The Department of Pharmacy forms part of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta which was established in 1676 when the Council of the Order of the Knights of St John approved the Grandmaster’s decision for the foundation of the faculty at the Sacra Infermeria (Holy Infirmary) in Valletta.
The Department of Pharmacy offers two main career pathways; the Pharmacist and the Pharmaceutical Technologist. Both professions have excellent prospects, both locally and in the EU due to the professions being in very high demand. The Department of Pharmacy ensures that students are exposed to practical aspects of processes in pharmacy through the use of instrumentation and student placements.
The path to become a pharmacist starts with the Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Pharmaceutical Science (B.Sc. (Hons.) Pharm. Sci.) that covers main topics of interest including Pharmacy Practice, Pharmaceutics, Computer-aided Drug Design and Industrial Pharmacy. Throughout this programme, students follow placement sessions, laboratory practicals and are urged to participate in the Erasmus+ mobility programme.
This curriculum continues in the Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) degree; a programme which focuses intensely on practice. Student progress is not only monitored through conventional exams, but also through several interactive tutorial sessions where students discuss cases encountered on the placement with their lecturer. Tutorial sessions involve small groups of students at a time to ensure that individual attention to each student is appropriately given.
After successfully completing the B.Sc. (Hons.) Pharm. Sci. and M.Pharm. programmes, graduates are presented with a warrant, allowing them to operate as pharmacists.
For more information visit: http://www.um.edu.mt/ms/psci
To Apply: http://www.um.edu.mt/apply
Becoming a Pharmaceutical Technologist
Students who opt for a technical and industrial career path are able to become Pharmaceutical Technologists by following the Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Pharmaceutical Technology (B.Sc. (Hons.) Pharm. Tech.). This programme boasts a comprehensive curriculum aimed at fulfilling the needs of the pharmaceutical industry by transforming students into technical professionals who are interested in applied research and industrial aspects of Pharmacy.
The course offers a varied approach to teaching the main topics that are relevant to a career in the pharmaceutical industry by balancing theory and practice, in the form of lectures, industrial placements and laboratory practice. Topics taught include Pharmaceutical Process Technology, Quality Control and Assurance, Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences and Microbiology among others.
Graduates also have the opportunity to continue their studies and specialise into different aspects of the Pharmaceutical Industry by following the Master of Science in Pharmacy (M.Sc. in Pharmacy) programme.
For more information visit: http://www.um.edu.mt/ms/ptech
To Apply: http://www.um.edu.mt/apply
The Doctorate in Pharmacy
The Department of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the University of Illinois in Chicago , offers a post-graduate doctoral programme intended for pharmacists which focuses on clinical practice and pharmacotherapeutics among other high-profile areas of interest. The Department of Pharmacy at the University of Malta enjoys a long-standing history of experience in clinical pharmacy education and research while the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois in Chicago ranks among the top colleges of pharmacy in the USA. This course is unique in that it combines the development and application of advanced clinical pharmacy skills with contextual research. Taught study-units are delivered jointly by both Universities.
This programme empowers pharmacists to take up leadership roles and enact changes that develop the healthcare scenario based on scientific knowledge and evidence-based decision-making; all this, while keeping the patient at the centre of focus.
For more information visit: https://www.um.edu.mt/icp/doctorate-in-pharmacy
To Apply: http://www.um.edu.mt/apply
Career Prospects
Pharmacists are able to work in community pharmacy , clinical and hospital setting, the pharmaceutical industry, regulation and other peripheral areas to pharmacy such as governmental agencies.
Pharmaceutical Technologists are able to work in every aspect of the pharmaceutical industry including quality control laboratory, quality assurance offices, regulatory settings, pharmaceutical importation and/or distribution companies and governmental entities such as the Malta Medicines Authority, Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) and Central Procurement and Supplies Unit (CPSU).
It is worth noting that every Pharmacist and Pharmaceutical Technologist is guaranteed employment and that due to the very high demand for these professions, most graduates have multiple employment opportunities by the time the programme is completed.
