M.Pharm Course Details
Course Name: Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm)
Level: Postgraduate (PG)
Duration: 2 Years (4 Semesters)
Approved By: Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) & AICTE
Type: Professional, Research-Oriented, Clinical & Industry-Focused
Mode: Full-Time
What is M.Pharm? (In-Depth Explanation)
M.Pharm is an advanced postgraduate program in the field of pharmacy covering drug research, formulation design, industrial pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, pharmacology, regulatory affairs, and quality control.
The course aims to create skilled pharmaceutical scientists, formulation experts, R&D professionals, and clinical pharmacists who can work in multinational pharma companies, research organizations, hospitals, and regulatory bodies.
This program emphasizes:
- Advanced research methodologies
- Drug development & discovery techniques
- Clinical trials & pharmacovigilance
- Industrial manufacturing standards
- Bioavailability & bioequivalence studies
- Pharmaceutical quality assurance systems
M.Pharm Specializations (Fully Detailed)
Students can choose from the following major specializations:
1. Pharmaceutics
- Drug formulation & development
- Novel drug delivery systems (NDDS)
- Biopharmaceutics
- Industrial scale-up & optimization
2. Pharmacology
- Animal studies & toxicology
- Drug–receptor interactions
- Clinical trials & safety testing
- Experimental pharmacology
3. Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Medicinal chemistry
- Drug synthesis
- Analytical instrumentation
- Spectroscopy & chromatography methods
4. Pharmaceutical Analysis
- Stability studies
- Quality control (QC)
- Validation & calibration of instruments
- Impurity profiling
5. Industrial Pharmacy
- Production management
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
- Quality assurance systems
- Tablet, capsule, and sterile manufacturing
6. Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice
- Patient counseling
- Clinical decision-making
- Medication therapy management
- Hospital pharmacy practice
7. Pharmacognosy
- Herbal & Ayurvedic drug research
- Natural product chemistry
- Plant extraction & isolation techniques
8. Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs
- Drug approval process
- Filing documentation (ANDA, NDA, DMF)
- International regulations (USFDA, EMA, CDSCO)
9. Biotechnology / Biopharmaceutics
- Biosimilars
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Recombinant DNA drugs
- Vaccine development
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for M.Pharm, students must have:
- B.Pharm degree from a PCI-recognized college
- Minimum 50% – 60% marks (varies by institute)
- GPAT qualification preferred; some colleges require it
- State entrance exams for some institutions
- No pending backlogs at admission time
M.Pharm Admission Process (Step-by-Step)
Step 1 — Entrance Exam
Most commonly accepted exams:
- GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test)
- State-level exams (if applicable)
- Institute exams (e.g., Manipal, BITS, Jamia Hamdard)
Step 2 — Counseling / Merit List
Colleges release course-wise ranks for specializations.
Step 3 — Document Verification
B.Pharm marksheets, GPAT score, ID proof, caste certificates (if applicable).
Step 4 — Fee Payment + Final Admission
Students choose specialization & secure the seat.
M.Pharm Syllabus (Highly Detailed)
Semester 1
- Modern Pharmaceutical Analytical Techniques
- Advanced Pharmaceutics/Pharmacology/Chemistry (as per specialization)
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Pharmacokinetics
- Biostatistics
Semester 2
- Product Development & Optimization
- Regulatory Requirements
- Advanced Pharmacological Screening
- Instrumental Analysis
- Research Methodology
Semester 3
- Research Work
- Dissertation
- Industrial Training (Optional)
- Electives (Quality by Design, Nanotechnology, etc.)
Semester 4
- Research Project Completion
- Thesis Submission
- Viva Voce + Dissertation Presentation
Training & Internships
Students undergo:
- Industrial training (1–3 months)
- Hospital postings (for clinical specialization)
- Research lab practical training
- Regulatory and QA/QC exposure
Key Laboratories in M.Pharm (Fully Explained)
- Pharmaceutics Lab – Tablet & capsule manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Lab – Synthesis & analysis
- Pharmacology Lab – Animal studies & clinical testing
- Biopharmaceutics Lab – Bioavailability experiments
- QA/QC Lab – HPLC, UV, IR spectroscopy
- Microbiology Lab – Sterility & microbial limit testing
M.Pharm Fees in India
Fees depend on college type:
| College Type | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Government Colleges | ₹25,000 – ₹80,000 |
| Private Colleges | ₹1,00,000 – ₹2,50,000 |
| Deemed Universities | ₹2,50,000 – ₹4,00,000 |
Career Options & Job Profiles After M.Pharm
Pharma Industry Jobs
- R&D Scientist
- Formulation Development Scientist
- Analytical Chemist
- QC/QA Executive
- Process Development Officer
Clinical & Hospital Jobs
- Clinical Pharmacist
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Pharmacovigilance Associate
- Drug Safety Officer
Regulatory & Documentation
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist
- Medical Writer
- Drug Inspector (Govt.)
- Pharmacovigilance Officer
Academic & Research
- Lecturer
- Research Associate
- Lab Manager
- Scientist (Govt research bodies)
Salary After M.Pharm (Detailed Range)
| Job Role | Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Formulation Scientist | ₹5 – ₹12 LPA |
| QC/QA Analyst | ₹3 – ₹7 LPA |
| Clinical Pharmacist | ₹2.5 – ₹6 LPA |
| Pharmacovigilance Associate | ₹4 – ₹8 LPA |
| Regulatory Affairs Executive | ₹5 – ₹10 LPA |
| R&D Scientist | ₹7 – ₹15 LPA |
| Drug Inspector (Govt.) | ₹6 – ₹12 LPA + perks |
Top 20 M.Pharm Colleges in India
| College Name | Location | Annual Fees (Approx.) | Intake | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamia Hamdard – School of Pharmaceutical Education | New Delhi | ₹1,80,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Manipal (Karnataka) | ₹2,40,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) Mohali | Punjab | ₹1,25,000 | 40 | Govt. of India, PCI |
| BITS Pilani – Pharmacy | Pilani (Rajasthan) | ₹2,65,000 | 30 | AICTE |
| Bombay College of Pharmacy | Mumbai | ₹1,50,000 | 18 | PCI, AICTE |
| JSS College of Pharmacy | Ooty (Tamil Nadu) | ₹1,75,000 | 45 | PCI, AICTE |
| JSS College of Pharmacy | Mysuru (Karnataka) | ₹1,65,000 | 45 | PCI, AICTE |
| Poona College of Pharmacy | Pune | ₹1,85,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| KLE College of Pharmacy | Belgaum | ₹1,55,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DIPSAR) | New Delhi | ₹60,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Birla Institute of Technology (BIT Mesra) | Ranchi | ₹1,90,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Amity Institute of Pharmacy | Noida | ₹1,80,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology | Hisar | ₹75,000 | 40 | PCI, AICTE |
| IPS Academy – Institute of Pharmacy | Indore | ₹1,10,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| SRM Institute of Science & Technology | Chennai | ₹2,00,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Dr. MGR Educational & Research Institute | Chennai | ₹1,50,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| PSG College of Pharmacy | Coimbatore | ₹1,40,000 | 40 | PCI, AICTE |
| Chitkara College of Pharmacy | Rajpura (Punjab) | ₹1,50,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
| Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda | Vadodara | ₹65,000 | 30 | PCI, AICTE |
| Annamalai University – Faculty of Pharmacy | Tamil Nadu | ₹1,45,000 | 60 | PCI, AICTE |
Top Recruiters
- Cipla
- Sun Pharma
- Dr. Reddy’s
- Biocon
- Pfizer
- Wockhardt
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Novartis
- Aurobindo Pharma
- Ranbaxy