卡迪夫大学

Overview

This programme is available for those who have completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy. This MSc course offers you the opportunity to gain a Masters level qualification to develop you in your role as a clinical pharmacist. The MSc in Clinical Pharmacy is a 180 credit level 7 qualification that has been designed to support your development as a pharmacist in your early career or if you are planning to change healthcare sector. Having completed the Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma, by undertaking this masters programme, you will achieve a higher degree whilst you gain the knowledge, skills and professional values and behaviours a pharmacist needs to contribute effectively to the provision of healthcare. Through completing this programme, you will learn how to address the complex health related challenges faced by patients and the population as a whole. You’ll develop a comprehensive understanding and critical awareness of your role as a pharmacist and that of the pharmacy profession in a changing healthcare environment. This will include an understanding of the structure, organisation and funding of the health service, how resources are managed and how services are deemed to be clinically and cost effective. This programme will also support you to become a confident independent learner and critical thinker and will embed the principles of quality improvement and using research to develop an evidence base. You’ll be supported to enhance your consultation and communication skills and to make decisions in complex clinical situations that may be acute or chronic. This will include an understanding of risk and how it can be managed or mitigated through appropriate quality management and clinical governance frameworks. You will embed the principles of shared decision making and multidisciplinary team-working in your practice.

Course structure

The MSc in Clinical Pharmacy is a part-time postgraduate programme and involves studying 180 credits for the MSc, with the options to exit with 120 credits for the Diploma or 60 credits for the Certificate. The Certificate and the Diploma modules run from September to June each academic year whereas the MSc dissertation module runs from January until December in the final year.

Learning and assessment

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is committed to developing the knowledge and skills needed for a pharmacist to improve health outcomes and health care for patients. Top-quality teaching relies on academic and clinical expertise of pharmacy practitioners and clinicians. You will be taught in a variety of ways. A blended learning approach has been taken, which includes face-to-face study days, experiential learning, directed study, on-line activities and self-directed study. The exact nature of your learning will be dependent upon the modules selected. Assessments measure professional, academic and/or clinical practice. Many modules include formative assessments (assessments which do not count towards the module mark) which are intended to provide you with feedback and an indication of your progress.

Career prospects

The course offers knowledge and expertise required by a clinical pharmacist to input optimally into patient care. It integrates a traditional academic course with your everyday role, with the aim of developing vital skills and knowledge to apply to your work. There are no formal placements within the programme; however for the majority of modules there is experiential learning.