Pharmacy courses deal with subjects like biology, medicine, and chemistry that offer foundational knowledge to develop pharmaceutical drugs for their safe and effective use in healthcare. Pharmacy is one of the popular fields with great career opportunities. Students planning to pursue a career as a pharmacist can pursue pharmacy courses at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. B Pharmacy, M Pharmacy, and Diploma in Pharmacy are popular Pharmacy Courses
Pharmacy Course Eligibility
Check out the Pharmacy course eligibility criteria for different types of pharmacy courses
Bachelo and Diploma in Pharmacy: Candidates should have completed class 10+2 with science subjects i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.
Master of Pharmacy: Candidates who have a BPharm degree with minimum qualifying marks as required from a pharmacy college that is approved by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).
Doctor of Pharmacy: Candidates must have completed higher education from any recognized board and studied Physics, Chemistry with Mathematics or Biology as optional subjects. Candidates with a diploma in pharmacy degree are also eligible for the PharmD course.
Popular Pharmacy Courses
Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharma)
Diploma in Pharmacy is a 2 years long career-oriented, entry-level diploma course. Students who wish to pursue a long term career in the medical field of pharmaceutical sciences, starting in entry-level positions are suitable for this course. This program is designed to prepare candidates to work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist in hospitals, community pharmacies, and other pharmaceutical-related fields.Â
- Course Duration – 2 Years
- Age Requirement – Minimum age limit is 17 years
- Subjects Required – 10+2 Examination with 50% marks
- Selection Process – Merit-Based/Entrance Exam
- Employment Roles – Hospital Pharmacist, Community Pharmacist, Production Chemist, Production Technician, Medical Representative, Pharmaceutical Wholesaler etc.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharma)
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) is a four-year undergraduate program in which students study the methods and process of preparing drugs and how does the dispensing of medicine and drugs take place. Anyone who aspires to be a pharmacist today, it is mandatory for them to undertake this course so that they have thorough and in-depth knowledge of the science of the medicine.
- Course Duration – 4 Years
- Age Requirement – Minimum age limit is 17 years
- Subjects Required – 10+2 Examination with Science Stream
- Selection Process – Merit-Based/Entrance Exam
- Employment Roles – Drug Safety Associate, Medical Writer, Clinical Research Associate, Pharmaceutical Scientist, Drug Inspector, sales and marketing Positions in Pharma/ Biotech firms, etc.
Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm)
Master of Pharmacy or M.Pharm is a two-year postgraduate pharmacy course for those who seek research and high-level jobs in the field of pharmacy. The course covers advanced topics in this field and with the process of turning a new chemical element into medicines or compounds that can be used for medicinal purposes. After the completion of the M.Pharm course students have a huge scope of research to work as Research Associate, Scientist, etc.
- Course Duration – 2 Years
- Age Requirement – No specific age limit
- Subjects Required – 10+2 Examination with Science Stream
- Selection Process – Merit-Based/Entrance Exam
- Employment Roles – Research Associate, Quality Control and Quality Assurance Managers, Sales Managers, Production Executive, Drug Regulatory Affairs Executive, Physician Associate, Health Economists, Govt. Drug Inspector etc.
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D)
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) is a professional degree in pharmacy. The Pharm D course lasts six years in total, with five years of classroom instruction and one year of practical training. The only doctoral degree that can be pursued right after passing 10+2 qualifying examinations. Moreover, Pharm D can also be followed by BPharm graduates by seeking admissions to lateral entry courses i.e. Pharm D (Post Baccalaureate).
- Course Duration – 6 Years
- Age Requirement – Minimum age limit is 17 years
- Subjects Required – 10+2 Examination with Science Stream
- Selection Process – Merit-Based/Entrance Exam
- Employment Roles – Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Clinical Research Associate (CRA), Junior Clinical Research Associate (CRA), Data Analyst, Business Development Manager, Research Scientist, Hospital Pharmacy Directors, Drug Experts etc.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No, the minimum eligibility criteria to opt for a Pharmacy course is to have 10+2 education in the PCM/B stream. Therefore commerce students can not do Pharmacy courses
If you are looking to take admission to the best pharmacy colleges in Bangalore, then you can choose one of these prominent courses- B.Pharm. (Bachelor of Pharmacy), B.Pharm. (Hons.) (Bachelor of Pharmacy in Honors), B.Pharm. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Chemistry), B.Pharm. in Pharmaceutics (Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutics) etc.
Bachelor of Pharmacy is one of the most preferred degree options at the undergraduate level. There are several types of pharmacy courses that one can opt for. Bachelor of Pharmacy opens the door to multiple career options like Drug Inspector, Hospital Drug Coordinator, Drug Therapist, Chemical Technician, and more. Graduate students with a degree in B.Pharm can also take up M.Pharm courses at the postgraduate level.
Both courses are good. So, you must choose your course according to the course curriculum that you would like to follow.
After finishing your 12th grade in science, you can pursue a diploma in pharmacy if you are looking for short-term courses in pharmacy. A diploma in pharmacy is possible to obtain both before and after graduation. Pharmacy diploma (D. Pharma) that is offered by reputed pharmacy colleges in Bangalore.
Today, almost every leading Pharmacy college in India promotes merit-based admission through state or central level exams. Here is a list of state/central level exams that facilitate admission to Pharmacy course:
- GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test)
- NIPER JEE
- NMIMS NPAT Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)
- CG PPHT Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board (CG Vyapam)
- RUHS Pharmacy
- TS EAMCET Pharmacy
Undoubtedly, Pharmacy is a good career option. Candidates can choose from different types of pharmacy courses. While studying Pharmacy, you get in-depth knowledge about medicine. Today, there is a huge demand for pharmacists and to fulfill the requirement, one can plan a career in Pharmacy.
Pharmacy has become one of the most sought-after courses among students in India. Here are the varied types of pharmacy courses that one can pick from:
- Diploma in Pharmacy
- Bachelor in Pharmacy
- Master of Pharmacy
- Doctor of Pharmacy
