Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health

Courses and Study Australian courses Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health

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Why study Pharmaceutical Public Health at JCU?

The speciality of Pharmaceutical Public Health incorporates and combines many of the health promotional aspects of the pharmacist’s role with the management and provision of district or regional pharmaceutical services. On completion of this JCU Masters course, you will be able to apply a body of specialised pharmaceutical knowledge in a number of different clinical settings. You will also learn key research skills and how to apply them to enhance the development of pharmaceutical services. The course is appropriate for you if you're a hospital or community pharmacist, or if you're a pharmacist working in a regional government position in a developed or developing country.

Campus
External
Available to international students by distance education/external study only
Start dates
February, July
Duration
1.5 years full-time
Part time available
Study mode
Off campus
Prerequisites
AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant discipline; or equivalent

Career opportunities

As a new and developing pharmacy specialty, JCU Pharmaceutical Public Health Masters graduates work in a number of fields including:

  • Management of regional pharmaceutical services (in both developed and developing countries)
  • Management of hospital pharmacy services
  • Pharmacovigilance services
  • Clinical pharmacy roles
  • Community pharmacy roles
  • Research and academic pharmacy.

Course highlights

Pharmaceutical Public Health is a relatively new and developing speciality within the field of pharmacy practice. This JCU Masters course is aimed at the development of pharmacy services and expertise focused more on enhancing the health and wellbeing of whole communities and populations as opposed to more traditional, hospital or community-based, clinical pharmacy services which focus on the clinical management of individual patients.

Whilst studying this JCU course, you will acquire a systematic and coherent body of specialised knowledge in pharmaceutical public health and develop a range of key skills including the ability to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge, think critically and to generate, evaluate and communicate complex ideas and knowledge to a variety of audiences. You will also learn key research techniques and how to apply them to enhance the development of pharmaceutical services.

Course overview

Studying a Masters in Pharmaceutical Public Health at JCU will introduce you to the key concepts and speciality of this area in the health domain. You will be introduced to aspects of the pharmacist’s role in the public health domain and your studies will enable you to recognise priority areas for development, particularly in developing countries.

You will have the option to select electives in areas relevant to, or that would enhance your current clinical role. Among the speciality areas you will study are:

  • Management in the pharmaceutical services
  • Pharmaceutical Public Health Priorities
  • Management of Chronic Diseases
  • Pharmaceutical Regulation and Quality
  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Research skills.

You are also required to complete a 6 or 12 credit point pharmaceutical public health research project in an appropriate topic.

Important notice:

Completion of the Masters in Pharmaceutical Public Health will not qualify an international student to register as a practicing pharmacist in Australia.

How you will study

This course is delivered externally on-line. Most students study the course on a part-time basis while working in a full-time pharmacy position.

How to apply

Complete an online application through our Online Application Portal.

Subjects

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

PC5510:03 Management of Pharmaceutical Services

PC5512:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health Priorities

OPTIONS

Select 12 credit points of specified PC level 5 subjects from Options List 1

PLUS

Select Option A or Option B

Option A

PC5515:06 Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PLUS

Select 12 credit points of specified HS, PC or TM level 5 subjects from Options List 2

Option B

PC5516:12 Extended Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PLUS

Select 6 credit points of specified HS, PC or TM level 5 subjects from Options List 2

Options List 1

PC5511:03 Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5513:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 1

PC5514:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 2

PC5517:03 Advanced Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5518:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 3

PC5519:03 Pharmaceutical Regulation and Quality

PC5520:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Pharmacovigilance

PC5521:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Research Methodologies

Options List 2

HS5405:03 Teaching for Learning in the Health Professions

HS5406:03 Strategies for Clinical Teaching

HS5410:03 Health Professional Education using Action Research

HS5411:03 Community Rehabilitation for Health Professionals

HS5601:03 Health and Community Integration

PC5511:03 Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5513:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 1

PC5514:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 2

PC5515:06 Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PC5516:12 Extended Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PC5517:03 Advanced Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5518:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 3

PC5519:03 Pharmaceutical Regulation and Quality

PC5520:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Pharmacovigilance

PC5521:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Research Methodologies

TM5501:03 Tropical Medicine

TM5502:03 Tropical Public Health

TM5503:03 Human Parasitology

TM5506:03 Social Science in Public Health

TM5508:03 Diving and Marine Medicine

TM5510:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

TM5512:03 Travel Medicine

TM5515:03 Epidemiology for Public Health

TM5518:03 Medical Entomology

TM5525:03 Communicable Disease Control

TM5528:03 Health Promotion

TM5534:03 Tropical Paediatrics

TM5536:03 Refugee Health

TM5540:03 Public Health and the Workplace

TM5541:03 Managing Effective Health Programs

TM5542:03 Clinical Travel Medicine

TM5552:03 Global Health and Development

TM5557:03 Disaster Health Management

TM5559:03 Clinical Tropical Paediatrics

TM5562:03 Reproductive Health in Developing Countries

TM5563:03 Public Health Leadership and Crisis Management

TM5564:03 Acute Care in the Resources Poor Environment

TM5568:03 Health Promotion Needs Assessment and Planning

TM5569:03 Health Promotion Strategies and Methods

Pathway into course

Please consult the admission requirements section in the Handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.

Handbook

Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health

Course code

105904

Course type

Masters Degree (Coursework) AQF Level 9

Division

Tropical Health and Medicine

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

An applicant may be admitted to the Masters of Pharmaceutical Public Health if they have:

  • Qualified for an AQF level 7 bachelor degree at this University in a relevant discipline as determined by the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry; or

  • Qualifications recognised by the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Tropical Health and Medicine as equivalent to Requirement 1; or

  • Submitted (as an exceptional case) such evidence of professional or scientific attainments in an appropriate pharmaceutical, health or science area as meets with the approval of the College on the recommendation of the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Tropical Health and Medicine.

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3a – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Post admission requirements

For flexible delivery option, computer and internet access is required.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

36 credit points

Course learning outcomes

Graduates of the Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health will be able to:

  • Apply an advanced and integrated body of knowledge, including understanding of recent developments, in the specialty area of pharmaceutical public health across a range of contexts

  • Promote and optimise the provision of ethically and culturally appropriate pharmaceutical public health services within their area of professional practice, especially within rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical context

  • Synthesise and interpret complex and varied individual and population health presentations and data to design, implement and evaluate management plans, in response to stable, unpredictable and/or complex situations

  • Evaluate and apply established and evolving evidence to reflect critically on theory and professional practice in the area of pharmaceutical public health

  • Demonstrate a high level of personal autonomy and accountability for their own future professional development, and contribute to the professional development of others

  • Communicate and disseminate a broad range of pharmaceutical public health concepts and findings to both specialist and non-specialist audiences through high-level written and oral English language and numeracy skills

  • Apply knowledge of research principles and methods to design, plan and execute a substantial research-based project that is ethically and culturally-appropriate, and critically reflect upon implications of findings for pharmaceutical public health practice.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

PC5510:03 Management of Pharmaceutical Services

PC5512:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health Priorities

OPTIONS

Select 12 credit points of specified PC level 5 subjects from Options List 1

PLUS

Select Option A or Option B

Option A

PC5515:06 Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PLUS

Select 12 credit points of specified HS, PC or TM level 5 subjects from Options List 2

Option B

PC5516:12 Extended Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PLUS

Select 6 credit points of specified HS, PC or TM level 5 subjects from Options List 2

Options List 1

PC5511:03 Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5513:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 1

PC5514:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 2

PC5517:03 Advanced Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5518:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 3

PC5519:03 Pharmaceutical Regulation and Quality

PC5520:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Pharmacovigilance

PC5521:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Research Methodologies

Options List 2

HS5405:03 Teaching for Learning in the Health Professions

HS5406:03 Strategies for Clinical Teaching

HS5410:03 Health Professional Education using Action Research

HS5411:03 Community Rehabilitation for Health Professionals

HS5601:03 Health and Community Integration

PC5511:03 Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5513:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 1

PC5514:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 2

PC5515:06 Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PC5516:12 Extended Pharmaceutical Public Health Project

PC5517:03 Advanced Clinical Pharmaceutics

PC5518:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Management of Chronic Diseases 3

PC5519:03 Pharmaceutical Regulation and Quality

PC5520:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Pharmacovigilance

PC5521:03 Pharmaceutical Public Health – Research Methodologies

TM5501:03 Tropical Medicine

TM5502:03 Tropical Public Health

TM5503:03 Human Parasitology

TM5506:03 Social Science in Public Health

TM5508:03 Diving and Marine Medicine

TM5510:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

TM5512:03 Travel Medicine

TM5515:03 Epidemiology for Public Health

TM5518:03 Medical Entomology

TM5525:03 Communicable Disease Control

TM5528:03 Health Promotion

TM5534:03 Tropical Paediatrics

TM5536:03 Refugee Health

TM5540:03 Public Health and the Workplace

TM5541:03 Managing Effective Health Programs

TM5542:03 Clinical Travel Medicine

TM5552:03 Global Health and Development

TM5557:03 Disaster Health Management

TM5559:03 Clinical Tropical Paediatrics

TM5562:03 Reproductive Health in Developing Countries

TM5563:03 Public Health Leadership and Crisis Management

TM5564:03 Acute Care in the Resources Poor Environment

TM5568:03 Health Promotion Needs Assessment and Planning

TM5569:03 Health Promotion Strategies and Methods

Campus

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

Townsville


Candidature

Expected time to complete

18 months full-time or equivalent part-time

Maximum time to complete

6 years

Maximum leave of absence

3 year

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

No

Special assessment requirements

Nil

Professional accreditation requirements

Not applicable – Completion of a Masters of Pharmaceutical Public Health will not allow the graduate to register in Australia as a Pharmacist.

Maximum allowed Pass Conceded (PC) grade

Not applicable

Supplementary exam for final subject

A student who has failed the final subject towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply.

Advanced Standing

Eligibility

Students may apply for exemption for previous tertiary study where appropriate in accordance with the Advanced Standing and Articulation policy and associated procedures.

Maximum allowed

The maximum amount of Advance Standing granted, whether for previous studies or recognised prior learning, shall not exceed 18 credit points.

Advanced standing will be granted for the following:

  • An AQF Level 7 Bachelor Degree in a cognate discipline* AND health related professional experience ** – 12 credit points (4 optional subjects)

  • An AQF Level 8 qualification (Bachelor Honours degree or Graduate Certificate/Diploma) in a cognate* discipline AND health related professional experience ** – 12 credit points (4 optional subjects)

NB Where employment experience without qualifications, as set out below**, is used to meet entry requirements, that experience will not also be used to give advance standing.

* Cognate disciplines:

  • Pharmacy

  • Public Health

Other Health-related or Science-related disciplines as approved by the College on the advice of the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry.

** Health related professional experience:

Students must have a substantial amount of health-related professional experience in their chosen field of professional practice. This will be equivalent to at least 4 years of full-time, post-registration employment and students will be required to submit a full professional portfolio describing their previous professional experience for evaluation and approval by the College on the advice of the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry. Details to be included, but not limited to, in the professional portfolio would be full details of employment, descriptions of roles, responsibilities and activities performed in their various posts and referees who may be able to verify employment details. (Full details regarding contents and format of the portfolio will be available from the course co-ordinator).

A student who has passed a postgraduate subject at this or another University which is deemed by the College on the advice of the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry to be equivalent to the subjects offered in the course may be granted academic credit for those subjects up to a maximum of 6 credit points, provided those subjects have not been credited towards any other award either at this or any other University.

Currency

Advanced Standing will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.

Expiry

Advanced Standing gained for any subject shall be cancelled 16 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course.

Other restrictions

Advanced standing will not be granted for undergraduate studies or for work experience that is used to gain admission to the course.

Award Details

Award title

MASTER OF PHARMACEUTICAL PUBLIC HEALTH

Approved abbreviation

MPharmPH

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable - this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Not applicable

Course articulation

Not applicable

Special awards

Where coursework is completed at a grade point average of 6 or above, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, on the recommendation of the Dean of College of Medicine and Dentistry may recommend the award of a Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health with Distinction.

What is Pharmaceutical Public Health?

Amanda Mackay - Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health
“From a pharmacist’s perspective, the Master of Pharmaceutical Public Health is something a bit different and extremely applicable to both hospital and community practice. I also liked that the Masters could all be done externally through coursework.”
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This website is intended as general guide. Prospective students should contact the university to confirm admission requirements and the availability of courses. James Cook University reserves the right to alter any course or admission requirement without prior notice.