Skip to content
University of Bradford logo

Foundation Pharmacy Practice

MSc / PGDip

Duration
Start date
Location

Suitable for applications.

Overview

This programme has been designed to provide education and training for early career pharmacists in any patient-facing sector, to develop their knowledge and skills whilst working in practice.

The NHS is currently experiencing an unprecedented demand for services, with increasing recognition of the need to provide personalised and seamless care. Pharmacists in every sector are in a position to play a key role in addressing these challenges. This programme is therefore mapped to both the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Foundation Pharmacy Framework (FPF) and the NHS Long Term Plan, enabling collaboration with all health professionals to ensure that the best quality of care can be delivered to the local population.

This programme is suitable for pharmacists registered and practising in the UK, who are working at Foundation Level (newly qualified or in their first 1-2 years of practice).

By the end of the programme, students will have:

  • the ability to solve complex problems and justify their decisions
  • the confidence and ability to communicate effectively with patients and healthcare professionals
  • the ability to reflect on their practice to inform their professional development
  • the confidence and ability to work effectively and proactively across healthcare organisations to improve the quality of person-centred care, minimise risk, optimise safety and reduce health inequalities
  • an understanding of the priorities of the NHS as reflected in the NHS Long Term Plan. This includes understanding the role of a pharmacist across multiple sectors, person-centred care and treatment and prevention of ill health

This is a part-time blended learning programme. The programme is delivered as a mixture of study days at the University of Bradford, webinars and self-directed learning.

We utilise a “team-based” learning approach for the study days, which includes pre-reading materials, a “readiness-assurance process” that assesses students’ readiness for the upcoming class, and facilitated case-based scenarios, led by experts. This approach encourages active learning strategies for students to promote deeper learning. In addition to utilising expert practitioners to co-deliver the teaching and learning, we embed patient and public involvement throughout the programme to promote a patient-centred holistic approach to pharmacy practice.

For advice on whether the Foundation is appropriate for you or if you do not have the support of your employer, please email our pharmacy team.

Entry requirements

The student must have a degree in pharmacy, be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and have access to practice/clinical experience through employment in pharmacy within the UK. 

The Employer must be willing and capable of providing support to the student.

English language requirements

Students who have not been taught in English must have an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) overall band score of at least 7.0 in each of the four subsets (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Teaching, learning and assessment

The programme uses an evidence-based blended approach to learning and students are treated as adult learners. The learning and teaching strategy includes regular (monthly) taught study days (attendance is compulsory). These will include assessed pre-study day tasks, keynote lectures, case-based problems, role play and collaborative learning. To support this learning there will also be webinars and online learning packages. The programme aims to make use of students’ own experiences, allow choice in learning and assessment, provide continual formative feedback and encourage students to move to increasingly advanced stages of personal development.

Much of the learning time will be dedicated to directed study, most of which will be work-based learning where students have the opportunity to practice and develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become a proficient foundation pharmacist. Work-based learning includes formative and summative assessment, reflection on learning experiences and tutorials. Students will receive regular feedback on work-based tasks, using validated assessment tools such as mini-clinical evaluation exercises (mini-CEX), case-based discussions (CBD) and direct observation of patient consultations (DOPC). They will meet regularly with their personal academic tutor and/or practice tutor to map their progress against the relevant competency framework, identify their learning needs and set objectives for the following month.

In years 2 and 3 of the programme there is also optionality for students, allowing them to choose modules which reflect their learning needs and learning style.  There will be many opportunities within these options for students to participate in interprofessional learning with other healthcare professionals.

There are a variety of formative and summative assessments across the course, including eportfolio, presentations, written assignments and OSCES. We also use an innovative teaching style called team-based learning (TBL) which helps to develop teamworking skills via active learning.

Fees, finance and scholarships

Tuition fee 2025

  • Home: £3,204

Additional costs

There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.

Financial support

See our fees and financial support section.

Postgraduate Master's Loan

If you live in England you may be able to apply for a special Government-funded Master's Loan to help pay your tuition fees and living costs.
You don't have to pay the loan back until you're earning a certain amount of money.

Scholarships

Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.

Career prospects

Past students have gone on to gain promotion with their current or a different employer and/or sector of pharmacy.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes, there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Terms and conditions of study

The University has a set of terms and conditions for all students accepting an offer to study on a course here at Bradford. This is called The Student Contract. This document sets out the Terms and Conditions which apply when you accept an offer of a place on a programme of study at the University of Bradford.

View our Student Contract for further details.

Transparency statement

Information about this programme and its modules has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publication, but changes may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of teaching. Any change which impacts the terms and conditions of an applicant’s offer will be communicated to them.