P3002 Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced (Honours)

All applicants must satisfy the equivalent of the VCE subject prerequisites. VCE VET studies will be considered. Studies must have been completed no more than 10 years prior to admission.

Relevant work experience is only used in fine-tuning selection.

VET: Due to strong competition for places, Certificate IV or Diploma graduates are unlikely to be offered a place.

University: Preference is given to applicants who have completed the equivalent of a full year of study in an undergraduate degree (e.g. science or biomedical science). A high level of academic achievement at a tertiary level is required. Prerequisite studies in Chemistry, English and Mathematics can be met at either the VCE or tertiary level.Other: Studies at Monash College (other than MUFY) are not suitable for entry into Pharmaceutical Science Advanced.

Monash Level A, that is: IELTS (Academic): 6.5 overall (no band lower than 6.0); or Pearson Test of English (Academic): score of 58 overall with no band lower than 50; or TOEFL Internet-based test: score of 79 overall with minimum scores: Writing: 21, Listening: 12, Reading: 13 and Speaking: 18; or Equivalent approved English test

Articulation agreement: China Pharmaceutical University (2.5+2) Exp: 21 Jan 2026

Successful completion of this course may provide credit toward a Monash master's by coursework degree and will provide the preparation necessary to undertake a master's by research degree or a doctoral (PhD) degree.

This advanced version of the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science is designed for high-achieving students who expect to pursue honours studies and a career in pharmaceutical science, the science of medicines. A flexible course, it covers the multi-disciplinary chemical and biological science base used in researching and developing reliable, accessible and effective medicinal products.

A pharmaceutical scientist is trained to select new targets for drug therapy that arise from basic research. As a pharmaceutical science graduate you will have the scientific and technical knowledge to translate new targets into reliable, accessible and effective treatments for patients.

During the first two years you will develop an understanding of the foundations of pharmaceutical science and of the relationships between the different disciplines and their distinct roles in drug discovery and development. In your third year, you will have the opportunity to choose elective units that excite and inspire and represent the state-of-the-art in pharmaceutical science education. You will develop specialist knowledge and techniques and an understanding of the application of pharmaceutical methods and of professional practices in the workplace and the laboratory. The course encourages the development of strong research, communication, life-long learning and teamwork skills and provides practical and theoretical training in planning, undertaking and documenting scientific research projects.

You will study with one of the largest and most productive groups of pharmaceutical researchers in Australia, the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. You will graduate having worked in industry-standard facilities, such as our chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms, state-of-the-art confocal, super-resolution and biomedical imaging instruments, world-leading analytical pharmacology capabilities, structural biology platforms including NMR and Cryo-EM and a range of synthetic medicinal chemistry and drug delivery infrastructure. With therapeutic programs in central nervous system and cardio-metabolic diseases as well as global health, you will be well prepared for postgraduate study or for employment in the global pharmaceutical industry.

We acknowledge very high-achieving students by offering access to our scholars program. This provides exclusive learning opportunities, including:

• an annual networking event 
• invitations to key Faculty events and seminars
• a dean's scholarship (domestic students only)
• a listing in the annual Faculty Prize Giving Program