Hear frequently asked questions about a career in pharmacy
About us
The University is ranked first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
Find out moreWe are ranked 24th in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology in the QS Subject Rankings 2020.
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In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
Some units of study and/or placements relating to this course cannot be delivered remotely or online for students commencing their study in Semester 1, 2021. You will be required to attend in-person on campus from Semester 1, 2022.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
International students
For detailed information on remote study options for international students in 2021 please read the section below titled 'Options for international students commencing remotely in 2021.'
About this course
The Bachelor of Pharmacy combines hands-on learning with clinical experience to give you a comprehensive understanding of how drugs are developed and how medications affect the human body. This program is your first step to becoming a registered pharmacist and sets you up to play a vital and rewarding role within the healthcare landscape.
Why study with us?
Completion of a major is not a requirement of the Bachelor of Pharmacy. Candidates have the option of completing one major. A major requires the completion of 24 credit points chosen from units of study listed during the fourth year of study.
Depends on your qualification, citizenship status
Prospective domestic students apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) for a Commonwealth supported place . Refer to the UAC website for key dates. Separate scholarship deadlines apply, visit the scholarships website for details.
For other useful information, visit our How to apply page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Current students applying to transfer from a diploma to a bachelor's degree must apply through UAC.
Refer to the UAC website Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships website for details.
Semester 1 (March)
Visit the How to apply page for detailed information on if you need to apply directly to the University or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). If you are a direct applicant, when you are ready to apply select the `Apply’ button on this course page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Closing dates
Direct applicants:
Semester 1 - 31 January of the commencing year.
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships website for details.
UAC Applicants: Refer to the UAC website
Semester 1 (March)
In your first year you will study biology and chemistry and be introduced to pharmacy through foundational and social pharmacy studies.
The remaining three years of the course are devoted to higher levels of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences together with specialised clinical pharmacy studies. In senior years, considerable time is spent in clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacies, where valuable practical experience is gained.
You will have the opportunity to undertake study in a pharmacy elective in your fourth year of study (industrial pharmacy or international) or to complete fourth-year advanced study and undertake an individual research project as an honours candidate.
Mandatory work component = 210 hours.
This translates to 35 hours per week.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
Key course details for 2021
All units of study in the first year of your candidature can be completed remotely.
Detailed information about your options for studying in 2021
If you wish to commence your course remotely, you can enrol and commence all units of study in 2021 in Semester 1 and 2.
Bachelor of Pharmacy
| Year | Sem | Unit of study | ||||
| 1 | 1 | Human Biology | Chemistry A (Pharmacy) | Foundations of Pharmacy | Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences | |
| 2 | From Molecules to Ecosystems | Chemistry B (Pharmacy) | Pharmacy Practice 1 | Physical Pharmaceutics and Formulation A | ||
| 2 | 1 | Drug Discovery and Design A | Microbiology and Infection | Therapeutic Principles | Physiology for Pharmacy | |
| 2 | Pharmacology for Pharmacy | Drug Discovery and Design B | Pharmacy Practice 2 | Physical Pharmaceutics and Formulation B | ||
| 3 | 1 | Pharmaceutical Skills and Dispensing A Cardiovascular and Renal Respiratory Endocrine, Diabetes and Reproductive Gastrointestinal |
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| 2 | Clinical Placement A and B Pharmaceutical Skills and Dispensing B Musculoskeletal, Dermatological and Senses Oncology and Anti-Infective Agents Neurology and Mental Health |
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| 4 | 1 | Clinical Placement C Pharmacotherapeutics Integrated Dispensing Practice Pharmacy Services and Public Health Pharmacy Management |
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| 2 | Novel Therapeutics | Interdisciplinary Health Project | Professional Practice | Clinical Placement D | ||
Click Here to download a full copy of the sample study plan with electives.
Mathematics and chemistry. Biology or physics are recommended. From 2019, this course will require a course prerequisite of mathematics (Band 4 or higher)
The award of honours in the Bachelor of Pharmacy recognises superior performance throughout the course.
Honours provides an important basis if you wish to branch into a specialised area and will be particularly useful if you're seeking employment in industry, government, hospital laboratories, research institutions, or considering continuation to postgraduate studies.
Honours is by invitation only and is available in the fourth year of the program for high achieving students. On the basis of your previous results, you may be eligible to undertake an independent honours project in PHAR4830 Honours (24 credit points) during your final year, working under the supervision of an academic staff member.
Admission to this course is on the basis of the following criteria:
Admission pathways are open to domestic applicants on the basis of equity or other adjustment factors, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. For details, visit admission pathways.
This course has a mathematics course prerequisite. For details on the prerequisite, and how it applies to you, visit: Mathematics course prerequisites.
Inherent requirements are the essential tasks and activities necessary to be able to achieve the core learning outcomes of a course. They are specific to a particular course or discipline. To assist students to make informed choices about their study, we have identified and set out the Inherent Requirements for this course.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
If you’ve already completed university-level or equivalent subjects, you may be able to apply for credit for previous study – also called 'credit transfer' or 'advanced standing' – for the Bachelor of Pharmacy.
If you are applying through UAC you may apply for credit once you have enrolled in the course. If you are applying as a direct international applicant, you have the option of applying for credit as part of the course application process. You can also apply after enrolment. If you have studied a relevant course at a Singapore Polytechnic Institution, special information on credit transfer is available on the credit for previous study page.
The clinical experience program in the Bachelor of Pharmacy reflects the contemporary healthcare environment. The block placements are carried out at hospital and community pharmacies, and include opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, professional organisations and in rural health settings.
By the end of their fourth year, all students have had at least three, two-week block placements in clinical experience. Students undertake a two-week block placement during their third year. Students also have a further two two-week block placements in their fourth year. This amounts to a total of 210 hours of clinical placements.
Before you can attend a placement, you need to have certain clinical placement checks and clearances. The checks can be completed after your enrolment in the course.
Enrolment into the pharmacy program will require that you are registered as a student with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
This course is accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council.
To become a registered pharmacist, graduates of this course must complete 1,824 hours (one year) of supervised practical training and the Intern Training Program in order to register with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. International students will need to demonstrate an IELTS score of 7.5 or equivalent.
Learn more about career pathways for pharmacy graduates from Professor Andrew McLachlan AM, Head of School and Dean.
Director, Safescript
| 2015 | Director Safescript, Real-Time Prescription Monitoring Implementation |
| 2014 | Director Medical Canabis Taskforce |
| 2008 | Chief Officer Drugs and Poisons Regulation |
| 2005 | Secretary National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee |
| 2001 | Senior pharmacist Therapeutic Goods Administration |
| 1992 | Community Pharmacist |
| 1991 | Bachelor of Pharmacy University of Sydney |
On completion of this course, students may enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice to complete the Intern Training Program.
Graduates of the Bachelor of Pharmacy seeking further academic studies in pharmacy are recommended to consider our postgraduate research courses, including Master of Philosophy (Pharmacy) and Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy).
