The online MSc Advanced Pharmacy Practice course will equip you with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitude and competencies required for effective advanced practice. The course delivers a focused education, with content mapped to relevant professional development frameworks. The Pharmacist Independent Prescribing qualification is mandatory at the diploma stage.
There are also several elective modules appropriate to advanced practice, with opportunities for interprofessional learning with other healthcare practitioners through shared modules with the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice. You will have many opportunities to use and build on your experience of professional practice, enabling you to reflect analytically as a life-long learner. This career-enhancing course will develop your ability to make a positive impact on patients' lives.
If you are considering a postgraduate study option starting in September 2025 or January 2026, then please be aware application deadlines are in place which may affect your first choice of start date or course selection.
PgCert (Stage 1) - 30 weeks, Jan – Aug
The first two modules are studied concurrently providing a strong foundation for your practice and future studies. 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 2) - 30 weeks, Sept - May
You will complete 60 credits, 30 of which will be Pharmacist Independent Prescribing with five mandatory online contact days. 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 seven 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)
- 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 a few days’ attendance at RGU (exact requirement to be confirmed in light of circumstances pertaining).
MSc (Stage 3) - 30 weeks, Sept - May
You will undertake an MSc by portfolio in the Advanced Pharmacy Practice module (60 credits) which includes research and evaluation, education and training, and leadership and management. 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. Regular evening webinars are a feature, providing opportunities for support, sharing of practice and input from subject experts.
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 workplace mentor to provide local support and encouragement.
As part of the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module, the pharmacist’s period of learning in practice must be supervised by a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) who may be a medical or a non-medical independent prescriber.
Further information on this role in relation to our course and our requirements can be found in our DPP Guide.
Activity Summary
- Independent Study - 600 hours per stage, 10-20 hours per week
- Placement / Work Based Learning, Pharmacist Independent Prescribing module - 90 hours
How long is an Advanced Pharmacy Practice course?
The duration of the course is 2 years and 4 months; this includes time for independent study, coursework preparation, placement / work based learning and other activities. Please note that there is a break between Stage 2 (Diploma) and Stage 3 (MSc).
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 industry bodies including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the General Pharmaceutical Council.
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, and many, pharmacist prescribers. 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 you must attend five mandatory online contact days 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.
Job Prospects
This course is designed to enable you to develop in the key competency areas for advanced practice including Pharmacist Independent Prescribing; the option of advanced clinical skills training as an elective module at the diploma stage complements this. The interprofessional nature of some modules offers opportunities to enhance multi-disciplinary team working. The course has been designed in collaboration with employers across the profession, in community pharmacy, primary and secondary care and in other settings to ensure that it is kept up-to-date and in line with current practice and the demands of the workplace, benefiting you and your employer.
Is studying the MSc Advanced Pharmacy Practice a good career choice?
The multi-disciplinary nature of the course and the inclusion of the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing practice certificate enhance its appeal to employers and as a result, career prospects are excellent.
Find out moreRGUflex
What is needed to study MSc Advanced Pharmacy Practice?
- Applicants should have an undergraduate honours degree in Pharmacy from a UK university, OR
- An integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy (MPharm),OR
- The Overseas Pharmacists' Assessment Programme qualification
- Additionally, applicants must be registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
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 2025/2026
UK Students
- £3,210 for stage 1
- £3,210 for stage 2
- £2,130 for stage 3
International Students
- £5,210 for stage 1
- £5,210 for stage 2
- £3,470 for stage 3
For Academic Year 2024/2025
UK Students
- £3,110 for stage 1
- £3,110 for stage 2
- £2,070 for stage 3
EU Students
- £3,110 for stage 1
- £3,110 for stage 2
- £2,070 for stage 3
International Students
- £5,060 for stage 1
- £5,060 for stage 2
- £3,370 for stage 3
Additional Costs
Some other costs are not included in the course fees:
- The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
- Costs associated with any placement / study abroad
- Accommodation and Living Costs
- Printing
Alumni Discount
Robert Gordon University is delighted to offer a 20% 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.
Scholarships and Financial Awards
You may 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:
Any questions?
Get in touch with our Student Admissions Service and we'll do our best to help.