work in hospitals, health centres and community pharmacies. There are also opportunities in the drugs development industry or in university-based research.
Useful links
Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
The site provides more information on pharmacy as a career; the different sectors pharmacists can work in – such as community, hospital and industry; and videos of different specialisms within pharmacy – such as A&E pharmacists. Information is also available about pharmacist independent prescribing.
General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the pharmacy regulator. The Council's job is to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of members of the public by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy. The site includes details regarding the education requirements of become a pharmacist.
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.
Tuition fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students beginning their studies in September 2026 will be £9,790 for the 2026/27 academic year, subject to Parliamentary approval.
In England and Wales, tuition fees for home undergraduate students are set in accordance with the Government’s regulated fee cap. The Government has confirmed that this cap will be £9,790 for 2026/27 and £10,050 for 2027/28, in both cases subject to Parliamentary approval.
The Government has also indicated that from the 2028/29 academic year onwards, the fee cap may be adjusted annually in line with inflation. As a result, tuition fees in future years may increase in line with inflation. We will provide confirmation of any changes as early as possible in advance of each academic year.
The university reserves the right to increase tuition fees in accordance with any changes to the maximum allowable fees set by the UK Parliament.
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus Wi-Fi.
Financial Support
The University offers a range of scholarships to support students through their studies. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist funding pages, including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs including those for placements, visas and travel for studying abroad and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
All relevant textbooks are signposted in the reading list section of our virtual learning platform Canvas and are available via the library as hard and electronic copies
Students are provided with a tunic top that they must wear to clinical teaching and placements. Students are required to wear the tunic with their own smart black, navy or grey trousers/ skirt, and trainers or shoes in line with our uniform policy. Students are required to fund their travel to placement but may claim back some travel costs via NHS Learning Support Funds if eligible.
Applying via Clearing
Minimum UCAS points required:
For the latest entry requirements, complete our Clearing Application Form or call our Clearing hotline on 0808 5 564 565.
You can find out a wealth of useful information and support with the Clearing process on our Clearing webpages.
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