Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 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 clinical importance. 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 in the Diploma of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPHM)?

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 the Diploma of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPHM)?

There are 4 specialisation options for the DPHM, namely, (1) Pharmaceutical Science, (2) Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (3) Pharmaceutical Logistics and (4) Medicinal Chemistry.

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 Center 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 the diploma?

National University of Singapore (NUS) offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Pharmacy. You may pursue further education in 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.

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

RP is the first polytechnic to offer the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2006. In 2007, Nanyang Polytechnic also launched a Diploma programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 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, has been developed for two years prior to 2006 as the Pharmaceutical Science Track in the Diploma in Biomedical Sciences, and is managed and developed by a team of pharmacists. The diploma programme benchmarks itself with the first and second year degree programmes offered by NUS, which are established degree programmes.

Who will be teaching this programme?

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

Do I qualify for the diploma?

Please click here for the admission requirements.

How many places are being offered in Academic Year 2008?

We are offering 200 places for the Academic Year 2008 intake.

What is the cut-off point for this programme?

The cut-off depends 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 enroll in this course?

It is advantageous but not a requirement to have a strong science background in order to enroll 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!