Pharmaceutical Science Advanced - P3002

Monash has designed this advanced version of the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science for high-achieving students who expect to pursue honours studies and a career in pharmaceutical science. It covers the multi-disciplinary chemical and biological science base used in researching and developing reliable, accessible and effective medicinal products, giving students an entire overview of the drug discovery pipeline from a coursework and research perspective.

A pharmaceutical scientist is trained to select new targets for drug therapy that arise from  research. As a pharmaceutical scientist you will have the scientific and technical knowledge to translate new targets into reliable, accessible and effective treatments for patients.

The honours program

Your studies will culminate in the honours research program, designed to extend your discipline knowledge and provide you with a high level of expertise in critical writing, thinking and independent analysis and research. You'll gain practical and theoretical training in planning, undertaking and documenting scientific research projects.

Specialise in Pharmaceutical Science

During the first two years you will develop your understanding of the foundations of pharmaceutical science and of the relationships between the different disciplines and their distinct roles in drug discovery and development. In your third year, you will have the opportunity to choose elective units that excite and inspire and represent the state-of-the-art in pharmaceutical science education.

Be job ready

You will develop specialist knowledge and techniques and your understanding of the application of pharmaceutical methods and professional practices required in the workplace. In your final year you will gain practical skills through a major research project or industry placement and be ready for a career in pharmaceutical research, the biomedical industry and many other fields that require advanced chemical-formulation skills.

Use industry standard instrumentation

You will study with one of the largest and most productive groups of pharmaceutical researchers in Australia, the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and you will graduate having worked in industry-standard facilities, such as our Shimadzu high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) lab.

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At a glance

Course Details

Location
  • On-campus at Parkville: Full time
Duration
  • 4 years (full time)
Start date
Semester one (February)
Qualification
Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced (Honours), Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced (Honours) (Scholars Program)
Course Handbook

Scholars program

We are excited to announce a new pharmaceutical science course offering for very high-achieving students - the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (Advanced Honours) Scholars Program. This program follows the structure of the four-year Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (Advanced Honours) course, and includes exclusive invitations to the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences seminar series, and a Dean's function. Domestic students are also eligible for a $6,000 per year scholarship.

The indicative ATAR for the course is 98.

Please note that the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Scholars Program has a different VTAC code than the standard Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced with Honours. We encourage you to apply for both courses to ensure you don’t miss your chance of receiving an offer.

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Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements (International students)

You need to satisfy all of the following requirements to be considered for entry into this course.

At the time of enrolment in a course at Monash University, you must be at least 17 years of age.

View all minimum age requirements.

All Monash undergraduate courses require you to have successfully completed a minimum of an Australian Year 12 qualification (or equivalent) and achieve the required academic entry score. Most Monash faculties generally use your most recent studies for admission however other guidelines may apply where your prior qualification may be considered.

Entry requirements for each qualification level are as follows:

All Monash undergraduate courses require you to satisfy English entry requirements in one of the following ways:

If your English test does not meet the above scores you may want to consider Monash English. Some Monash courses however do not accept Monash English.

The English measures outlined above must be completed within 3 years prior to the Monash course commencement date (other time limitations may apply as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Courses and Units Procedure). If you have completed several measures of English proficiency over a period of time, the highest valid measure will be accepted.

Monash University reserve the right to ask students to complete an English test to meet English course requirements upon request.

Further information can be located at English language requirements.

International students applying for a visa need to satisfy English requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs where these requirements and acceptable English tests differ from Monash University.

All Monash University undergraduate courses require you to have previously studied and achieved required Australian level standards in specific subject known as prerequisite subjects.

You must satisfy the following prerequisite subject requirements for this course:

*If you have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification you will be required to meet the prerequisite subject requirements that are equivalent to the VCE prerequisite subject requirements specified above.

Courses with maths and science prerequisite subjects

If the course you are applying for requires maths and/or science as prerequisite subjects, you can meet the requirements in the following ways:

  • Australian Year 12 or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme:

    You must meet the maths and/or science prerequisite subject required for your chosen course as specified above (if applicable).

  • Other qualifications recognised by Monash:

    If you have completed maths and/or science subjects in the relevant discipline at the required grade level, it is assumed that you have knowledge equivalent to the Australian Year 12 (VCE equivalent) prerequisite subject required for your chosen course. It is strongly recommended that you check that you have covered the assumed knowledge required for your course by completing the Assumed Knowledge Skills Analysis.

    This online activity includes multiple-choice questions based on your prior studies and helps you identify areas for revision, so you can start your course feeling confident and prepared. Once you accept your Monash offer and set up your student account you can complete the Assumed Knowledge Skills Analysis before starting your course.

These guidelines do not apply to the Bachelor of Medical Science or Doctor of Medicine, or to courses that require a tertiary-level Physiology unit: Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) (Graduate Entry), and Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) and Master of Pharmacy (Graduate Entry).

Alternative pathways

If you don't satisfy the requirements for direct entry consider these pathway options.

Entry requirements for Monash University are subject to change.

The course structure and progression map can be viewed in the Handbook.

Making the application

Future students

Semester one (February)

Apply directly to Monash using course code P3002

Apply

Current Monash students

You may apply to transfer from another Monash course. Transfers are a competitive process. You may apply mid-year for available courses however consideration will be given as to whether you will be able to follow your course progression.

Please note that if you apply for a course transfer, you should still enrol in your current course as if you were continuing so as not to jeopardise your enrolment in the Faculty if your transfer application is unsuccessful. More about Course Transfer.

Self assess for credit eligibility

Check for study credit using the "Credit search" link on the Credit for prior study page.

Fees

Fees are subject to change annually.

International fee

Fees are per 48 credit points which represents a standard full-time course load for a year. The fees for 2026 are:

A$55,600

Scholarships

We offer over 360 types of scholarships, valued at up to $280,000. Some scholarships offer one-off payments while others continue for the length of your course. Learn more about Monash Scholarships.

Other fees

The Student Services and Amenities Fee applies to some students each calendar year.

Enrolment Obligations

International students enrolling in a CRICOS-registered course can study no more than one third (33%) of their course by distance and/or online learning. Students must enrol in at least one unit that is not by distance and/or online in each compulsory study period unless the student is completing the last unit of their course. See standard 8.19 and 8.20 of National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.

CRICOS code: 077237J

International course guides

If you are an international student and wish to find out more about our courses, entry requirements, studying at Monash and more, please download our international course guides below.

International Study Grants

International study grants

International Study Grants valued at up to $10,000