University of Auckland

What you'll study

The BPharm integrates foundational biomedical science with applied pharmacy practice. Early stages emphasise chemistry, human physiology, biochemistry and pharmaceutics, while later years focus on pharmacology, therapeutics, clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care. The programme includes taught modules on drug formulation and delivery, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, microbiology and immunology relevant to infection management, and medicines safety and law.

Practical learning is a strong component: you will develop skills in compounding, dispensing, patient counselling, clinical decision-making and medicines reconciliation in simulated and real-world settings. Clinical placements in community and hospital pharmacies are embedded to provide supervised experience in patient-centred care, multidisciplinary team work and professional responsibilities. Research methods and evidence-based practice are taught to support critical appraisal of clinical literature and quality-improvement projects.

• Foundational science: chemistry, human physiology, biochemistry
• Pharmaceutics and drug delivery: formulation, compounding, stability
• Pharmacology and therapeutics: mechanisms of action, disease-focused therapeutics
• Clinical pharmacy: patient assessment, medicines review, counselling
• Medicines safety, law and ethics: regulatory aspects and professional practice
• Practical placements and simulation-based learning
• Research methods and critical appraisal

Structure

The programme is delivered across several years of full-time study, with a progression from science-heavy introductory papers to clinically focused and practice-based papers. Clinical placements are undertaken in later years and are assessed components of the degree. The BPharm is designed to meet educational standards required for graduates who will progress to internship and professional registration.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requires strong achievement in secondary-school science subjects. Applicants should have prior study in chemistry and preferably biology or physics; competence in mathematics or statistics is also recommended. For New Zealand qualifications, entry often expects university entrance and approved credits in relevant NCEA subjects or equivalent. International applicants need equivalent secondary-school qualifications and English language proficiency demonstrated by recognised tests or prior study in English.

Admission to the programme may be competitive and can consider academic record, references and any relevant tertiary study. Applicants with prior tertiary study in health or science are considered through the usual entry pathways. Police vetting and health checks (including immunisation requirements) may be required before clinical placements.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for the supervised training period leading to pharmacist registration. Career options include community and retail pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, primary care and general practice, medicines information services, pharmaceutical industry roles (regulatory affairs, medical affairs, formulation and quality control), clinical trials and research support, and roles in public health and policy. Graduates may also move into postgraduate study, specialist clinical pharmacy practice, academia or management and leadership positions within health services.

Pharmacy graduates play roles in medicine safety and optimisation, antimicrobial stewardship, vaccination services, chronic disease management, and contributing to multidisciplinary healthcare teams. There are also opportunities to work in regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, non-government organisations and Māori and Pacific health services.

Why study at University of Auckland

The University of Auckland's School of Pharmacy offers integrated teaching with strong links to clinical sites and the local health sector. Students benefit from modern teaching laboratories, simulated pharmacy environments and supervised placements across community and hospital settings. The School emphasises research-informed teaching, with staff engaged in therapeutics, pharmaceutics, pharmacology and health services research, providing exposure to contemporary practice and emerging areas such as personalised medicines and antimicrobial stewardship.

The university also supports interprofessional learning alongside other health programmes, opportunities for honours and postgraduate research, and pathways into professional internship and registration. There is an emphasis on culturally responsive care and partnerships with Māori and Pacific health services, reflecting the health needs of Aotearoa New Zealand.