Study Pharmacy in Malaysia - Fees, Top Universities, Online Study, Admission, Intakes

Pharmacy is known to be a popular course study pharmacy in Malaysia. This makes many wonders what is so amazing about having a career to allot medicine.  The approach about the course in Pharmacy is that a pharmacist has the same status as a doctor or a lawyer, who people are fond of and respect.  Moreover, It is said that a Pharmacist does not have to study as hard as a Doctor or a lawyer. 

This read should make you understand the depth of Pharmacy study in Malaysia.

What is Pharmacy all about?

The human body and its reaction to different kinds of drugs are what a Pharmacy Degree will cover topics related to it while you study in Malaysia. One should expect to deal with a lot of subjects which are related to Chemistry. The main study of Pharmacy in Malaysia will teach you the type of dosage of medicines to cure diseases, Pharmacy often aggregates the consultation of a doctor. 

The fields of studies in Pharmacy in Malaysia are as follows: 

1. Academic Pharmacy:

A Ph.D. degree is required to work in Universities or educational institutions to teach researching, evaluating the discoveries of clinical studies. This will give you the opportunity to teach and support a new generation of pharmacists.

2. Community Pharmacy:

Distributing medication to customers is the service of a Community Pharmacist in any retail store. You are also supposed to assess the dosage of prescriptions to the customers. 

3. Hospital Pharmacy: 

Hospital Pharmacists also prepare hypodermic medications, they also play a part in participating in ward rounds and purchasing and testing the quality of the medications used in the hospital in addition to dispensing medications in the hospital. 

Pharmacists are also expected to decide what medication is best for each patient and find out if there are any errors done by the doctors whilst prescribing medication to patients.

To ensure there are no possible harmful drug interactions between medications the pharmacists review other medications which are being taken by the patients prior to their current treatments. 

4. Industrial Pharmacy:

The work of industrial pharmacists are involved in the production of drugs for pharmaceutical companies and ensuring that the drug is produced of high quality and is safe for every being.

Entry Requirement to study pharmacy course in Malaysia

1. Foundation

2. Diploma

3. Bachelor’s degree

In addition, a minimum of 5Bs including Mathematics/Additional Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology in SPM / O-Level (or equivalent) is typically required.

4. Master's degree

A certain amount of working experience may be required.

5. Doctorate

How long do you study to get a Pharmacy degree?

Pre-University / Foundation studies (1-2 years) → Pharmacy degree (4 years) → Pharmacist training (1 year) → Registered Pharmacist

A typical undergraduate degree in Pharmacy is 4 years long. Then, you will need to complete one year of training followed by one year of compulsory service at a training premise that is recognized by the Pharmacy Board Malaysia.  Check out the official site to find out about recognized government and private premises.

Duration of Pharmacy Degree Course in Malaysia

• Foundation- 1 to 2 Years
• Degree - 4 Years 
• Pharmacist training -  1 Year (Which is mandatory after completing the Bachelor’s  Degree course)

Study Pharmacy in Malaysia Fee Structure

Career Opportunities Pharmacy in Malaysia

• Academic Pharmacist
• Community Pharmacist
• Hospital Pharmacist
• Industrial Pharmacist
• Pharmacologist
• Research Pharmacist
• Toxicologist
• Veterinary Pharmacist
• Pharmaceutical Consultant

Best universities to study Pharmacy in Malaysia

1. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)  is the first university in Malaysia to be selected by the Malaysian government to participate in the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX), a fast-track programme that helps tertiary institutions achieve world-class status.

USM offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that are conducted in their three campuses: main campus, engineering campus and health campus.

2. University Malaya (UM)

Known as the top university in Malaysia, Universiti Malaya has a good reputation in producing competitive and holistic graduates. As the oldest and most prestigious university in Malaysia, the university is located in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

UM offers a wide range of programmes to both undergraduate and postgraduate students with more than 12 faculties, four academies and centres. Extensive and holistic student service and support system is available to equip students with vital skills and exposure.

3. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia is the National University of Malaysia and is ranked in the Top 150 of the 2022 QS World University Rankings. It is a public university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, which is at the south of Kuala Lumpur.

Since its inception, UKM has grown from three faculties to its current 13 faculties and 12 research institutes with approximately 172,000 alumni worldwide. It also partners with universities across the world to offer Student Mobility Programmes. 

4. International Medical University (IMU)

The International Medical University (IMU) is a private health sciences university in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia's leading private medical and healthcare university. It was established in 1992 and is active in research and teaching within medicine and healthcare with a strong international orientation.

5. Taylor’s University

Taylor’s University is an educational provider based in Malaysia. The university offers a range of study options covering subject areas such as Accounting, Finance, Arts, Computer Science, Business, Hospitality and Tourism, and much more. It enjoys more than 50 years in the education industry and has a global network of more than 3,000 career partners. 3,000 of Taylor’s student's intern with top employers every year. The university's School of Pharmacy offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that received full accreditation by the Malaysian Pharmacy Board as well.

6. University of Cyberjaya (UoC)

University of Cyberjaya (UoC) is ranked as one of the pre-eminent private universities in Malaysia. Located in Cyberjaya, UoC is a renowned healthcare university with a wide variety of courses to offer. If you are considering to further your study in Pharmacy up to doctorate, then this is the place for you! UoC offers bachelor, master and doctorate of Pharmacy.

7. Monash University Malaysia

Monash University Malaysia gives students the opportunity to obtain a prestigious Australian degree, from the campus in Sunway City, Malaysia. Tuition fees and living expenses are significantly lower than in Australia, but students will be recognised internationally as a member of the Monash Alumni. 

Monash University is ranked in the top 60 universities in the world according to the QS World University Rankings 2022. Its Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. Students can complete two years of study in Malaysia and transfer to the Australian campus if they meet the given requirements.  

8. UCSI University

UCSI University is a comprehensive university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In the 2022 QS World University Rankings, UCSI is ranked 347th, consisting of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and offering the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) programme.