With purpose-built on-campus learning facilities, internationally-recognised teaching staff and strong professional and clinical links with industry, we are the choice for aspiring pharmacy students.

Our on-campus facilities provide access to cutting edge technology systems including a pharmacy laboratory where you will receive hands-on experience in pharmaceutical and biological sciences to develop the skills needed to understand and prepare medicines. You will also benefit from our new purpose-built pharmacy practice suite where you will develop the clinical service delivery skills necessary to improve patient health outcomes, such as medication reviews, accurate dispensing of medicines and provision of expert knowledge, preparing you for a range of career possibilities.

Key focuses of this degree include:

• developing skills in pharmaceutical, biologic and chemical sciences
• professional pharmacy practice and patient centred care
• providing personalised drug information and expert advice for patients
• preparing, studying and monitoring medicines and their use
• inter-professional practice and communication
• university-organised clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacy sectors.

As an honours student you will develop advanced skills in research, focusing on an area of specialisation in pharmacy and related sciences. 

You may also have the opportunity to enter into a double degree with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours), Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science with just one extra year of study. To be eligible, you'll need to receive a grade point average (GPA) of 5 or more in your second year.

What you'll need

Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant National Board. The registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program.

What you'll learn

This honours degree will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical expertise needed to embark on a career in the ever-changing field of pharmacy. 

As an honours student there is also a strong focus on research, and you will graduate with the skills needed to undertake and manage research projects in a health-related setting. 

During your first two years you will study:

• Foundations in pharmaceutical sciences and clinical skills
• Common diseases and their management
• Understanding healthcare systems and the roles of healthcare professionals
• Collecting and interpreting health information to provide individualised patient care
• Ethical pharmacy practice including responsible and legal control and supply of medicines.

During the third and fourth years you will study:

• Clinical decision-making principles and interprofessional practice
• Compounding and formulation of medicines
• Quality use of medicines
• Research skills and professional communication
• Clinical trials and international regulation of medicines
• Advanced pharmacy practice service delivery.

In fourth year, you will also complete professional placements in community and hospital-based pharmacy settings, with opportunities for rural and international experiences.

In Australia, growth in the pharmacy profession has been on the rise, with career prospects continuing to look very strong, having an expected 13,000 job openings over the next five years.1

Pharmacists are the medicines experts in the healthcare team. To be successful as a pharmacist you will need to have an interest in the care, health and wellbeing of individuals and the community. You will also need to have an interest in the physical sciences and acknowledge the significance of the social sciences in the development of a health professional. The ability to work without supervision and with a high degree of accuracy under pressure is essential, as is a willingness to develop high-level problem-solving skills.

In addition, you should be motivated to take on an intellectual challenge, have a desire to gain expert specialised knowledge in your discipline, and a strong interest in research.  You will need to be meticulous, accurate and results-driven, and possess exceptional communication skills to manage interactions with patients and other professional.

With new therapeutic developments and expanding clinical roles pharmacists have more career options than ever before, which is great news for graduates.  

Pharmacists gain employment in:

• hospitals
• pharmacies
• GP practices
• community services
• aged care settings
• pharmaceutical industry
• defence services
• regulatory bodies
• compounding or critical care services
• infectious disease services 
• academia and research.

As an honours student you may also choose to pursue a career in research – graduates with honours degrees are highly sought after by prospective employers, particularly within university and research settings. The Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) qualifies students for registration as a pharmacist, however, to become a practicing pharmacist, you will need to undertake the Pharmacy Intern Training Program at UniSA or another institution. 

Professional accreditation and recognition

The program is accredited with the Australian Pharmacy Council.

Successful completion of the program satisfies the academic requirements for registration as a pharmacist with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. Eligibility for registration is determined by the Pharmacy Board of Australia and includes a suitably recognised and appropriate period of supervised training.