Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
at The University of Newcastle, New South Wales.
A four-year APC-accredited honours pharmacy degree at the Callaghan campus, with placements in hospital and community settings across Hunter New England Health. Graduates undertake a separate one-year intern training year before general registration.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The University of Newcastle Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours). We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 72.25 | UAC |
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
Most recent published cutoff is 72.25 for the 2025 intake.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
Newcastle runs the Bachelor of Pharmacy as a four-year Australian Pharmacy Council accredited degree leading to AHPRA Pharmacy Board of Australia provisional registration. Year one covers chemistry for pharmacy, biology and physiology, pharmacy practice foundations, professional ethics and indigenous health. Year two layers pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics (formulation), pharmaceutical microbiology and clinical pharmacy practice introduction. Year three carries advanced pharmacology, therapeutics for major disease groups (cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, neurological), clinical placement and dispensing practice. Year four runs hospital and community pharmacy clinical placements, advanced therapeutics, pharmacy management, capstone research and transition to internship. APC accreditation requires extensive clinical placement across the degree.
Example first-year subjects
- Chemistry for Pharmacy
- Human Biology and Physiology for Pharmacy
- Introduction to Pharmacy Practice
- Professional Practice and Ethics
- Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety
- Pharmacy Numeracy and Calculations
How you will be assessed
- Clinical placement supervisor evaluation
- OSCE practical exams in simulation pharmacy environments
- Dispensing and patient-counselling assessments
- Mid-semester tests and final exams in chemistry, pharmacology and therapeutics
- Group case-based therapeutic projects
- Capstone research literature review
Placement and industry experience
APC accreditation requires extensive structured clinical placement across community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and a research or specialty placement. Newcastle rotates students through Hunter New England LHD (John Hunter, Calvary Mater, Maitland) and Central Coast LHD hospital pharmacy departments, large community pharmacy chains (Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, TerryWhite Chemmart, Amcal) and independent community pharmacies in Newcastle and the Hunter. Most placements are unpaid for credit, although some final-year placements include limited stipends or paid intern positions. The internship year after graduation is paid at the relevant award rate.
Career outcomes
- Graduates complete a one-year intern program and work as registered pharmacists in Hunter New England Health hospitals, community pharmacies and rural pharmacies.
- First-year jobs typically include intern positions at John Hunter Hospital, large community pharmacy chains and rural pharmacies across the Hunter and Central Coast.
- Many alumni progress to hospital pharmacy specialty roles (oncology, intensive care, paediatrics), pharmacist-led primary-care services or postgraduate clinical research.
Professional accreditation
- Australian Pharmacy Council
- AHPRA Pharmacy Board of Australia registration eligible (with internship)
Typical first jobs
- Pharmacy intern at community pharmacy chains
- Pharmacy intern at NSW Health hospital pharmacy
- Registered pharmacist after intern year and registration exam
- Hospital pharmacist (ward, ICU, oncology, paediatrics)
- Community pharmacist with optional pharmacist-owner pathway
- Industry pharmacist in pharma manufacturing and regulatory affairs
Graduate starting salary
$60,000 - $75,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Graduates undertake a one-year supervised internship in a community or hospital pharmacy (paid intern position) under AHPRA provisional registration, complete the Pharmacy Board of Australia registration exam, and apply for full AHPRA registration as a Pharmacist. Postgraduate options include Master of Clinical Pharmacy, Master of Pharmacy Practice, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), and specialty endorsements (consultant pharmacist, accredited pharmacist for medication management reviews, vaccination authorisation). The Pharmacy Programs Administrator manages incentive programs and accreditation for community-pharmacy services.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with strong chemistry and biology foundations
- Those interested in medicine and therapeutics but preferring a four-year pathway
- People comfortable with detailed numerical work in dispensing
- Students happy to work in community or hospital pharmacy roles
- Those willing to do a one-year supervised internship after graduation
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting clinical patient diagnosis and treatment
- Those who struggled with senior chemistry
- Anyone unwilling to do the year-long internship and registration exam after graduation
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Related courses at UoN
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Newcastle handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/newcastle/bachelor-of-pharmacy.