Advanced Pharmacy Practice

PgCert stage (Stage 1) - 37 weeks, Jan – Aug

The first two modules are common and are studied concurrently providing a strong foundation. Pharmaceutical Care Planning (30 credits) focuses on the development and implementation of evidence-based pharmaceutical care plans for patients and Therapeutics (30 credits) covers a wide-range of therapeutic topics.

PgDip Stage (Stage 2) - 33 WEEKS, Sep - June

You will complete 60 credits – 30 of which will be Pharmacist Independent Prescribing with a compulsory 5-day virtual residential period.  On completion of this module Pharmacists will be eligible for annotation as Pharmacist Independent Prescribers by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

You will also choose two additional 15 credit modules from 7 offered. Some of these will be studied with postgraduate students from the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice:

• Prescribing Decision Making (15 credits)
• Clinical Practice Elective (Pharmacy) (15 credits)
• Advanced Therapeutics and Personalised Medicine (15 credits)
• Safety and Quality in Medicine Use (15 credits)
• Managing Long Term Conditions (15 credits)
• Advanced Concepts of Improving Health and Wellbeing (15 credits) 
• Clinical History Taking and Examination Skills for Advanced Practice (15 credits). This module requires 1 week attendance at RGU.

MSc Stage (Stage 3) - 48 WEEKS, July - April

You will undertake an MSc by portfolio in the Advanced Pharmacy Practice module (60 credits). The content is mapped to relevant professional development frameworks enabling you to develop the relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies required for effective advanced pharmacy practice.

Learning Methods

You will be taught part-time via our virtual learning environment CampusMoodle, allowing you to develop all necessary knowledge, skills, attitude and competencies while you remain in employment. The Course Leader is a central point for information and support with regard to the delivery of the course. It is also recommended (but not mandatory) that you have a work-placed mentor to provide local support and encouragement. You will need a Designated Medical Practitioner to supervise your period of learning practice as part of the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module.

Activity Summary

• Independent Study - 600h per stage, 10-15hrs per week
• Placement / Work Based Learning - 90 hours

How long is an Advanced Pharmacy Practice course?

The duration of the Advanced Pharmacy Practice MSc at RGU is 2 years + 1 week 'virtual residence'. This is to include independent study, coursework preparation, placement / work based learning and other activities.

Independent Study

All your materials will be provided online and are designed to allow self-assessment of learning needs.

Staff Delivering on this Course

Staff delivering this course are practised academics, with active links to national and international industry bodies including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, General Pharmaceutical Council, Canadian Pharmaceutical Association, Royal Pharmaceutical Society Faculty, and the Chamber of Pharmacist of Austria and Germany.

The Course Leader is your central point for information and support with regard to the delivery of the course. You will be supported by university staff including, e-tutors who are all practising clinical pharmacy practitioners. They review the learning materials, provide real-life case scenarios and participate in the marking of practice related assessments. They facilitate discussion and learning within the modules and bring a unique practice-related perspective to learning.

Assessment

You will be assessed by continuous assessment based on your acquisition and application of knowledge in practice-related problem-based scenarios and activities including: responding to case studies, developing care plans and essay responses to specific topics and contribution to online discussion forums, formative peer-assessed essays, short answer problem/case study questions and multiple-choice questions. In addition there is a compulsory 5-day 'virtual residential' period as part of the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module, during which you will complete an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) assessment. There will be a practical online assessment in Clinical History Taking and Examination Skills for Advanced Practice module.

Typically students are assessed each year:

• 6 written assignments, including essays
• 1 dissertation
• 4 portfolios
• 1 set exercises
• 1 oral assessment
• 1 practical skills assessment

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.

Academic Support

The Inclusion Centre advises and supports students who disclose a sensory or mobility impairment, chronic medical condition, mental health issue, dyslexia and other specific learning differences. Applicants are encouraged to arrange a pre-entry visit to discuss any concerns and to view the facilities.

Online Learning & Support

All undergraduate and postgraduate students, whether you are learning on campus or by online learning, benefit from using our collaborative virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle. You will be provided with 24/7 online access to your learning material and resources, along with the ability to interact with your class members and tutors for discussion and support.

Study Skills Support

The Study Support Team provides training and support to all students in:

• Academic writing
• Study skills (note taking, exam techniques, time management, presentation)
• Maths and statistics
• English language
• Information technology support

Library Support

The Library offers support for your course, including the books, eBooks, and journals you will need. We also offer online reading lists for many modules, workshops and drop-ins on searching skills and referencing, and much more.

Job Prospects

This course has been designed in collaboration with employers in both primary and secondary care to ensure that the course is kept up-to-date and in line with current practice and the demands of the workplace. 

Your employer will benefit from your completion of this course as it is designed to enable you to develop in the key competency areas for advanced practice including Pharmacist Independent Prescribing.

Is studying the MSc Advanced Pharmacy Practice a good career choice?

The multi-disciplinary nature of the course enhances its appeal to employers and as a result, career prospects are excellent.

What is needed to study MSc Advanced Pharmacy Practice?

• Applicants should have an 2:2 undergraduate honours degree in Pharmacy from a UK university, and two years post-registration relevant work experience* OR
• An integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy (MPharm), and two years post-registration relevant work experience* OR
• The Overseas Pharmacists' Assessment Programme qualification and two years post-registration relevant work experience*
• Additionally, applicants must be registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.

*Relevant work experience is considered that which is patient facing.

English Language Requirements

By meeting one of the full entry requirements stated, the English condition for this course is deemed as having been met.

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.

Tuition fees for this Advanced Pharmacy Practice course are as follows:

For Academic Year 2021/2022

UK Students

• £2,770 for stage 1
• £2,770 for stage 2
• £1,830 for stage 3

EU Students

• £2,770 for stage 1
• £2,770 for stage 2
• £1,830 for stage 3

International Students

• £4,680 for stage 1
• £4,680 for stage 2
• £3,120 for stage 3

For Academic Year 2020/2021

UK/EU Students

• £2,770 for stage 1
• £2,770 for stage 2
• £1,830 for stage 3

International Students

• £4,680 for stage 1
• £4,680 for stage 2
• £3,120 for stage 3

Additional Costs

The following course-related costs are not included in the course fees:

• The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
• Costs associated with your placement / study abroad
• Accommodation and Living costs
• Printing

Alumni Discount

Robert Gordon University is delighted to offer a 20% loyalty discount on course fees for all alumni who have graduated from RGU.

Student Funding

Postgraduate students will normally make their own arrangements for payment of fees. However, there are a limited number of SAAS funded places on certain postgraduate courses.
There are also sources of funding that are applicable to categories of student.

Scholarships and Financial Awards

You may also qualify for a scholarship or financial award:

Disclaimer

For new intakes course fees are reviewed and published annually for each mode of delivery. Tuition fees are fixed for the duration of a course at the rate confirmed in the offer letter.  For further information see: