Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)

This is South Australia’s only professionally accredited pharmacy degree, providing the pathway to become a registered pharmacist.

With purpose-built on-campus learning facilities, internationally-recognised teaching staff and strong professional and clinical links with industry, we are the choice for aspiring pharmacy students.

Our on-campus facilities provide access to cutting edge technology systems including a pharmacy laboratory where you will receive hands-on experience in pharmaceutical and biological sciences to develop the skills needed to understand and prepare medicines.

You will also benefit from our new purpose-built pharmacy practice suite where you will develop the clinical service delivery skills necessary to improve patient health outcomes, such as medication reviews, accurate dispensing of medicines and provision of expert knowledge, preparing you for a range of career possibilities.

Key focuses of this degree include:

developing skills in pharmaceutical, biologic and chemical sciences professional pharmacy practice and patient centred care providing personalised drug information and expert advice for patients preparing, studying and monitoring medicines and their use inter-professional practice and communication university-organised clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacy sectors.

As an honours student you will develop advanced skills in research, focusing on an area of specialisation in pharmacy and related sciences.

You may also have the opportunity to enter into a double degree with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours), Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science with just one extra year of study.

To be eligible, you'll need to receive a grade point average (GPA) of 5 or more in your second year.

What you'll need Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements.

These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements.

Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant National Board.

The registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program.

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.

Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.

Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:

Recent secondary education Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent AND

• Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
• Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
• Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points

Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.

Recent secondary education ATAR profile

OR Higher education study

• Complete or partly complete a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution, or
• Complete at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at undergraduate level or above

OR Vocational Education and Training (VET)

• Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Diploma level or above

OR Work and life experience

• Qualify for Special Entry, or
• Complete a UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent, or
• Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past

Essential requirements for admission

Prerequisites

One of the following:

Assumed Knowledge

Deferment

This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.

Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant National Board. The registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program.

This honours degree will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical expertise needed to embark on a career in the ever-changing field of pharmacy.

As an honours student there is also a strong focus on research, and you will graduate with the skills needed to undertake and manage research projects in a health-related setting.

During your first two years you will study:

• Foundations in pharmaceutical sciences and clinical skills
• Common diseases and their management
• Understanding healthcare systems and the roles of healthcare professionals
• Collecting and interpreting health information to provide individualised patient care
• Ethical pharmacy practice including responsible and legal control and supply of medicines.

During the third and fourth years you will study:

• Clinical decision-making principles and interprofessional practice
• Compounding and formulation of medicines
• Quality use of medicines
• Research skills and professional communication
• Clinical trials and international regulation of medicines
• Advanced pharmacy practice service delivery.

In fourth year, you will also complete professional placements in community and hospital-based pharmacy settings, with opportunities for rural and international experiences.

For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects and contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12 – 26 hours of study when at university and 14 – 28 hours of independent study per week.

Your studies will incorporate practical, professionally focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:

Our strong links with clinical practice and the community means you will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced clinicians working with patients in the pharmacy profession, award-winning researchers and acclaimed academics. This is a great opportunity for you to build the important relationships and networks that will help to accelerate your career progression after graduation.

We host regular University-wide employee master classes and employment expos, and alumni events in Australia and overseas.

Your career

In Australia, growth in the pharmacy profession has been on the rise, with career prospects continuing to look very strong, having an expected 13,000 job openings over the next five years.1

Pharmacists are the medicines experts in the healthcare team. To be successful as a pharmacist you will need to have an interest in the care, health and wellbeing of individuals and the community. You will also need to have an interest in the physical sciences and acknowledge the significance of the social sciences in the development of a health professional. The ability to work without supervision and with a high degree of accuracy under pressure is essential, as is a willingness to develop high-level problem-solving skills.

In addition, you should be motivated to take on an intellectual challenge, have a desire to gain expert specialised knowledge in your discipline, and a strong interest in research. You will need to be meticulous, accurate and results-driven, and possess exceptional communication skills to manage interactions with patients and other professional.

With new therapeutic developments and expanding clinical roles pharmacists have more career options than ever before, which is great news for graduates.

Pharmacists gain employment in:

• hospitals
• pharmacies
• GP practices
• community services
• aged care settings
• pharmaceutical industry
• defence services
• regulatory bodies
• compounding or critical care services
• infectious disease services
• academia and research.

As an honours student you may also choose to pursue a career in research – graduates with honours degrees are highly sought after by prospective employers, particularly within university and research settings. The Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) qualifies students for registration as a pharmacist, however, to become a practicing pharmacist, you will need to undertake the Pharmacy Intern Training Program at UniSA or another institution.

Other postgraduate opportunities include the Master of Clinical Pharmacy.

Where can my interest in science take me?

View our guide on Science Careers for more information.

1Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business, 2023 Small Business Projections.

Applying to study with us:

• go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
• you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application

Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.

Adelaide has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation or private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages for plenty of options. If you need somewhere to live, our new student accommodation by urbanest is on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal perfect location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.

Our student support services will make your life at university easier. We want you to be successful, and if you need help, we're here to assist. We provide a full range of support services, including:

• academic counselling
• personal counselling
• social support services, including family support and nearby childcare

We have six campuses in metropolitan and regional areas, each with advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments.

You will have access to:

• Purpose-built Pharmacy Laboratories in our new $247m University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute
• Pharmacy Practice Integrated Learning Suite (PPILS)
• Chemistry Laboratory
• Biology Laboratory