Keele University

What you'll study

This masters combines taught modules with workplace-based learning and a substantial independent project. Core areas include clinical therapeutics, advanced clinical assessment and history-taking, medicines optimisation and safety, polypharmacy and frailty, clinical pharmacokinetics, and evidence-based practice. Modules emphasise application to patient care, structured clinical reasoning and interprofessional working.

Typical programme components:

• Foundations of clinical pharmacy – application of pharmacology and therapeutics in common acute and chronic conditions.
• Clinical assessment and consultation skills – history-taking, examination basics relevant to pharmacists, clinical communication and documentation.
• Prescribing and medicines optimisation – principles of safe prescribing, deprescribing, therapeutic monitoring and managing polypharmacy in complex patients.
• Clinical practice modules – case-based learning across specialities (e.g. cardiology, respiratory, infectious disease, geriatrics, mental health) and practice placements or supervised workplace assessment.
• Research methods and evidence appraisal – statistics, service evaluation, quality improvement and critical appraisal skills to support practice development.
• Independent research project or dissertation – a practice-focused project, audit or original research under academic supervision.

Teaching methods include lectures and seminars, case-based learning, simulated clinical scenarios, workplace supervision and one-to-one tutorials. Assessment typically uses clinical case assessments, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), portfolios of workplace-based assessments, written assignments and the dissertation/service evaluation.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally required to hold a recognised pharmacy degree (for example an MPharm) and be a registered pharmacist in their home country. Candidates are expected to have recent clinical practice experience; many applicants have at least one to two years’ postgraduate practice, although equivalent experience in a clinical setting may be accepted.

Additional requirements commonly include:

• Evidence of employer support or a practice placement agreement for workplace-based components, where applicable.
• Two professional references, at least one of which should comment on clinical practice.
• For applicants whose first language is not English, a recognised English language qualification at a level appropriate for postgraduate study.

Applicants with other healthcare qualifications or substantial clinical experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Admission decisions take academic background, professional registration, clinical experience and suitability for workplace learning into account.

Career prospects

Graduates progress into advanced clinical roles across hospital, primary care and community settings. Typical career pathways include advanced clinical pharmacist posts (including medicines optimisation and acute care roles), independent or supplementary prescribing roles, specialist pharmacist positions (for example cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, geriatrics), consultant pharmacist posts and leadership positions within pharmacy services.

Other destinations include clinical practice development and service improvement roles, primary care networks, roles in medicines safety and governance, pharmaceutical industry clinical affairs, and clinical research or academic posts. The programme is designed to support pharmacists preparing for advanced practice frameworks and portfolio-based professional development.

Why study at Keele University

Keele’s School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering has an established reputation for clinically focused teaching and close working relationships with local NHS Trusts and primary care networks, providing strong opportunities for workplace-based learning and supervised clinical practice. The campus offers integrated interprofessional learning with students from medicine, nursing and allied health, which reflects the multidisciplinary nature of contemporary clinical pharmacy.

Teaching is delivered by pharmacists and clinicians active in practice and research, and the programme emphasises applied skills such as clinical assessment, consultation and medicines review in real-world settings. Small-group teaching, simulation facilities and structured workplace assessment support the development of advanced clinical competence and professional portfolios required for advanced practice and prescribing roles.