A Bachelor of Pharmacy (abbreviated B Pharm) is an undergraduate academic degree in the field of pharmacy. The degree is the basic prerequisite for registration to practice as a pharmacist in many countries and its about understanding the properties and impacts of medicines and developing the skills required to counsel patients about their use. In some countries, it has been superseded by the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degrees. In the United States, this degree was granted as the baccalaureate pharmacy degree only at Washington State University, where it has now been superseded by the PharmD degree. The degree previously offered within the US—and still the required degree in Canada—is the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy.
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Australia
In Australia, the BPharm degree is awarded following a four-year undergraduate pharmacy program. Australian undergraduate pharmacy courses were previously three years, but were increased to four years during the 1990s with an increased emphasis on pharmacy practice education. During the early 2000s, two-year postgraduate Master of Pharmacy courses were established by many universities, but to date these have accounted for a relatively minor proportion of pharmacy graduates.
All BPharm programs in Australia are accredited by the New Zealand and Australian Pharmacy Schools Accreditation Committee (NAPSAC). Programs provide training in fields including: pharmacology, chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy practice (including pharmacotherapeutics, disease state management, etc.), pharmaceutics, ethics, pharmacy law, pharmacy management, physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, kinetics, and compounding medications.
At present, either the BPharm degree or the MPharm degree are acceptable for registration as a practicing pharmacist. See list of pharmacy schools: Australia for a listing of institutions offering the BPharm degree.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
As with most honours degrees at Australian universities, the awarding of a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) (abbreviated BPharm(Hons)) is based on the completion of original research and a high-level of academic performance. All other graduates are awarded a pass degree. Unlike most Honours degrees in Australia, an additional year of study is not required for a BPharm(Hons) as most universities integrate research and coursework in the fourth year of BPharm(Hons) programs.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Rural)
In 2003, The University of Sydney began offering a four-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Rural) (abbreviated BPharm (Rural)) program at its Orange campus. It was designed to address the continuing shortage of pharmacists in rural areas and placed greater emphasis on rural aspects of pharmacy practice. Since most of the units-of-study were common to both the BPharm and BPharm (Rural), many of the lectures were delivered by academics at the main campus in Sydney with a live video broadcast to students at Orange.
The program was not offered in 2005, following the transfer of Orange campus to Charles Sturt University. Following a review, a new BPharm (Rural) program was offered from 2006 onwards at the university's main campus (Camperdown/Darlington campus).
Universities
Australian universities offering Bachelor or Master of Pharmacy programs (circa June 2010):
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, Bachelor of Pharmacy is offered by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) under the Faculty of Medicine. The CUHK Bachelor of Pharmacy programme started in 1992 and had been the only pharmacy degree programme available in Hong Kong until 2009. It aims to train graduates to function independently as professional health care providers who, as part of the health care team, can provide first class pharmaceutical and health-related care for the health of Hong Kong citizens.
The Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree is awarded on satisfactory completion of at least three/four years of full-time study. To be considered for registration by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board Hong Kong as practising pharmacist in Hong Kong, the student must complete a further year of pre-registration training as required by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
Starting from 2009, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has also implemented the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme under the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine.
CUHK offers 55 places while HKU offers 25 places in 2013.
India
The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree is popularly known as B-Pharm in India. It is a four-year program with both annual and semester schemes available. In order to be eligible, one must pass with at least 50% marks in 10 + 2 (or an equivalent examination) with biology or biotechnology as one of the subjects. In some states it is mandatory to give an additional pharmacy entrance examination in order to be eligible for the course. D.Pharm (Diploma of Pharmacy) holders are eligible for admission into B.Pharm into the second year directly via lateral entry in India.
Colleges imparting pharmaceutical education (D.Pharm, B.Pharm, M.Pharm or Pharm D) must be approved by All Indian Council of Technical Education (AICTE) or Pharmacy Council Of India (PCI).
For a student to be eligible for registration as a pharmacist in India, the college from which he or she graduated must be approved by the PCI. B-Pharm is often superseded by M-Pharm and PhD-level courses although the minimum qualification required for registration as a pharmacist is D.Pharm.
Colleges imparting B.Pharm in India approved by PCI as on August 15, 2012, are
Bangladesh
The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree is popularly known as B.Pharm (Honors) in Bangladesh. It is a four-year program with both annual and semester schemes available. In order to be eligible, one must pass with at least 50% marks in 10 + 2 (or an equivalent examination) with biology subject. D.Pharm (Diploma of Pharmacy) holders are eligible for admission into B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy) after completing the degree D.Pharm.
Colleges imparting pharmaceutical education (D.Pharm, B.Pharm, M.Pharm and Pharm D) must be approved by the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh (PCB) [2].
For a student to be eligible for registration as a pharmacist in Bangladesh, the university from which he/she graduated must be approved by the PCB and have to follow the rules and regulations of PCB.
Prominent universities imparting B.Pharm in Bangladesh approved by PCB are
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka [3]
- Department of Pharmacy,Pabna University of Science & Technology [4]
- Department of Pharmacy, ASA University Bangladesh
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh [5]
- Department of Pharmacy, BGC Trust University Bangladesh [6]
- Department of Pharmacy, University Of Development Alternative (UODA) [7]
- Department of Pharmacy, Northern University Bangladesh.
and so on.
Pakistan
PharmD is the only Basic Pharmacy Degree (5 years program) awarded by universities in Pakistan now. The program has to be approved by Pharmacy Council of Pakistan. Most universities in Pakistan have approved PharmD programs. Others are not accredited yet and need to overcome deficiencies before being approved by Pharmacy Council of Pakistan BPharmacy degree holders, who are Registered as Pharmacists with the Pharmacy Council of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, can study at any one of the Universities approved by the Pharmacy Council of Pakistan for a one-year evening and/or weekend course leading to (post-B.Pharmacy) Doctor of Pharmacy which has been approved by the Pharmacy Council of Pakistan.
Ireland
BSc (Hons) (Pharm) degrees in the Republic of Ireland are offered by:
However, in Northern Ireland (which is part of the United Kingdom) MPharm degrees (as opposed to BSc or BPharm degrees) are offered at Queen's University Belfast as in the rest of the UK.
Finland
In Finland, pharmacy is taught in University of Helsinki and University of Eastern Finland. Bachelor of Pharmacy is called farmaseutti (pharmacist) and Master of Pharmacy is called proviisori. Proviisori degree (MPharm) is required in order to be a druggist.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the BPharm degree was awarded following a three-year undergraduate pharmacy program. It was superseded in 1997 by the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree, awarded following a four-year program, as a result of European Union harmonisation.
Canada
Canadian universities that have BPharm programs:
Université de Montréal formerly offered the degree and now replaced with Doctor of Pharmacy.
South Africa
South African universities that have BPharm programs:
Kenya
The following Kenyan universities offer BPharm programs: