About this program

The Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science is a 120CP, full-time program of three semesters undertaken over one year. This program is conducted entirely on the Gold Coast campus.

The Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science provides graduates who have a Bachelors degree in a Science or Health Science discipline with a solid grounding in basic pharmaceutical sciences and professional pharmacy practice.

On its own, the Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science is not sufficient to register as a pharmacist. However, it does provide a useful qualification to have when considering employment as a pharmacy technician or in a range of scientific and marketing positions across the pharmaceutical industry.

If seeking to register as a pharmacist, it is necessary to complete both the Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science and the Master of Pharmacy. These two programs are articulated and together they comprise the six semesters of study required to be undertaken over 2.5 years before participating in 48 weeks of pre-registration training and then applying to register as a pharmacist with the Queensland Pharmacists Board. All graduates completing the Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science have automatic entry to the Master of Pharmacy degree which extends the clinical, professional and research skills through a broad range of class work, practical skill development simulations and clinical placement and research activities.

Additionally, students who have demonstrated research interest and ability may be invited to undertake a further semester of research leading to the award of the Master of Pharmacy with Honours. This will provide a pathway to research higher degree programs.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science will provide graduates of a Health Science degree with an alternative pathway to train as a pharmacist in Queensland. Employment opportunities include community and hospital pharmacy (with clinical specialisations in these settings), drug and poisons information centres, the pharmaceutical industry, military forces, government service, pharmacy organisations and educational and research institutions.

Graduates who continue on to attain the Master of Pharmacy will have a registrable pharmacy qualification for entry to the 48 weeks of supervised practice and pre-registration training program offered by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia that must be completed before applying for registration as a pharmacist.