The Medway School of Pharmacy’s innovative postgraduate distance-learning programme in Medicines Optimisation equips you with the skills and knowledge to contribute effectively to medicines management services and to individual drug therapy decisions.
Learn how Medicines Optimisation is used to determine how medicines are used by patients and the NHS. Effective medicines optimisation places the patient as the primary focus of interventions by healthcare professionals and is a key driver for NHS modernisation in the UK. Become proficient in planning clinical and cost-effective medicines use in the context of the holistic consideration of patient needs.
One pathway to the MSc includes the chance for you to qualify as an independent/supplementary prescriber. Have a look at the Independent / Supplementary Prescribing programme for more details.
Medway School of Pharmacy is one of the few regional schools of pharmacy in the UK, a collaboration between the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich.
The impetus for the formation of the Medway School of Pharmacy came from the local community, who recognised the shortage of qualified pharmacists in all branches of the pharmacy profession in Kent.
The School is now recognised as an established school with accreditation from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Graduates are employed in health disciplines in Kent and the south-east and more broadly across the UK.
For fee information, please email MSOPPGTAdmin@greenwich.ac.uk
A first degree in a relevant subject from an EU university; equivalent qualifications from a non-EU university may be acceptable, but their comparability will be assessed on an individual basis; or at least five years of working experience in health care after obtaining a relevant professional qualification. Students must also be registered with the relevant UK professional body and practising in the UK, preferably within the National Health Service.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
There are two main types of delivery. We have modules delivered, taught and assessed online. We also have modules that are delivered online and consist of downloadable study material.
You can link your learning to the workplace by participating in the Portfolio Activities. The Learning Activities are sections of material which invite you to formulate your own response to the situation under study (e.g. a patient case study). We then provide the responses provided by an expert in the field.
All courses are written by experts in the field of study and are revised at regular intervals.
Duration: 1 to 6 years part-time, flexible learning
You can register for the full MSc programme or undertake standalone modules by registering for our Short Courses.
For course aims and learning outcomes please see the course specification.
Postgraduate students have access to all the facilities at the Medway School of Pharmacy, including clinical skills labs and a ‘simulation man’. As the School of Pharmacy is a joint venture between the two universities, students have access to facilities at Kent’s Medway and Canterbury campuses, and the University of Greenwich.
Programmes are in units of five, ten, 15 and 30 credits. This variable credit structure enables you to individualise your study programme to suit your needs.
Medway School of Pharmacy has a research culture and as such postgraduate students publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: International Journal of Pharmacy Practice; Nephron Physiology; Acta Physiologica; Purinergic Signalling; and European Journal of Pharmacology.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
This group has laboratories with dedicated state-of-the-art drug delivery, nanotechnology, spectroscopy, chromatography and organic synthesis facilities. It brings together researchers in medicinal chemistry and drug design, nanotechnology and materials science, drug delivery and pharmaceutics encouraging a multidisciplinary approach to research. Research covers synthesis and biological evaluation of potential anti-cancer agents, structurebased drug design, QSAR predication of ADMET properties, controlled release, particle engineering, powder technology, pharmaceutical technology, and novel drug delivery systems, with a focus on respiratory drug delivery.
This group is housed in recently refurbished laboratories with dedicated state-of-the-art molecular biological, electrophysiological, tissue culture and microscopy facilities. The research is divided into four main themes; infectious diseases and allergy; neuroscience; renal and cardiovascular physiology; and pharmacology. Examples of current work include: investigation of the use of non-pathogenic virus ‘pseudotypes’ to study pathogenic RNA, study of the properties of neuronal potassium channels and their modulation and the development of new therapies for patients that have developed acute kidney injury in collaboration with a major pharmaceutical company.
This group conducts research in two areas: public health and medicines optimisation, with a particular focus on cardiovascular diseases and mental health. Work in public health includes studies in physical exercise, alcohol, cardiovascular screening and spirometry testing, plus pharmacovigilance. Studies in medicines optimisation include work in dementia, bipolar disorder and stroke, with an emphasis on the patient perspective.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
Graduates who obtain their PhD from Kent or Greenwich are highly sought after by prospective employers, both within the UK and overseas. Destinations for doctoral graduates include university academic departments, research institutes and leading pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies.
The taught postgraduate programmes are designed to promote the continuing professional development by providing sought-after skills. The programmes are beneficial for those who wish to develop their skills and/or to take the next step in their career.
For fee information please see the Medway School of Pharmacy website for Postgraduate Fees or email MSOPPGTAdmin@greenwich.ac.uk.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Next steps
Applications are administered by the University of Greenwich. Please see their application pages:
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