Pharmacy with Preparatory Year

A Brighton Pharmacy degree builds skills in prescribing, clinical decision-making and medicines management to prepare you for all areas of the profession, including community, hospital and industrial pharmacy.

At Brighton you’ll be part of a community that helps you grow, no matter what your background. This course has an extra year of study to help prepare you for study at degree level. You’ll be taught through a series of case studies that help you apply what you learn to real-life situations. This is combined with clinical training and extensive placement experience in community, hospital and primary care settings. Our inclusive approach means we’ll help you play to your strengths and develop the skills to make a difference.

Brighton graduates progress into careers in community and hospital pharmacy, industry, academia and research.

Top reasons to choose this course

• Extra year of preparatory study at foundation level if you don’t hold the required qualifications to go straight on to the MPharm, want to change career or are returning to study.

• Progress to a degree professionally accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), preparing you for the foundation training year required to become a qualified pharmacist.

• Our pharmacy courses are ranked 4th in the UK for career prospects and 10th in the UK overall — Guardian University Guide 2026.

• Ranked 1st in the UK for graduate earnings in pharmacy, three years after graduating – Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2024.

• Ranked 7th in the UK for graduate prospects — Times/Sunday Times University League 2026.

• Gain real experience throughout the course with12 weeks of clinical placements in community pharmacies, GP surgeries, mental health trusts and secondary and tertiary care sectors.

• Specialist facilities including patient simulators, an image analysis suite with atomic force microscope and a genomics/proteomics facility.

• Access funded opportunities such as the Brighton Student Research Experience Scheme (SRES).

• Guaranteed interview scheme with Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).

• Contribute to research in areas such as drug delivery, cancer treatment, neuroscience and biomedical science.

• 100% of our research impact in allied health professions, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy is rated ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ – Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Why Brighton is a great place to study Pharmacy
Brighton & Hove is a thriving health and research hub, and the university has strong links to local hospitals, GP practices and community pharmacies. The city’s collaborative healthcare networks give you excellent opportunities to apply your knowledge directly in practice and prepare you for your future career.

Preparatory year
During your preparatory year you’ll be introduced to key concepts in biology, chemistry and data handling to prepare you for study at undergraduate level. You’ll also develop your skills in problem-solving, analysis and communication.

Core modules
Foundation Biology
Foundation Chemistry
Data Handling for Science
Foundation Study Skills

Year 1
In year one the Fundamentals of Pharmacy modules provide you with a solid foundation in the science that supports health, disease and medicines use and introduce you to biomarkers of health and homeostasis. Case studies cover subjects such as digestive ailments, skin conditions and minor respiratory conditions. You’ll take part in simulation workshops and spend two weeks on a clinical placement to gain experience of patient care, medicines use and multidisciplinary working.

Core modules
Fundamentals of Pharmacy: From Molecules to Medicine
Fundamentals of Pharmacy: The Healthy Human and Healthcare Delivery
Minor Illness
Clinical and Professional Skills 1

Year 2
The second year theme is illness and disease. Most of the material covered in this year relates to common serious diseases or conditions including ischaemic heart disease, diabetes and asthma. Case studies deal with more complex areas like cardiovascular health, the endocrine system and immunity, infectious disease and global health. You’ll have another two-week clinical placement and attend simulation workshops focusing on patient communication and data retrieval, diagnostic skills, medicines supply and patient counselling.

Core modules
Cardiovascular and Related Systems
Endocrine and Immunity
Infectious Disease and Global Health
Clinical and Professional Skills 2

Year 3
Year three themes cover co-morbidity, complex disease and treatments. You’ll go on a four-week long clinical placement and study case-based modules that are delivered in a series, each one spanning two weeks. The case studies cover neurological disorders and mental health, molecular and genomic medicine and managing complex patients. You’ll also attend around 20 two-hour simulation workshops throughout the year.

Core modules
Neurological Disorders and Mental Health
Molecular and Genomic Medicine
Managing Complex Patients
Clinical and Professional Skills 3

Final year
The theme for the final year is multi-morbidity and ageing. You’ll focus on complex care involving patients – especially older people – with multiple chronic and acute conditions who may be prescribed several different medications. You’ll go on a four-week placement and have approximately 20 two-hour simulation workshops. You’ll also carry out a substantial research project based on an area that interests you, working with an academic who is a recognised expert in that field.

Core modules
Pharmacy Research Project
Clinical and Professional Studies 4