Pharmacy
A pharmacist is a healthcare team member specifically concerned with drugs and medicines. Pharmacy at UCC provides the confidence, skills, and knowledge to make a difference in the pharmaceutical arena. The four main areas of study in this five-year course are pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry; formulation design; drug action in the body and the practice of pharmacy. The course incorporates both basic sciences learning and the practice of pharmacy, as well as a number of unpaid/paid placements.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
5 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate entry requirements
At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H4 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish.
Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements in the same sitting:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
Other Language O6/H7
Chemistry H4
Physics or Biology H4
Students are subject to Garda vetting.
Students are subject to Fitness to Practise Policy.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
This course is an excellent broad-based degree that can take you in a number of career directions, including:
community pharmacist
hospital pharmacist
industrial pharmacist
regulatory work.
university lecturer
wholesaling
There are also opportunities for research in areas such as drug delivery, drug design, drug action, and the practice of pharmacy. Pharmacists can manage businesses for other people or set up their own businesses.
Further information
September 2026
Approximate Available Places 8
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 74
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Course Outline
A pharmacist is a healthcare team member specifically concerned with drugs and medicines. Pharmacy at UCC provides the confidence, skills, and knowledge to make a difference in the pharmaceutical arena.
The four main areas of study in this five-year course are pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry; formulation design; drug action in the body and the practice of pharmacy. The course incorporates both basic sciences learning and the practice of pharmacy, as well as a number of unpaid/paid placements.
The School of Pharmacy at UCC has state-of-the-art facilities designed to teach pharmacy to a world-class standard. These include laboratories, teaching and tutorial rooms, and a model pharmacy. Innovative technology is used in over-the-counter (OTC) ‘responding to symptoms’ tutorials. This technology uses interactive patient scenarios across many types of diseases.
Pharmacy at UCC
Once you have successfully completed your first four years (BPharm) you will then progress to the fifth year (MPharm). This facilitates the Irish professional pharmacy regulator, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), which requires graduates to hold a Master's degree before entering the PSI Register and practicing as a Pharmacist.
Our pharmacy degree is designed to integrate both the subjects you will study and the placements you will undertake so that you can really understand and apply your knowledge of science and healthcare to drug treatments for patients.
Placements are an integral part of the programme over the five years. Placements can be carried out in community, hospital, or industry settings, as well as within regulatory organisations, but the final eight-month placement in Year 5 must be carried out in a patient-facing setting.
Year 1 (60 credits)
AN1075 Principles of Human Structure for Pharmacy Students (5 credits)
BC1443 Biochemistry (10 credits)
PF1009 Introduction to Pharmaceutical Chemistry (10 credits)
PF1010 Physiochemical Basis of Pharmaceuticals (5 credits)
PF1011 Pharmacy Practice I (5 credits)
PF1012 Introduction to Pharmaceutics: Formulation Science (10 credits)
PL1400 Introduction to Physiology for Pharmacy I (5 credits)
PL1401 Introduction to Physiology for Pharmacy II (5 credits)
PT1445 Foundation Pharmacology (5 credits)
Noreen Moynihan
pharmacy@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 1662
http://www.ucc.ie/en/pharmacy/