Pharmaceutical Analysis Higher Level Apprenticeship

Acquire the skills, knowledge and hands-on experience for a career as a Pharmaceutical Analyst in Industry or Academia.



WHO ARE YOU?



You are presently working and may be a physical or life sciences graduate – chemistry, pharmacy and biology – or possess other qualifications alongside your work experience. You have decided to significantly develop your professional skills. To match this ambition we offer this course part-time, one day per week.



WHY STUDY THIS COURSE?



Our industrial partners are always telling us they need people like you with our skill sets. Analysts are among the most sought after professionals with some of the highest employability rates.



You will receive practical training on state-of-the-art separation techniques, such as HPLC/MS and GC/MS, in the purpose built Pharmaceutical Analysis lab designed in partnership with Agilent (a world-leading instrument manufacturer)

Core Modules

Advanced Separation Science (20 credits)

Solid-State Characterisation of Pharmaceuticals I (20 credits)

Solid-State Characterisation of Pharmaceuticals II (20 credits)

Entrance requirements

Graduate

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in Chemistry, Pharmacy or a closely allied subject. Performance in key modules will be taken into consideration.



Applicants with relevant work experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.



Students wishing to apply for this Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) should upload their CV and a letter of support from their employer (combined in one file). The employer’s letter of support must state that the employer supports their application, that they are prepared to release them from work for one day per week to attend the course, and that, if they are an existing employee, they need this qualification for a new role. The new role can be a change of title/role within the company.



This Higher Level Apprenticeship is fully funded by the DfE therefore it is not open to international applicants. Further information on eligibility criteria for Higher Level Apprenticeships can be found at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/higher-level-apprenticeships.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 30th June 2026 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.



Please note this course is subject to renewal of funding by the Department for the Economy and applicants must be working for a company with a base in Northern Ireland.

2 years part-time.

Entry Year: Academic Year 2026/27

Career Prospects

Introduction

This programme is designed to prepare students for employment as analysts in the pharmaceutical and related industries or to prepare them for progression to more senior roles.



There is currently a high demand, both locally and internationally, for employees and graduates with analytical skills in this sector.

Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 24 universities most-targeted by leading graduate employers.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/



Employment after the Course

WHERE YOU MIGHT BE IN FIVE YEARS' TIME?



You might be working as a laboratory analyst or senior analyst, in quality assurance or quality control or in an industrial R&D facility.



You could be managing graduate recruits of your own, signing off the analysis and the quality of drugs and releasing batches into the world.



You could study further towards obtaining a PhD and continue towards an academic career.



The main focus of this degree is pharmaceutical analysis, but your training could open up career pathways in other areas, such as the food industry or environmental protection.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/



Employment Links

Many of our students have gone on to work for companies such as:



Almac

Randox

Norbrook

Pfizer

AbbVie

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/