Master of Pharmacy Practice
The Master of Pharmacy Practice (MPharmPrac) provides an accelerated pathway to becoming a pharmacist for students with an existing Bachelor’s qualification.
Applications for the Master of Pharmacy Practice in 2025 are now closed.
Why study the Master of Pharmacy Practice?
Our Master of Pharmacy Practice is the first graduate-entry pharmacy programme in New Zealand and has been developed to help address the pharmacy workforce shortage in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The programme embodies a holistic approach to health assessment, underpinned by a range of Hauora Māori models, including Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke and the Meihana Model.
Your academic learning will be integrated with pharmacy practice in the form of community, primary care and hospital placements under the supervision of clinical academic pharmacists.
By the end of your two-year masters degree, you will be able to provide culturally and clinically safe practice with expertise in the optimal and equitable use of medicines across New Zealand. You will be eligible to apply for registration as an Intern Pharmacist with the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand | Te Pou Whakamana Kaimatū o Aotearoa. After completing and passing the Intern Training Programme, you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Pharmacist.
As spaces are limited, the deadline for applications will normally be 31 August in the year prior to your intended start year.
Career Opportunities
- Intern Pharmacist
- Registered Pharmacist
- Primary and community health care
- Hospital-based care
- Pharmaceutical research
Degree information
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Plan your study -
Entry Requirements Selection of applicants for the Master of Pharmacy Practice is based on both academic background and suitability for pharmacy.
You can apply for the Master of Pharmacy Practice if you have:
- A bachelor's degree with a major in one of the molecular sciences, i.e. biochemistry, biomedical science, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology.
- Achieved at least a B grade average in your final year of your degree.
The selection process also includes the provision of a personal statement, references, a criminal record check and an interview. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Selection Committee.
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Fees and scholarships -
Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 10 January 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees free study.
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International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 10 January 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
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Graduate outcomes On successful completion of the Master of Pharmacy Practice, graduates will be able to:
- Embed the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into their practice as Intern Pharmacists, appreciating its relevance in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand's healthcare system.
- Integrate mātauranga Māori and other worldviews into their practice, recognizing the importance of cultural knowledge in promoting health and wellbeing.
- Exhibit personal and professional integrity, complying with ethical and legal requirements to ensure accurate evidence-informed decisions that optimise health outcomes.
- Provide culturally and clinically safe practice that adapts to the diverse needs of patients to ensure the equitable access and use of medicines in Aotearoa.
- Communicate effectively, establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with patients, their whānau, and with other health professionals to prevent conflict and enable prompt resolution when it arises.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of pharmacotherapy, including the underlying pathophysiology of diseases and the actions, interactions, contraindications, and potential adverse effects of medicines.
- Provide person-centred care and medicines management, balancing shared decision-making, evidence-based assessment, medication therapy review, and quality safety measures to optimise patient health outcomes.
- Actively engage in public health promotion, providing evidence-based advice, and supporting health equity and wellness initiatives that are tailored to local community needs.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of managing pharmacy operations, including finances, compliance, staff development, and customer engagement.
- Exhibit leadership of self and others, contributing to a safe working environment where risks are mitigated, and there is a culture of innovation, proactively adapting to emerging trends in pharmacy practice.
- Contribute to the advancement of pharmacy through research, conducting audits and implementing quality and safety improvements.
Selection of applicants for the Master of Pharmacy Practice is based on both academic background and suitability for pharmacy.
You can apply for the Master of Pharmacy Practice if you have:
- A bachelor's degree with a major in one of the molecular sciences, i.e. biochemistry, biomedical science, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology.
- Achieved at least a B grade average in your final year of your degree.
The selection process also includes the provision of a personal statement, references, a criminal record check and an interview. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Selection Committee.
-
Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 10 January 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees free study.
-
International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 10 January 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
On successful completion of the Master of Pharmacy Practice, graduates will be able to:
- Embed the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into their practice as Intern Pharmacists, appreciating its relevance in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand's healthcare system.
- Integrate mātauranga Māori and other worldviews into their practice, recognizing the importance of cultural knowledge in promoting health and wellbeing.
- Exhibit personal and professional integrity, complying with ethical and legal requirements to ensure accurate evidence-informed decisions that optimise health outcomes.
- Provide culturally and clinically safe practice that adapts to the diverse needs of patients to ensure the equitable access and use of medicines in Aotearoa.
- Communicate effectively, establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with patients, their whānau, and with other health professionals to prevent conflict and enable prompt resolution when it arises.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of pharmacotherapy, including the underlying pathophysiology of diseases and the actions, interactions, contraindications, and potential adverse effects of medicines.
- Provide person-centred care and medicines management, balancing shared decision-making, evidence-based assessment, medication therapy review, and quality safety measures to optimise patient health outcomes.
- Actively engage in public health promotion, providing evidence-based advice, and supporting health equity and wellness initiatives that are tailored to local community needs.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of managing pharmacy operations, including finances, compliance, staff development, and customer engagement.
- Exhibit leadership of self and others, contributing to a safe working environment where risks are mitigated, and there is a culture of innovation, proactively adapting to emerging trends in pharmacy practice.
- Contribute to the advancement of pharmacy through research, conducting audits and implementing quality and safety improvements.
Practical experience
You will undertake 375 hours of pharmacy practice in the form of community, primary care and hospital placements over the two years, under the supervision of highly skilled clinical academic pharmacists. Within each trimester, there are both teaching and clinical blocks.