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ABOUT

IMU’s Master in Pharmacy Practice provides a platform for aspiring pharmacists to improve their skillsets, to create an impact on their professional practice and fast-forward their career trajectories.

Master in Pharmacy Practice

The first of its kind to be offered in a Malaysian private university, the Master in Pharmacy Practice programme is unique as it offers four areas of specialisation with research, namely Clinical Pharmacy, Social & Administrative Pharmacy, Pharmacy Management or Clinical Research.

Students are taught and supervised by an established faculty that pursues excellence in a wide range of research activity including published research in international peer-reviewed journals. Students also get to participate in collaborations with various local and foreign institutions in areas such as cancer, bioactive molecules, nutrition and environmental health.

This programme is available full-time or part-time, allowing pharmacists to continue working while undertaking a flexible schedule of campus-based classes and experiential learning, with online support and contact with tutors when needed.

Key Facts

DEGREE

  • Master in Pharmacy Practice

Commencement

  • March and September

total duration

  • Full time : 1 year
  • Part-time: 2 – 6 years

Tuition Fees

  • All IMU alumni who are self-funding their postgraduate studies and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible for a 15% bursary.

Why Study Pharmacy Practice at IMU?

IMU is a leader in health professions and health sciences education in Malaysia

IMU is Malaysia’s first and most established private medical and healthcare university with over 30 years of dedicated focus in healthcare education.

IMU achieved the SETARA-2018/2019 Tier 6 status (Outstanding) under the Mature University category.

Programme streams and research experience relevant to your field

The Programme is unique, current, relevant and immediately useful for your career, whether you are a fresh pharmacy graduate or a working pharmacist. The Programme offers streams in distinct areas of pharmacy and healthcare practice. You may undertake any one of four streams, based on your preferences, career needs and aspirations. Learning can be immediately applied, and if this is done regularly, creates a virtuous, enriching cycle of learning and continuing development.

 

The research topic can be selected based on your stream. Working pharmacists can undertake research in their workplace. The starting point for practice-related research is often a problem that needs to be systematically understood.

Flexibility for working professionals and support for learning

The Programme uses a mixture of face-to-face and online interactive sessions. This blended mode provides the flexibility to combine work with postgraduate study that adds value and has the potential to significantly build your career. Also, the Programme can be undertaken part-time, from 2 to 4 years. IMU students have access to academic experts in pharmacy and other health professions education, and can benefit from the university’s research collaborations. Academic supervisory support is provided to all participants throughout the programme.

Programme Structure

The programme is offered in a blended mode, which means that you can undertake much of the study online, with some weekend on-campus sessions to attend face to face teaching and learning sessions. The online platform of IMU will allow you to access all the contents online. The face to face teaching and learning sessions will be scheduled on weekends to allow the working pharmacists to continue their job/practice and complete the master’s degree.

 Clinical Pharmacy
  • Research Methodology and Scientific Writing
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Clinical Pharmacy Practice
  • Pharmacoeconomics
  • Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Services
  • Research Project
 Social & Administrative Pharmacy
  • Research Methodology and Scientific Writing
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Social Pharmacy
  • Pharmacoeconomics
  • Business Administration and People Management
  • Public Health and Governance
  • Research Project
Pharmacy Management
  • Research Methodology and Scientific Writing
  • Pharmaceutical Marketing and Ethics
  • Management of Healthcare Institutions
  • Business Administration and People Management
  • Pharmacoeconomics
  • Entrepreneurial Leadership
  • Research Project
Clinical Research
  • Research Methodology and Scientific Writing
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Clinical Research and Good Clinical Practice
  • Regulatory Affairs in Clinical Research
  • Clinical Trial and Clinical Data Management
  • Research Project

ASSESSMENT

All the assessments in the programme are in-course assessments – including task-based projects, critical reviews and assignments. A research dissertation is assessed in Semester 2 as a part of the Research Project-II module.

Entry Requirement

A. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS B. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants are required to have obtained:

  • A Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy or its equivalent, with a cGPA of at least 2.75, as accepted by the University’s Senate; or
  • Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy or its equivalent with a cGPA of minimum 2.50 and not meeting cGPA of 2.75, can be accepted subject to rigorous internal assessment; or
  • A Bachelor Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent with minimum CGPA of 2.00 and not meeting CGPA of 2.50, can be accepted subject to a minimum of 5 years working experience in the relevant field and rigorous internal assessment.

For Malaysian Students

Not applicable

For International Students

  • IELTS : Band score 5.0; or
  • TOEFL (iBT) : Overall score of 42; or
  • Cambridge English : Advanced (CAE) : Overall score of 154; or
  • Cambridge English : Proficiency (CPE) : Overall score of 154; or
  • Cambridge Linguaskill : Overall score of 160; or
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) : Overall score of 47;

The following categories of students are exempted from the above requirements:

  • International students from countries in which English is the first language.
  • International students who graduated from any Malaysian or other institutions where the curriculum is delivered in English.
Note

Please note that achieving the minimum Entry and English requirements as stated does not guarantee you admission into any of IMU’s programmes.

Please refer to our Student Admissions Policy for more information

Application and Registration Fees

Fee Malaysian Student (RM) International Student (RM)
Application Fee 150 500
Registration Fee 1,100 3,400
Refundable Caution Deposit 2,000 2,000
Student Association Fee per Semester 40 40
  • The fees indicated are the total tuition fees and is the same for full-time and part-time students. Fees are payable on a semester basis.
  • Application fee is payable upon submission of application.
  • Registration fee and refundable caution deposit is payable upon acceptance of the offer letter issued by the IMU Admissions Office.
  • Students must adhere to the Policy on Payment of Fees

Fee Structure

Malaysian Student

Study Mode No. of Credit Hour Fee per Credit Hour (RM) Total Fee
Conventional 40 1,100 44,000

International Student

Study Mode No. of Credit Hour Fee per Credit Hour (RM) Total Fee
Conventional 40 1,250 50,000

Views from Our Community

Je Chin Ying

Alumna, Master in Pharmacy Practice

I learnt to apply evidence-based pharmacotherapy practice to my work. I felt that this programme encouraged me and prepared me to be a better pharmacist in assisting the current medical practice.

Hng' Ting Kian

Alumna, Master in Pharmacy Practice

The MPP programme widens my scope of practice. The weekend sessions of face to face classes give me a flexibility to plan my regular duties at my workplace.

Muhammad Daniaal bin Radzali

Alumnus, Master in Pharmacy Practice

Learning new things gives me immense motivation. I feel that I am more independent and I learnt how to think critically, solve problems, especially during my research work.

Lim Xin Yu

Alumna, Master in Pharmacy Practice

I started my career as hospital pharmacist and then changed my pathway into the pharmaceutical industry. After being in the profession for almost 4 years, I decided to do my Masters to aim for a higher position in pharmaceutical company.

Sharmila A/P Prabaharan

Student, Master in Pharmacy Practice

I always wanted to be more competent in patient management and strive for more optimal healthcare management and patient adherence. As an alumni from the undergraduate programme, a sense of familiarity drove me to do my postgraduate studies at IMU. I am familiar with the learning environment here, especially the lecturers. Being an alumna also has its perks.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What pharmacy practice-related specialisations are offered in the programme?

The specialisations are Clinical Pharmacy, Social & Administrative Pharmacy, Pharmacy Management and Clinical Research.

Which specialisation may I choose?

You may select any specialisation available, based on your interests or job requirements and future career plan.

Is the programme accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)?

The programme is accredited by the MQA and the Malaysian Ministry of Education.

What is the programme structure?

This mixed mode Programme has course work and research project in the curriculum. Each specialisation has their own set of modules (a maximum of 6) along with a research project. You will be able to get 20 credits from all the taught-modules and the remaining 20 credit is from Research Project.

The duration for full-time is 1 years and part-time 2 to 6 years.

What is blended learning?

IMU has come out with an innovative idea of a blended learning mode for MPP. Most of the Teaching and Learning activities are student-centerd and self-directed. All the Teaching and Learning materials of MPP programme is available online and a greater percentage of Teaching and Learning activities are delivered online. The teacher-centered activities and the activities which need a hands-on training and a facilitation from an expert are scheduled as face-to-face sessions. The percentage of online and face-to-face sessions is based on the suitability of the content and the type of learning activity in each module.

How do I access programme information such as course materials, timetable etc.?

All IMU students access information about their programme of study via the IMU e-learning portal, that contains course materials, timetable, module guide, etc. You will get access to the elearning portal once you have registered for the programme/module.

What is the programme duration? How long will it take to complete the programme?

A full-time student may complete the course in 1 year.

A part-time student may complete the course in 2 years minimum, and 6 years maximum.

How many modules can I take per semester?

A full time student can take up to a maximum of 3 modules per semester and a part time student can take 1-3 modules per semester

Can I extend the study duration?

Any extension of time may normally be granted on non-academic grounds, and only at the sole discretion of the Senate of IMU. However, the maximum duration to complete an MPP programme is 4 years.

May I change my candidature from full-time to part-time?

Yes, you may change from full-time to part-time, ideally within the first month of semester 1.

How the MPP programme will be delivered to a part time student?

The modules will be delivered at a fixed schedule for both full-time and part-time students together. The face-to-face sessions are scheduled only in the weekends. A part-time student can choose the module(s) based on their convenience in each semester. They need to pay the fees based on the number of modules selected in that semester. For a part-time candidate, the schedule for the fee payment is personalised, based on his or her selection of the modules in a semester.

For the classes and coursework of the modules they selected, they can refer to the MPP timetable in each semester.

For a part-time student, the research project is available after they have completed selected modules (up to 12 credits) including Research Methodology and Scientific writing. It can be carried out at your workplace with the help of your assigned research supervisor.  The duration of research module is from minimum 6 months (1 semester)  to maximum 12 months (2 semesters).

Do I get any support for my research project?

Yes, All MPP students research is supported by IMU. Your research project will be supervised by 2 supervisors from IMU. The research project grant application process will go through IMU Joint committee foe Ethics and Research. The research project will be funded up to RM 10,000.

I am an International student. May I undertake the programme part-time?

No. Current Malaysian immigration regulations specify that international students must undertake full-time study to be granted a visa.

Is there any break between semesters?

There is a 2-week break between each semester.

Assessment

What constitutes an assessment component?

All the modules have 100% in-course assessment. The in-course assessments are the combination of assignments, case studies, critical reviews, presentations, and projects. Each module may have 2-4 type of in-course assessment.

The research project dissertation is evaluated in Semester 3.

How do I submit assignments?

You will submit your assignments through the University eLearning portal (virtual learning environment).

You will be provided a unique username and password for access.

Eligibility Criteria and Admission

What are the admission requirements?

A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in pharmacy with a cGPA of 2.50 and above.

If the cGPA is less than 2.5, a relevant working experience (5 years) will also be considered.

Is English Language requirement is needed for this programme?

Not applicable for local students. For International students from countries in which English is the first language, International students who graduated from any Malaysian or other institutions where the curriculum is delivered in English are exempted from the English Language requirements. For others, any one of the following is required.

IELTS : Band score 5.0; or

TOEFL (PBT) : Overall score of 410-413; or

TOEFL (iBT) : Overall score of 34; or

Cambridge English : Advanced (CAE) : Overall score of 160; or

Cambridge English : Proficiency (CPE) : Overall score of 180; or

Pearson Test of English (PTE) : Overall score of 36;

Is there an age limit for admission?

There is no age limit.

You are eligible to apply if you meet the requirements.

When is the intake?

March and September

I have completed BPharm & am waiting for a Provisionally Registered Pharmacist (PRP) posting. May I apply?

You may apply as a full-time or a part-time student. If you receive your PRP posting during your candidature, you may continue studying while working. If you feel you need more time to complete the coursework, you may opt for part-time candidature.

Can I do my PRP through this Master’s degree?

Provisionally Registered Pharmacists (PRP) who opts to pursue R&D training as pre- registration requirement will undergo intensive training under Research and Development (Academia) setting for a period of 52 weeks. The Research Project in this programme in Semester 3, consist of 22 weeks. You may extend your research work further to fulfil the requirement for PRP.

When is the application deadline?

Apply and confirm your acceptance of an offer by paying the registration fee.

If you are a Malaysian student it is preferable for you to apply at least 1 month before commencement of the programme.

If you are an international student it is preferable to apply at least 2 months before commencement of the programme so that there is adequate time to process your student visa application.

How do I apply?

Apply online application using this link here.

How long does it take to complete the admission process?

The normal time period for processing applications is between 2 and 4 weeks, if you have submitted the application with all supporting documents and you have paid the application fee.

Fees

How much are the tuition fees?

For fee details, please click this link.

What scholarships are available for IMU Alumni?

A 15% bursary in tuition fees is available to all IMU alumni. You may also apply for the MyMaster or MyBrain scholarship. There is a possibility of receiving a scholarship of up to RM10,000. In the past, several successful candidates have been granted this scholarship for some postgraduate programmes.

 

For all international students there is a special bursary is available. Please contact admissions department for more details.

Are application and registration fees refundable?

The application fee is payable upon application submission and is non-refundable. The registration fee is payable upon acceptance of an offer and is non-refundable too.

Is there any difference in tuition fee rate between full-and part-time candidature?

The tuition fee rates for full-and part-time candidature are the same. For a part-time candidate, the schedule for the fee payment is personalised, based on his or her selection of the modules in a semester.

What career support can I expect?

There are careers fairs, networking events are happening in and out of university. There are a variety of academic and professional skills training by experts from IMU and other international universities. You are encouraged to attend any of the training sessions, which is suitable for your future career.

In addition to this, we run a workshops on ‘How to improve your CV’ with an aim to equip you with the skills to make high-quality CV and to perform well in interviews.

We encourage you to be proactive to learn more about your chosen career and to develop your professional skills and network.

Accommodation & Other Facilities

What facilities are provided for postgraduate students?

As an IMU postgraduate student, you may use all the teaching and learning facilities at our campus. Our library collections comprise both printed and online materials.

You may access the IMU Library online, and utilise a variety of online databases and e-journals that are accessible on-campus or off-campus via the Students’ Portal.

The Students’ Portal contains useful information such as class timetable, examination results, course registration information, the latest information on course materials and important announcements.

All students will be given an email account – IMU mail – to correspond with their lecturers.  All course-related announcements will be sent to students via this email account.

Can IMU provide accommodation during my candidature?

Yes. Accommodation rentals are separate from MPP Programme fees.

What is the estimated cost of living in Kuala Lumpur?

The cost of you incur will depend on your lifestyle. There are plenty of options available around IMU Bukit Jalil area. You are advised to work out your budget prior to your arrival in Kuala Lumpur so that you will be financially well-prepared for the duration of your studies.

Who should I contact to get more information about MPP programme?

Please contact the Programme Enquiry Management team at [email protected] or the Programme Director at [email protected]

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INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR ONE OF OUR PROGRAMMES?

You will need to prepare the following documents for your application:

  • Verified copies of your academic qualifications
  • Evidence of English language proficiency
  • A copy of your MyKad or the identification page of your passport

These supporting documents needs to be attached electronically to your application. Please note that all of our programmes require payment of a non-refundable application fee after the application has been submitted. Application will only be processed once the payment for application fee has been made.

We wish you all the best with your application, and hope we will be welcoming you into one of our programmes soon!

A Word from the Programme Director

Dr-Palanisamy-Sivnandy-2022

DR PALANISAMY SIVANANDY

Programme Director and Senior Lecturer DPharm (DME), BPharm (TNMMU), MPharm (TNMMU), PhD (TNMMU), RPh (Ind), GCP (MY)

“As drug therapy experts, pharmacists provide drug therapy management services built around a partnership between the pharmacist, the patient, caregiver, physicians, and other members of a patients’ health care team. The goals of these services are to identify and resolve actual or potential drug therapy problems for patients and promote the safe and effective use of medications and enable patients to achieve positive, targeted therapy outcomes. The Master in Pharmacy Practice is an advanced professional practice programme for experienced pharmacists that builds on prior knowledge to enhance competency for practice in their profession. The Master in Pharmacy Practice programme will develop your knowledge and skills in clinical pharmacy practice & research, pharmacy management, social and administrative pharmacy, and medicines management. The programme’s ethos and culture are designed to foster self-reliance and an adult approach to learning in support of continuing professional development.”

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