Undergraduate Programmes
Since 1905, the Department of Pharmacy remains the only tertiary education institution in Singapore that provides pharmacy education to nurture future pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, and is one of the most established pharmacy schools in Asia. In the latest 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject, NUS is ranked 14th globally and 1st in Asia for Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
The Department of Pharmacy offers two full-time four-year degree programmes at undergraduate level, namely the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) programme and the BSc (Pharmaceutical Science) (Honours) programme.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who are experts on medicines. Their main role within the healthcare system is to ensure that medicines are used appropriately and safely. In the process, they actively provide advice to physicians and other healthcare practitioners on the selection, dose, interactions and side effects of medicines. They also counsel patients on their medicines and monitor their health progress to ensure that patients achieve the best outcomes with their drug therapy. As a profession, pharmacy is continuously evolving in tandem with the changing healthcare landscape and advancement in medical sciences.
Overall, the primary aim of the pharmacy programme is to equip graduates with the relevant knowledge and skills for entry into the pharmacy profession. The programme focuses on laying a strong foundation in pharmaceutical and clinical sciences so that graduates can readily apply these fundamental principles to their future employment, be it in community practice, hospital service, healthcare business, pharmaceutical industry or research.
Bachelor of Science (Pharmaceutical Science) (Honours)
Pharmaceutical Science is a branch of science that deals with aspects of the science and technology of medical products. This includes but is not limited to the discovery, development, manufacture, regulation, and utilisation of medical products.
The Pharmaceutical Science (PHS) programme is designed to optimize a flexibility in curriculum to allow students to take up second majors, minors, undergraduate internships, research projects and overseas exchange programmes, along with a multitude of elective courses available for all NUS students.
The Pharmaceutical Science programme was offered under the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) from AY2021/22.
Second Major in Pharmaceutical Science
Given the boom in the pharmaceutical industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is heightened demand for manpower with pharmaceutical science expertise that could integrate diverse perspectives and trainings to adapt to this fast-growing sector. The Second Major in Pharmaceutical Science aims to train Integrators who could connect the dots of the bigger picture, drawing knowledge from the combination of primary and second majors, to address real-world issues in the pharmaceutical sector via an interdisciplinary approach.
The Second Major in Pharmaceutical Science programme was offered under the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) from AY2021/22.
Minor in Pharmaceutical Science
The pharmaceutical industry in Singapore is undergoing a phase of expansion, as more pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies set up new manufacturing and research facilities here. Along with this expansion plans, manpower with relevant knowledge and skills will be sought after by the industry. In addition to the requisite domain knowledge which may be science, engineering, law or business; the employers are also seeking to hire graduates with supplementary knowledge relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.
The relevant adjunct knowledge is based on foundation in pharmaceutical sciences. Having an understanding of pharmaceutical sciences will enable these graduates to quickly immerse in the environment of the industry and may ease the initial learning phase.
NUS Pharmaceutical Society (NUSPS)
NUS Pharmaceutical Society (NUSPS) serves to enrich and supplement student life in NUS Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science. The NUSPS Executive Committee plays a vital role to be the bridge between the Department of Pharmacy and the student body.
The goal for NUSPS is to engage members to participate in NUSPS activities, serving as a common platform to unite the five houses, NUSPS subcommittees and special projects. Beyond pharmacy, there are numerous opportunities with external stakeholders for collaboration. Some of which would include students from medicine, nursing and other allied healthcare professions. Furthermore, NUSPS serves to nurture a network with related healthcare professionals and industries.