Overview

At the University of Suffolk, we’re building a future-facing pharmacy programme, designed to prepare the next generation of pharmacists for the challenges and opportunities of modern healthcare. It’s a chance to be part of something new, something bold. Be a pioneer in the future of pharmacy. 

You’ll gain a strong foundation in the pharmaceutical sciences, and learn how this knowledge can be applied in clinical practice, pharmacy research, and real-world healthcare environments. From exploring the human body to understanding drugs at a molecular level and even making medicines in our specialist labs, your learning will be grounded in science, but always connected to patient care. 

You'll also discover how pharmacists can lead in interdisciplinary teams, drive innovation in personalised and digital medicine, and tackle the biggest public health challenges of our time. 

Pharmacists combine scientific expertise with frontline healthcare as the medicine experts. They play a vital role in patient care, advising on the safe and effective use of medicines, supporting people with long-term conditions, and promoting better public health. Often the first point of contact for healthcare advice, pharmacists work in community, hospital, and GP settings. 

The profession of pharmacy is going through an exciting period of change. New standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists published by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) – the regulatory body for pharmacy – will ensure that pharmacists are ready to independently prescribe from the point of registration. 

As a Pharmacist, you will find a variety of healthcare roles available as a valued member of the clinical team, ranging from the hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy to primary care, the pharmaceutical industry and academia.  

For further information on career paths for pharmacists, please visit the RPS website. 

Becoming a Pharmacist 

To become a fully registered pharmacist in the UK, you must first complete a four-year MPharm (Intergrated Masters) degree, followed by a structured 12-month foundation training year in practice. You must also pass the GPhC registration assessment to be eligible to apply to register with the GPhC and practise as a pharmacist. This course is your first step on that journey, giving you the scientific knowledge, clinical skills, and professional values needed to succeed.