Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences (R22)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pharmaceutical Sciences?

The Pharmaceutical Sciences is an interdisciplinary field which covers the diverse aspects of pharmaceuticals. It seeks to achieve a better understanding and control of the factors influencing clinical response to drug therapy. Emphasis is given to the application of pharmacokinetics and physical-chemical principles to questions of pharmacological, pharmacotherapy and pharmacy practice. This includes drug discovery, drug analysis, compounding, formulation and drug delivery, clinical evaluation, marketing, legislative control and supply chain management of marketed products. These subjects are examined at the molecular, biochemical, biological and clinical levels.

What will I learn from the Diploma of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPHM) programme?

This course will equip you with:

• A pharmaceutical science foundation.
• An introduction to the discipline of pharmacy, from drug discovery and development, the science of compounding and dispensing drugs, regulatory approval to pharmacy practice.
• An appreciation of complementary and alternative medicine.
• An understanding of the applications of supply chain management in the pharmaceutical industry.
• A strong knowledge discipline in medicinal chemistry.
•  A rigorous introduction to major technological advances and emerging fields.
• An appreciation of the pharmaceutical industry, its best practices and societal considerations.
• Entrepreneurial knowledge of how pharmaceutical companies operate.

For details of the course structure, please click here.

What are the specialisation options in DPHM?

There are 2 specialisation options for the DPHM, namely, (1) Pharmacy Practice and (2) Industrial Pharmacy.

What career does it prepare me for?

DPHM graduates can find careers as pharmacy technicians in hospitals, polyclinics, and retail pharmacy, get in involved in the evaluation of new drug products in clinical trials, get jobs in drug discovery research labs, regulatory agencies such as the Centre for Drug Administration (CDA) under Health Sciences Authority (HSA), pharmaceutical manufacturing, or in the sale, marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical products.

What university degree programmes will I qualify for after getting the diploma?

National University of Singapore (NUS) offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Pharmacy. You may pursue further education at this local university after completion of the diploma if you meet the entry criteria for university admission.

There are also many overseas universities that offer degree programmes in Pharmacy or the Pharmaceutical Sciences. Well-known overseas universities such as University of Queensland, Monash University, University of Dublin (Trinity College), University of London (School of Pharmacy), University of Reading, Curtin University, Griffith University and University of Kentucky (USA) recognise the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences certificate. Some of these institutions will grant exemptions for some of their three- and four-year degree courses.

How does the course at RP compare to those found in other polytechnics?

RP is the first polytechnic to offer the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2006. In 2007 and 2008, Nanyang Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic also launched a diploma programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences respectively, while Ngee Ann Polytechnic has been offering a diploma programme in Pharmacy Science since 2006. The course structure of our programme is very similar to the diploma programmes offered by Nanyang Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The main difference is that our programme will be delivered using the Problem-based Learning (PBL) approach, and has been developed since 2004 as the Pharmaceutical Science Track in the Diploma in Biomedical Sciences and managed by a team of pharmacists. The diploma programme benchmarks itself with NUS’s first- and second-year degree programmes, which are established degree programmes.

Who will be teaching this programme?

We have a strong team of pharmacists developing the curriculum and facilitating this programme. Our staff include pharmacists with research experience in formulation development and pharmaceutics, manufacturing experience in a cGMP pharmaceutical production facility, working experience in hospitals, polyclinics and retail pharmacies, and clinical trials management experience from the world’s largest Clinical Research Organisation.

Do I qualify for the diploma programme?

Please click here for the admission requirements.

How many places are being offered in Academic Year 2010?

We are offering 200 places for the Academic Year 2010 intake.

What are the Cut-Off Points for this programme?

The Cut-Off Points depend largely on the merits of students who apply for this diploma.

I am interested in DPHM, but I am quite weak in my Sciences. Is it advisable for me to enrol in this course?

It is advantageous but not a requirement to have a strong science background in order to enrol in DPHM. The core basic science concepts will be revisited in the first year of the programme. If you have a strong interest in this course, coupled with a good learning attitude, we are confident you will excel!