Clinical Pharmacy Practice (Secondary Care)

This flexible, part-time master's level course for practising hospital pharmacists is evidence based with a problem-solving, practice-orientated approach.

Apply now for a June 2026 start

Flexible work-based learning

You'll be supported through web-based learning resources, online discussion and face-to-face learning events.

Choosing a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma, MSc or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) option will help improve your professional status, developing your career prospects.

This course has two main cohorts a year, in April and September, but students can also start in January and June.

Course features

Choice of awards reflecting your area of professional interest
Excellent support and learner networks with a user-friendly virtual learning environment
Increased professional expertise and status with enhanced career prospects
Support in meeting CPD requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council and professional development in line with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society faculty frameworks

Dates for June 2026 start

Apply now for the Secondary Care programme. Applications close on 25 May 2026
Self-directed online induction: 8 - 19 June
Induction workshop: 10 June
First unit start date: 22 June

Please be aware, for June 2026 entry applicants, the two foundation units, Foundation Knowledge and Foundation Skills have been withdrawn. A new foundation unit will be available from September 2026, titled Fundamentals in Advanced clinical pharmacy. If you intend to do this unit as your first unit of the Diploma, you may wish to defer your application until September 2026.

We would like to remind you that the online workshops are a very valuable element of the course. Please check the dates of workshops carefully, well in advance, and share them with your workplace to ensure you are able to attend. If you have any queries, including questions about the IT access required, please do contact a member of the team via the contact details at the bottom of this page and we can arrange a discussion to help resolve any issues.

Course details

Each unit lasts 11 weeks and is supported by online learning materials, live teaching sessions and optional face-to-face study days to support clinical skills.

CPD (individual units)

CPD units are 11 weeks
CPD intake points are throughout the year
Students can study any of our units as stand-alone CPD options or can continue their learning up to a master's qualification
Find out more about our CPD units

PGCert (Year one)

One year, part-time
This award can be achieved by successfully completing 60 CATS credits and the OSCE (Observed Structured Clinical Examination)

You can study combinations of units (including Independent Prescribing) to accumulate credit towards a named award.

PGDip (Year two)

Two years, part-time
This award can be achieved by successfully completing a further 60 CATS credits (a total of 120 CATS credits)

MSc (Year three)

Three years, part-time
This award can be achieved by successfully completing a further 60 CATS credits (a total of 180 CATS credits)
Study pathway as agreed with programme lead

Clinical Pharmacy Practice units

Find out more about the units available to study on our Clinical Pharmacy Practice courses.

You can review all available units on our clinical pharmacy courses. Please note this page doesn't provide information on when individual units will be running. If you would like to find out more about taking a specific combination of units to achieve your award, please arrange to speak to the Programme Team by emailing ap3t-admin@bath.ac.uk.

Applications process

Complete all required forms and upload them to your application tracker; emailed forms won’t be accepted. Please read the Guidance Notes below for important information on the application process.

Transfer of credit from other institutions is possible. Please email us ap3t@bath.ac.uk to discuss this option.

We will review all applications and contact applicants with information about interviews, if applicable. After any required interview, you will be notified of the decision of the University as soon as possible before the start of the course.

Please note that all elements of the application must be submitted on time for you to be considered for a place on the course. If the demand for places is greater than the number of places available then the admissions panel will review applications following agreed selection criteria.

Values Based Recruitment

If you are working in or plan to work in the NHS, we follow the NHS Values Based Recruitment Guidance. We strongly believe in the NHS values and will be looking for them in our applicants.

All applicants will be assessed on individual merit, as well as their understanding and practice of NHS values in pharmacy. This assessment may take a variety of forms, including an interview. We strongly encourage all applicants to read the NHS Constitution before attending the interview.

Entry requirements

Find out what criteria you need to meet before applying.

You must:

be registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (unless you wish to study a single unit as CPD)
be supported by your employer
have an allocated work-based mentor (normally a more senior pharmacist) who will support your learning in practice and provide feedback on assignments
ensure that you have a UK practice base to work within and access to patient notes

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, you will need an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of at least 6.5 overall with no less than 6 in all components.