Bachelor of Pharmacy

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, pharmacists have the opportunity to improve health and even save lives. In some countries, it has been superseded by the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degrees.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this degree was granted as the baccalaureate pharmacy degree only at Washington State University, where it has now been superseded by the PharmD degree.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.

Asia and Oceania

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):

• Charles Sturt University – Wagga Wagga and Orange, New South Wales
• Curtin University of Technology – Perth, Western Australia
• James Cook University – Townsville, Queensland
• La Trobe University – Bendigo, Victoria^[1]
• Monash University – Parkville, Victoria (formerly the Victorian College of Pharmacy)
• Queensland University of Technology – Brisbane, Australia
• University of Queensland – Brisbane, Queensland
• University of South Australia – Adelaide, South Australia
• University of Sydney – Sydney, New South Wales
• University of Tasmania – Hobart, Tasmania
• University of New England - Provisional Government Approval – Armidale, New South Wales
• Griffith University + MPharm for Registration – Gold Coast, Queensland
• University of Canberra + MPharm with Registration – Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
• University of Newcastle + MPharm with Registration – Newcastle, New South Wales

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 equivqlent examination) with biology/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 (Bachelor of Pharmacy) 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/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.

Prominent colleges imparting B.Pharm in India approved by PCI as on August 15, 2012 are

1. Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, New Delhi
2. Gyani Inder Singh Institute of Professional Studies, Dehradun
3. Nims Institute of Pharmacy, Nims College of Pharmacy, NIMS University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121^[2]
4. ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga
5. Dr. Hari Singh Gour Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh
6. Alwar Pharmacy college, Alwar, Rajasthan
7. Bihar College of Pharmacy,(Estb.1979) Patna, Bihar
8. Birla Institute of Technology and Science,Pilani
9. Nirma Institute of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad
10. Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu
11. Bharti Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bihar
12. Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR), New Delhi
13. Shri Baba Mast Nath Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research, Asthal Bohar, Rohtak.
14. Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
15. SGRR Institute of Pharmacy, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
16. Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
17. Nalanda college of Pharmacy, Nalgonda
18. Noida institute of engg & technology, Greater Noida , uttar pradesh
19. Bombay College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, Maharashtra
20. Gyan Vihar School of Pharmacy, Jaipur, Rajasthan
21. Srinivas College of Pharmacy,Valachil,Mangalore
22. Smt.Vidyawati college of Pharmacy,Uttar Pradesh,Jhansi
23. Indira College Of Pharmacy,Pune-33
24. Alard College of Pharmacy, Hinjewadi,Pune-411057
25. AISSMS College of Pharmacy, Pune. 01
26. Charak College Of Pharmacy & Research, Pune, Maharashtra
27. Gurunanak College of Pharmacy, Nagpur
28. Nims University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur-303121^[3]
29. H.N.B.Garhwal (Central) University Uttarakhand
30. Department of Pharmaceutical sciences and drug research Punjabi University Patiala
31. Sagar Institute of research and Technology-Pharmacy Bhopal
32. Truba Institute of Pharmacy, Bhopal
33. Nalanda college of Pharmacy,Cherlapally,Nalgonda
34. KIET School of Pharmacy, Ghaziabad 201 206 www.kiet.edu
35. H.R.Institute of Pharmacy, Ghaziabad, NCR Delhi
36. Bharat Institute of Technology, Meerut
37. Kalka Institute for Research & Advanced Studies, Meerut
38. Meerut Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut
39. Venkateshwara Group of Institutions, Meerut
40. NKBR College of Pharmacy & Research Center, Meerut
41. IIMT College of Medical Sciences, Meerut
42. Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut
43. Translam Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Meerut
44. S.S.M College Of Pharmacy, Chinniyam Palayam pudur,jambai,Bhavani,Erode
45. Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
46. Dr. B.C. Roy College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences, Durgapur
47. Al-ameen College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, Karnataka
48. ITS College of pharmacy
49. Ezhuthachan College of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Kerala
50. Ujjain institute of pharmaceutical sciences,Ujjain,Madhya pradesh
51. Rajeev Gandhi College of Pharmacy, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
52. Al Shiffa college of pharmacy ,Malapuram,Kerala

The information sharing between B.Pharm students is important for their growth & the need, which was recently was fulfilled by pharmacist unions all over India as PharmaCloud

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) .

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

1. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka
2. Department of Pharmacy,Pabna University of Science & Technology
3. Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh
4. Department of Pharmacy, BGC Trust University Bangladesh
5. Department of Pharmacy, University Of Development Alternative (UODA)
6. Department of Pharmacy , Northern University Bangladesh.

^[4] 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.

Europe

Ireland

BSc (Hons) (Pharm) degrees in the Republic of Ireland are offered by:

• Trinity College, Dublin
• University College Cork
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin

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.

North America

Canada

Canadian universities that have BPharm programs:

• University of British Columbia
• University of Toronto
• Dalhousie University
• Memorial University of Newfoundland
• University of Alberta
• Université Laval
• University of Manitoba
• University of Saskatchewan
• University of Waterloo

Université de Montréal formerly offered the degree and now replaced with Doctor of Pharmacy.

South Africa

South African universities that have BPharm programs:^[5]

• Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University - Department of Pharmacy
• North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) - School of Pharmacy
• Rhodes University - School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus) - School of Pharmacy
• University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus) in collaboration with Tshwane University of Technology - School of Pharmacy
• University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus) - School of Pharmacy
• University of the Western Cape - School of Pharmacy
• University of the Witwatersrand - Department of Pharmacy

See also

• Doctor of Pharmacy
• Master of Pharmacy
• Pharmacist
• Pharmaconomist
• List of pharmacy schools

References

1. http://www.latrobe.edu.au/coursefinder/local/2010/Bachelor-of-Pharmacy.5092.html
4. http://www.uoda.edu.bd/life_science/details.php?Life_scienceID=LSP04
5. South African Pharmacy Council

External links

• Pharma and Health Resource Portal for Indians
• Pharmacy council of India