BACHELOR IN PHARMACY (HONOURS)

About the Course

Management and Science University (MSU) is an authorised local university offering the Pharmacy Course by the Malaysian Pharmacy Board.

Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals who advise on medicines and wider healthcare. The MSU Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours prepares you for Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice roles in hospital and community pharmacy, as well as careers in the pharmaceutical industry and research. You will develop competence in pharmacotherapy, medication management, patient counselling and communication, clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutical technology and formulation design, public health and pharmacoepidemiology, as well as regulatory affairs and pharmacovigilance.

Learning is led by research-active academicians and delivered through small-group lectures, seminars, problem-based learning, case-based learning, laboratory practicals, and simulation and pharmacy dispensing classes. You will gain industry-relevant exposure to GMP, QA/QC, manufacturing operations, and product design and development, as well as digital health and pharmacoinformatics, with a focus on e-prescribing, medication safety systems, and precision medicine.

Facilities include simulation suites for community and hospital pharmacies, aseptic/sterile compounding areas, a Pharmaceutical Technology lab for pharmaceutical manufacturing, and instrumentation labs for R&D.

The programme also includes interprofessional activities with students from Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, fostering real-world teamwork.

Why MSU Pharmacy 

• Practice-ready training: hospital, community, and industry pathways
• Strong industry links: attachments with hospitals, pharmacies, and pharma labs
• Cutting-edge skills: GMP, QA/QC, manufacturing, regulatory & pharmacovigilance
• Digital health focus: pharmacoinformatics, e-prescribing, medication safety, and precision medicine
• Hands-on facilities: pharmacy outpatient/inpatient dispensing labs, aseptic extemporaneous compounding, simulation suites, and life-lab for pharmacy practice
• Research culture: opportunities with faculty and partner universities in cosmetic and natural product formulation, toxicology, pharmaceutical active compounds, etc.

Duration
4 years

Credit Hours
143

Courses Offered

Year One

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Principles of Pharmacology
• Dispensing and Compounding Pharmacy

Year Two

• Medicinal Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Analysis
• Pharmacotherapy
• Specialised Hospital Pharmacy Practice

Year Three

• Designing Pharmaceutical Dosage Form
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Clinical Pharmacokinetics
• Community Pharmacy Practice

Year Four

• Clinical Pharmacy Clerkship
• Manufacturing – Industrial Pharmacy Practice
• Pharmacy Management and Entrepreneur
• Research Project

Experiential Learning (Year 3 and Year 4)

Clinical & Community Pharmacy Clerkship and Attachment

• Ward-based pharmacotherapy and medication reconciliation
• Patient counselling (discharge, chronic disease, device technique)
• Therapeutic drug monitoring and antimicrobial stewardship
• Community dispensing, OTC/minor ailments management, health screening

Industrial Pharmacy Attachment (Year 4)

• Exposure to GMP, QA/QC, validation and documentation
• Scale-up, technology transfer and product lifecycle management
• Regulatory affairs (dossier basics, pharmacovigilance reporting)
• Supply chain/warehouse fundamentals and stability studies

Simulation & OSCEs

• Dispensing accuracy, aseptic/sterile technique, error detection
• Communication stations (counselling, teamwork)

Research

• Supervised project (lab, clinical, social/administrative pharmacy or industry)
• Data analysis, ethics and dissemination (poster/oral)

Interprofessional Learning

• Joint cases and simulations with Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health

Community & Public Health

• Outreach on vaccination, medication safety, antimicrobial resistance, and chronic disease screening

Assessment (typical)

• Preceptor evaluations, competency checklists and logbooks
• Case write-ups, reflective journals, OSCEs and viva voce

Note: To register as a pharmacist in Malaysia, graduates must complete Provisionally Registered Pharmacist (PRP) training with a provider approved by the Pharmacy Board of Malaysia.

Career Prospects

• Pharmacist in Hospital Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy, Veterinary Pharmacy, Nuclear Pharmacy, and the Malaysian Armed Forces
• Pharmacist in Clinical Research Associate (CRA)
• Pharmacist in Product Development / Formulation
• Pharmacist in Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC)
• Pharmacist in Pharmacy Regulatory Affairs / Pharmacovigilance / Pharmacy Enforcement
• Pharmacist in Supply Chain & Manufacturing
• Pharmacy Academia / Researcher
• Pharmacist in Government Policymaking and Enforcement

ENTRANCE QUALIFICATION BASED OF PHARMACY BOARD MALAYSIA.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRY INTO BACHELOR OF PHARMACY PROGRAMME

A. The selection for admission to a pharmacy programme implies selection for the pharmacy profession.

A person who is qualified in pharmacy from a pharmacy programme recognized by the Pharmacy Board Malaysia is entitled to be provisionally registered by the Board (Section 6, Registration of Pharmacists Act 1951). The fitness to practise Pharmacy of the intended applicant shall have to be considered in the selection for entry into any pharmacy programme.

B. The practice of pharmacy requires the highest standards of professional and personal conduct as well as professional competence.

1. Although some students have attained the academic standards required, they may not be suitable to a career in pharmacy. It is in the interest of the public and such students that they should not gain admission, rather than to have to leave the course or the profession subsequently.
2. It is the responsibility of the pharmacy school to ensure that there are no particular circumstances that will impact upon an applicant's fitness to practice upon graduation.
3. All applicants shall declare if they have:
   • been found guilty of any criminal offence(s);
   • serious physical or mental illness; and/or
   • serious communicable disease(s) which may impact upon their future practice.
4. A person with any of the following shall be disqualified from entry into a pharmacy programme:
   • found guilty of offence(s) affecting the human body; and/or
   • recent or serious dishonesty e.g., cheating at examinations, falsification of documents, plagiarism; and/or
   • serious physical or mental illness; and/or
   • serious communicable disease(s).
5. Any failure to declare information that has a material influence on a student’s fitness to practise may lead to the termination of their pharmacy course, as honesty, integrity and good health are essential attributes of a pharmacist and by extension, the pharmacy student.
6. In the event of any doubt, the pharmacy school shall seek clarification from the Board.
7. All decision makers of pharmacy schools and aspiring applicants are advised to study the document and guidelines available at www.pharmacy.gov.my.

C. A high level of academic attainment is expected.

1. An understanding of science, in particular chemistry and biology, is central to the understanding of pharmacy. However, the Board recognizes the diversity of subjects taken by applicants and the contributions of those who entered pharmacy schools with other qualifications.
2. All applicants shall have attained a level of competence in English to enable them to complete the course successfully.
3. All applicants entering the pharmacy programme via Higher School Certificate (STPM), A-Level, matriculation, foundation or pre-medical/ pre-pharmacy programme, shall have passed and attained a minimum of the following (refer attachment).

A. HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE LEVEL OR ITS EQUIVALENT (STPM AND A- LEVEL)

Note: Combination of A-Level or STAM and STPM is allowed to fulfil the entry requirement as stated in Keputusan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Induk MQA- SPIPTS Bil.1/2009 dated 11 May 2009 and Keputusan Mesyuarat MQA Bil. 4/2009 dated 22 May 2009 (Kompilasi Dasar Jaminan Kualiti Pendidikan Tinggi (2009 – 2020: Edisi Ketiga)

B. MATRICULATION, FOUNDATION OR PRE-MEDICAL/ PRE-PHARMACY PROGRAMME OR ITS EQUIVALENT

STUDENT PASS / VISA REQUIREMENTS (INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS)

All international students who plan to study full-time in Malaysia are required to obtain a Student Pass (Student Visa) before starting their studies.

• You must receive an official Offer Letter from the university before applying for a student pass

• The university will submit your Student Pass application through Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) on your behalf

• A Visa Approval Letter (VAL / eVAL) is required before travelling to Malaysia

• Studying on a tourist or social visit visa is not permitted

• Your passport must be valid for at least 18 months from your intended intake date

• Visa processing time depends on EMGS and Malaysian Immigration approval

• After arriving in Malaysia, all students must complete a medical check-up at an EMGS-registered clinic

• Your Student Pass will be issued only after medical clearance and document verification

• Continuing students must renew their Student Pass before it expires

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR STUDENT PASS APPLICATION

The following documents are commonly required for all international students:

• Valid passport (clear scanned copy of all pages, including blank pages)

• Passport-size photograph with a white background

• Official Offer Letter from the university

• Academic certificates and transcripts related to your programme

• English language proficiency certificate (IELTS / TOEFL or equivalent), if required

• Proof of acceptance or tuition fee payment (if requested by the university)

• Student Pass / Visa processing fee as determined by EMGS

• Completed EMGS Health Declaration Form (if applicable)

Please note: All documents not originally in English must be submitted together with certified English translations.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS (IF APPLICABLE)

Some students may be asked to provide extra documents depending on their situation:

• Release Letter and Visa Cancellation Letter (for students transferring from another institution in Malaysia)

• School Leaving Certificate (for foundation or diploma applicants)

• Sponsorship or Scholarship Letter (if your studies are funded)

• Proof of financial support to cover tuition fees and living expenses

• Statutory Declaration (if there are name differences across documents)

• Resume or Character Reference Letter (commonly required for applicants above 23 years old)

• Police Clearance Certificate (if requested by EMGS or embassy authorities)

• Copy of previous Malaysian visa or Resident Pass (if applicable)

AFTER ARRIVING IN MALAYSIA

Once you arrive in Malaysia, you will need to:

• Complete a medical examination at an EMGS-approved clinic

• Submit your passport for Student Pass endorsement

• Receive a temporary Special Pass (if applicable) while your Student Pass is being processed

• Collect your Student Pass and complete university registration

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• Student Pass requirements are set by Malaysian Immigration and EMGS and may vary by nationality
• The university’s International Office will guide you through each step of the process
• Students are strongly advised to prepare documents at least 2–3 months before intake
• Requirements may change, so always follow the latest instructions provided by the university