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Overview

The NUS Department of Pharmacy has been running the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Science and Technology [MPST] programme since 2008. The programme was initiated in response to directions from EDB to train science, pharmacy and engineering personnel to be proficient and knowledge-ready to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical industry in Singapore.

To make our students relevant in the future pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical industry, we have adopted a broad-based approach in our curriculum, to encompass the various stages of pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical development.

Prospective students who are already working in or aspiring to enter the pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical industry are invited to apply for this programme.

Upon graduation, the graduates are capable of contributing in various aspects of the pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical industry, ranging from research, formulation, processing, manufacturing, quality assurance, product management and regulatory compliance.

Structure of Programme

For AY2019/2020 cohort and onwards

Candidates admitted into the MPST programme must read and pass a total of 10 modules (40 MC), comprising 5 core modules and 5 elective modules:

5 Core Modules, 4 MCs each	Module Title
PR5198	Graduate Seminar Module in Pharmacy
PR5211	Pharmaceutical Analysis IV
PR5217	Formulation Science
PR5218	Methodologies in Product Development (Capstone module)
PR5304	Fundamental Topics in Pharmaceutical Science

5 Elective Modules, 4 MCs each (To be chosen from any of the following)		Module Title
*Graduate Certificate (Pharmaceutical Process and Technology)*
PR5213	Pharmaceutical Process Validation
PR5214	Advances in Tablet Technology
PR5216	Advances in Drug Delivery
PR5220	Bioprocess Technology
PR5225	Preformulation Science
*Other modules*
PR5219	Product Quality Management
PR5224	Pharmacoepidemiology
PR5230	Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
GMS5011	Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Regulation (offered by Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Duke-NUS Medical School)
GMS5012	Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (offered by Centre of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE), Duke-NUS Medical School)

The modules may not be offered every academic year/semester. Please note that the list of modules offered in an academic year/semester is subject to changes.
Click here for information on Core Modules, Graduate Certificates and Elective Modules.

Mode of Study

Part-time basis only: 24 to 48 months

Graduation Requirements

To graduate with the degree in Master of Science (Pharmaceutical Science and Technology), Candidates must:

Achieve a minimum CAP of 3.0
Read and pass a total of 10 modules (40 MC), comprising 5 core modules and 5 elective modules

Admissions Criteria

Direct admission route
To be admitted directly into the MPST part-time programme, candidates must be holders of at least a 2nd Class Lower Honours classification (or equivalent) in one of the following degrees, or their equivalent:

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Chemistry, or
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences, or
Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Food Science & Technology, or
Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Applied Chemistry (Drug Option), or
Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (Honours), or
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) (Honours)
Candidates, who do not have Honours classification in the degree pre-requisites as stipulated above, may apply for admission with GRE results
Candidates, who hold equivalent degrees from overseas universities, may apply for admission with GRE and TOEFL results. Such candidates, if found suitable, would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Application timeline

Application Period

Semester 2 (Jan 2021 Intake): 1 July 2020 – 15 September 2020
Semester 1 (Aug 2021 Intake): 1 Dec 2020 – 15 March 2021

If you have completed the application (with all the required documents) before the respective application closing date, your application will be processed and you will be informed officially of the outcome of your application via email latest as follows:

Semester 1 (August Intake): 31 May
Semester 2 (January Intake): 30 November

Completed/ Incomplete application received after the respective application deadline will be considered for the next intake.

TUITION FEES

excluding GST

S$46,355.14

Singaporeans and Singapore PRs may enjoy tuition fee subsidies.

• There is an application fee of $100

• Apart from tuition fees, there is a Student Services Fee (as published by NUS Registrar's Office) payable every regular semester

• All fees quoted here are exclusive of prevailing GST, unless otherwise stated. The University reserves all rights to review fees as necessary and adjust accordingly without prior notice

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click on the links below for more information:

I do not have the equivalent academic qualifications stated in the admission requirements, but I have some years of work experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Am I eligible for programme?

Potential applicants with relevant work experience in the pharmaceutical industry may apply for the programme, even if they may not have the equivalent academic qualifications. The programme welcomes applicants who are enthusiastic to upskill themselves in the pharmaceutical field, and the Admission Committee will review each application based on the applicant’s individual background and merits.

I want to apply for direct admission into the programme, but I do not have the required Honours Degree and need to take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). Should I register for the GRE General Test or the GRE Subject Test?

Register for the GRE General Test. To be considered for admission into the MPST programme, applicants need to achieve satisfactory GRE scores:

Verbal: 500 (153)
Quantitative: 700 (155)
Analytical Writing: 3.5

Note that GRE scores are only valid for 2.5 years.

What is the “stackable” route towards the programme?

The “stackable” route is for students who, having completed individual modular courses prior to joining the MPST programme, wish to have the credits from relevant modules be counted toward their degree.

To be eligible for the “stackable” route, students will require a relevant degree as listed under the direct admission requirements. Students who do not fulfil the degree requirement outright can appeal with justification, and the case will be reviewed individually.

At any point in time between completing five to nine modular courses of the MPST requirement, a student can apply for MPST candidature by transferring credits and grades obtained from relevant individual modular courses or Graduate Certificate(s), in accordance with the NUS credit transfer policy. The student must fulfil a minimum CAP of 3.00 to be eligible for MPST candidature. The validity period of the transfer is not more than five years for each modular course taken, or for each Graduate Certificate conferred.

I intend to pursue the “stackable” route and would like to start by taking modular courses. What is the minimum entry requirement for taking modular courses?

The minimum requirement for reading a modular course is one of the following Bachelor’s Degrees (without Honours classification), or an equivalent:

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences
Bachelor of Applied Science in Food Science and Technology
Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Chemistry (Drug Option)
Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)

What are the career prospects and pathways available to graduates of this programme?

The pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry in Singapore (and indeed across the world) is booming, offering graduates of the MPST programme a wide array of choices and opportunities to grow their careers.

The MPST programme was initiated in 2008, in response to a call from the Economic Development Board (EDB) to train more highly proficient and knowledgeable science, pharmacy and engineering personnel to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry in Singapore.

Its broad-based curriculum encompasses the various stages of pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical development, and was designed to prepare graduates to contribute across a wide spectrum of related activities, including research, formulation, processing, manufacturing, quality assurance, product management and regulatory compliance.

Prospective applicants may want to note that the MPST programme was designed with a focus on research, technology, and manufacturing. It does not make one eligible for registration as a pharmacist in Singapore.

Apply now!

For enquiries, please email us at pgc@nus.edu.sg.

MSc in Pharmaceutical Science & Technology