2628 - Bachelor of Pharmacy

Pharmacists are health professionals with the skills and knowledge to manage a patient's understanding and utilisation of medications, in order to optimise medicines-related health outcomes.

The degree has four streams of study:

• enabling sciences
• applied pharmaceutical sciences
• clinical and therapeutic sciences
• pharmacy practice sciences.

During fourth year, students undertake work placements in hospitals and community pharmacies through the professional experience placement program. The program provides an understanding of the processes involved in, for example, providing primary health care, drug information, and clinical pharmacy services in different practice environments.

To be registered as a pharmacist, students must complete an additional one year pharmacy internship program under the supervision of the Pharmacy Board. Monash University offers an internship program (previously known as pre-registration), either as a stand-alone course or as part of the Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice.

Special requirements

Police checks are required for the professional experience placements in clinical and community settings in the Bachelor of Pharmacy. All students will be required to obtain and pay for a police check prior to undertaking the clinical and community placements in their course. For further information or for clarification, contact the placement program coordinator, email pep@pharm.monash.edu.au.

Course progression requirements

The full provisions governing the course structure and progress of students through the course are set out in the Bachelor of Pharmacy regulations, which can be found on the faculty's website at http://www.pharm.monash.edu.au.

The course aims to produce graduates with:

• an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the enabling sciences, applied pharmaceutical sciences, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice and the ability to integrate and apply the knowledge to the practice of pharmacy
• the relevant skills for the practice of pharmacy, defined by the current competencies and requirements of future practices
• the relevant generic skills, such as oral and written communication, critical thinking, learning for life, numeracy and information literacy and leadership
• the relevant professional and social values, attitudes, and behaviours, necessary for practice.

Graduates should be able to apply the knowledge and skills gained to promote and contribute to the quality use of medicines and to the health of the community.

The Bachelor of Pharmacy students take eight core units in the first three years of the course. In the fourth year students take seven core units (including the Professional Experience Placement program) and an elective unit.

First year

First semester

• PAC1111 Introduction to physiology
• PAC1121 Organic chemistry
• PAC1211 Physicochemical basis of pharmacy
• PAC1311 Pharmacy, health & society I

Second semester

• PAC1132 Systems physiology
• PAC1142 Chemistry of biomolecules
• PAC1222 Drug delivery I
• PAC1322 Pharmacy, health & society II

Second year

First semester

• PAC2151 Biochemistry and molecular biology
• PAC2161 Cell function, communication and pathology
• PAC2171 Basis of drug action I
• PAC2331 Pharmacists as communicators

Second semester

• PAC2182 Basis of drug action II
• PAC2232 Drug delivery and disposition
• PAC2342 Pharmacy in a public health context
• PAC2412 Integrated therapeutics: Introduction and cardiovascular

Third year

First semester

• PAC3191 Microbiology and immunology
• PAC3241 Drug delivery, disposition and dynamics
• PAC3351 Context for practice I
• PAC3421 Integrated therapeutics respiratory

Second semester

• PAC3252 Drug delivery II
• PAC3362 Context for practice II
• PAC3432 Integrated therapeutics: Infectious diseases
• PAC3442 Integrated therapeutics: Endocrinology and renal

Fourth year

First semester

• PAC4261 Drug delivery and development
• PAC4371 Professional experience placement program
• PAC4451 Integrated therapeutics: Dermatology and pain
• elective (options to be advised)

Second semester

• PAC4382 Context for practice III
• PAC4462 Integrated therapeutics: Neurology and oncology
• PAC4472 Integrated therapeutics: Psychiatry
• PAC4482 Integrated therapeutics: Advanced practice

Bachelor of Pharmacy (with honours)

Students will qualify for the in-course Bachelor of Pharmacy (with honours) at the conclusion of the four-year pharmacy course, awarded in one of the grades of H1, H2A or H2B, where the aggregate of the marks they obtain in all units attempted reaches minimum levels of achievement determined by the faculty board.

Pharmacy Board of Victoria

To practice as a pharmacist in Victoria it is necessary to register with the Pharmacy Board of Victoria. To qualify for registration with the Pharmacy Board of Victoria, a period of internship (pre-registration) practical training must be undertaken after completing the undergraduate course. For detailed information, refer to the entry under 'Pharmacy pre-registration training' later in this section of this handbook.

Royal Australian Chemical Institute

Bachelor of Pharmacy graduates from the Victorian College of Pharmacy are eligible to become members of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) after a period of practical experience. RACI members are able to practise in many areas of industry as professional chemists and receive the salaries determined by the RACI.

Bachelor of Pharmacy

Bachelor of Pharmacy with honours

* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.