Do you want to advance your pharmacy career while continuing in employment?
This postgraduate distance learning programme allows you fit your studies around your work and family commitments.
Our Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice programme was developed following extensive consultation with pharmacists and their employers both within and beyond the United Kingdom. It provides a flexible study pathway that is designed to develop the therapeutic knowledge and clinical skills of pharmacists to an advanced level. The modules are designed to help pharmacists to acquire and demonstrate the advanced-level competencies defined in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Core Advanced Pharmacist Curriculum.
This PG Certificate programme is open to pharmacists in all employment sectors. It is studied entirely off-campus by distance-learning and is open to pharmacists both within and outside the United Kingdom.
The distance-learning format allows you to organise your studies around your work and family commitments. Also, employers support distance-learning as staff do not require regular leave to attend on-campus.
Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice highlights
World Class Facilities
The School of Pharmacy at Queen’s ranks 39th in the world for Pharmacy and Pharmacology teaching, and is acknowledged as a leading centre for Pharmacy teaching and research in the UK, consistently featuring at or near the top of the league tables for the subject.
Student Experience
Students are supported by full-time dedicated staff in the School of Pharmacy Distance Learning Centre.
Student Testimonials
I'm really enjoying the course. I'm learning so much, and my practice has improved. My patients sense it too, I'm sure!
Students complete one of the following 30-credit modules during the first semester:
PMY7100 Introduction to clinical pharmacy*
PMY7101 Managing drug treatment
PMY7102 Advancing practice in primary care
PMY7103 Developing evidence in practice
*compulsory for students who are working outside the UK/Ireland
Students complete one of the following 30-credit modules during the second semester:
PMY7104 Management of long-term conditions 1 (Cardiovascular disease and diabetes)
PMY7105 Management of long-term conditions 2 (Neurological disease, management of pain and mental health)
PMY7106 Management of long-term conditions 3 (Respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin disease)
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
Two important roles for pharmacists who work in primary care are delivering health promoting interventions and developing quality and cost-effective prescribing within their practice(s). This module demonstrates the need for effective health promotion within the wider context of public health and provides the student with the underpinning knowledge required to deliver effective health promotion activities and services. In addition, the module equips the student with the knowledge and skills required to undertake audit and analysis of prescribing data. The focus is on the quality and effectiveness of prescribing within primary care, although the techniques are also applicable in secondary care.
Topics include:
• The historical, social and political as well as the medical issues involved in health and the difficulties involved in influencing people to adopt healthy lifestyles
• How the pharmacist can incorporate public health services into his/her day to day activities
• The influence of lifestyle on disease development
• The role of the pharmacist in smoking cessation services
• The role of the pharmacist in obesity management
• The role of the pharmacist in supporting sexual health
• Planning a health promotion event
• Common terminology - the language of prescribing
• ePACT and GP prescribing information
• Benefits and limitations of prescribing information
• Prescribing quality, prescribing indicators and prescribing comparators
• Clinical audit in practice
• Managing change
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will be able to:
Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles of health promotion to plan and undertake effective health promotion activities to benefit patients and the public
Apply knowledge and understanding of techniques for practice-based audit to undertake a audit of prescribing within their practice
Apply knowledge and understanding of techniques for analysing prescribing data to make recommendations based on prescribing data and contribute to the cost-effective delivery of healthcare services.
Skills
This module will develop the student's ability to:
• Plan and implement health promotion services and activities
• Gather and analyse data relating to the quality and effectiveness of prescribing
In addition, the following skills will be developed:
• Project management
• Data analysis
• Data presentation
• Report writing
The management of long-term conditions modules are designed to build on the student's knowledge of the management and drug treatment of common chronic conditions. In this module, students study recent advances in our understanding of the disease process and treatment in relation to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Students are referred to UK clinical guidelines where appropriate.
The following topics are included:
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Long-term complications of diabetes
• Insulin safety
• Coronary heart disease
• Essential hypertension
• Heart failure
• Angina
• Acute coronary syndromes
• Arrhythmias (focussing on AF)
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will be able to:
Apply a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the management of diabetes and common long-term cardiovascular conditions in the management of patients with these conditions
Apply knowledge and understanding of clinical guidelines to promote evidence-based treatment of the conditions studied
Skills
This module will develop the student's clinical skills and awareness of pharmaceutical care issues relating to patients with diabetes and/or common long-term cardiovascular conditions. In addition, it will develop the student's critical thinking skills.
The aim of this module is to enhance the student’s ability to monitor and adjust drug treatment to maximise clinical outcomes for patients. Students learn to interpret the results of common laboratory tests and how they may impact on the choice of drug and/or dose. In addition, they develop a knowledge and understanding of the principles of detecting and managing adverse drug reactions and interactions, and their ability to manage the drug treatment of patients with a range of common infections.
The following topics are included:
• Interpretation of common clinical laboratory tests
• Design of dosage regimens
• Altered pharmacokinetics in renal disease
• Management of adverse drug reactions and interactions
• Management of infection
• Therapeutic drug monitoring of antimicrobials
• Prevention and control of infection
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Antimicrobial stewardship
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will be able to:
Apply knowledge and understanding of clinical laboratory tests in maximising clinical outcomes for patients
Apply knowledge and understanding of the effects of renal disease on pharmacokinetics in managing drug treatment in this group of patients
Apply knowledge and understanding of the causes and outcomes of clinically important adverse drug reactions and interactions to manage treatment in patients who experience adverse drug reactions and interactions
Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles of antimicrobial stewardship to the effective management of patients who have an infection
Apply knowledge and understanding of the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance to promote rational and appropriate antibiotic usage
Skills
This module will develop the skills required to monitor and manage drug treatment, including the ability to:
• Use clinical information effectively
• Adjust treatment to maximise clinical outcomes
• Manage their time effectively
• Learn independently
In the UK, the role of the pharmacist has evolved from that of providing medicines to one of managing all stages of the process of medicating patients. If the medication process goes wrong, the implications for the patient and their family can be devastating, with reports of medication-related deaths often reaching the national press and media. Clinical pharmacists are in a unique position as they can intervene at practically all stages in the patient medication process and therefore, they have a key role to play in ensuring patient safety and promoting effective use of medicines.
In this module, students develop an understanding of clinical information and learn to extract the information that is relevant to the pharmacist. Students are introduced to the concept of pharmaceutical care planning and learn how to recognise actual and potential medication incidents, how to respond when they occur and the importance of learning from incidents. Students study medicines and procedures that have a high risk associated with them and learn strategies to minimise risk. Furthermore, good interpersonal communication skills are essential in ensuring safe and effective medication use and the module will develop the communication and consultation skills required to communicate effectively with patients, carers and health professionals.
This module is applicable to UK students in the early stages of their career as a clinical pharmacist in either primary or secondary care. In addition, as clinical pharmacy is less well developed in many countries outside of the UK, the module provides an essential introduction to the concept for international students and is therefore compulsory for students who practice pharmacy outside of the UK.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will be able to:
Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation in optimising the drug treatment of patients
Apply knowledge and understanding of the risks of medication use in improving patient safety in their practice
Apply knowledge and understanding of the fundamental importance of good communication skills to the effective delivery of health care and demonstrate the core communication skills central to effective pharmacy practice
Skills
This module will provide the student with the skills required to deliver patient-centred medicines optimisation, including the ability to:
• Analyse and interpret drug charts and clinical information
• Develop and monitor treatment plans
• Provide effective medicines optimisation services
• Plan effective discharge from secondary to primary care
• Identify and minimise risks associated with drug treatment
• Monitor patient safety with high-risk medicines
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and health professionals
• Manage time effectively
The management of long-term conditions modules are designed to build on the student's knowledge of the management and drug treatment of common chronic conditions. In this module, students study recent advances in our understanding of the disease process and treatment in relation to mental health, pain and neurological disease. Students are referred to UK clinical guidelines where appropriate.
The following topics are included:
• Major depressive disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Affective Disorder and Acute Mania
• Dementia
• Management of pain
• Parkinson’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Multiple sclerosis
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will:
Apply a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the management of pain and common long-term mental health and neurological conditions in the management of patients with these conditions
Apply knowledge and understanding of clinical guidelines to promote evidence-based treatment of the conditions studied
Skills
This module will develop the student's clinical skills and awareness of pharmaceutical care issues relating to patients with pain and/or common long-term mental health and neurological conditions. In addition, it will develop the student's critical thinking skills.
The management of long-term conditions modules are designed to build on the student's knowledge of the management and drug treatment of common chronic conditions. In this module, students study recent advances in our understanding of the disease process and treatment in relation to respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin disease. Students are referred to UK clinical guidelines where appropriate.
Apply a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the management of common long-term respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin conditions in the management of patients with these conditions
Apply knowledge and understanding of clinical guidelines to promote evidence-based treatment of the conditions studied
Skills
This module will develop the student's clinical skills and awareness of pharmaceutical care issues relating to patients with common long-term respiratory, gastrointestinal and/or skin conditions. In addition, it will develop the student's critical thinking skills.
Pharmacists who practice at an advanced level should be able to design and undertake practice-based research and to interpret and critically evaluate the research of others. The aim of this module is to develop the student’s knowledge of methods that are employed in undertaking and reporting health-related research and includes research design, research methodologies, research ethics, statistical methods, and the principles of evidence-based medicine.
The module provides an essential introduction to research and statistical methods for students who will be undertaking their own research. Therefore, it is offered as an option in the PG Certificate and PG Diploma in Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice and is compulsory for students on the MSc pathway.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion, students will be able to:
Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based medicine in critically evaluating published research
Apply knowledge and understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in designing a robust research study
Apply knowledge and understanding of statistical methods appropriate to pharmacy research in selecting, implementing and reporting tests that are appropriate to the data to be analysed
Skills
This module will provide the student with the skills required to:
• Evaluate the effectiveness of clinical and pharmacological interventions
• Design a research project
• Evaluate how statistical tests are used and reported in the published literature
• Implement and interpret a range of statistical analyses
In addition, the following transferable skills are developed:
• Critical analysis
• Scientific writing
• Time management
This course is designed to meet the postgraduate education needs of pharmacists working in patient-facing roles, although applications are welcome from pharmacists working in any employment sector.
The programme is open to local, national and international applicants.
The University requires evidence that international applicants are competent in the use of English language.
Applicants must have a pharmacy degree (minimum Bachelor degree) from a university recognised by Queen’s University Belfast and be registered as a pharmacist with an appropriate regulatory organisation.
Students in Great Britain who wish to enrol on the Independent Prescribing option in Year 2 must:
• Be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and/or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and be in good standing with the GPhC and/or PSNI.
• Have relevant patient-oriented experience in a UK pharmacy setting and be able to recognise, understand and articulate the skills and attributes required by a prescriber (guidance on how to demonstrate this will be provided following application).
• Have a designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) who has agreed to supervise the learning in practice element. The DPP must be medically qualified (GP in primary care or Consultant/SAS [specialist, associate specialist or specialty doctor] in hospital)*.
• Have an identified an area of clinical or therapeutic practice on which to base their learning - please note that the DPP must have clinical expertise and experience in this area.
• Be able to attend 5-day clinical skills residential in Belfast in January 2025 (dates to be confirmed).
* Further guidance on the type of experience and DPP requirements will be provided when applying for this programme.
Further information is available in the ‘PIP Information for pharmacists’ at the link below.
Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).
International/EU applicants who are registered as Pharmacists in the UK/ROI have met the PSNI/GPhC/PSI English requirements (IELTS 7.0/7.0), and therefore meet Queen’s requirements as outlined above. No additional IELTS test is required if UK/ROI registered Pharmacist. International applicants whose Pharmacy degree was taught and assessed in the medium of English are not required to satisfy further English language requirements – applicants must provide official confirmation from the awarding institution to confirm this at time of application.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
This programme will enhance opportunities to progress your career as a pharmacist to advanced practitioner level.
Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.
A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.