The School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, He Rau Kawakawa, is the oldest in the country and prides itself on achieving excellence in pharmaceutical care. We aim for excellence in research and research informed teaching in pharmaceutical sciences, clinical pharmacy and social pharmacy.
The School offers a four-year undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, a four-year undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) degree, and a three-year Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science degree, as well as various postgraduate qualifications and research degrees including PhDs. The undergraduate degree enrols students from all regions of New Zealand and also offers a number of international places.
There is so much more to pharmacy than dispensing medicines. An Otago pharmacy degree is a passport to the world; from primary health care to clinical hospital roles, aid work, border control and community practice. Opportunities in medicines regulation and prescribing are also available. The career of a modern day Pharmacist is rapidly evolving, and is always varied, dynamic and challenging.
Pharmacists play an important part in the health workforce in providing access to medicines, optimising use of medicines and ensuring quality of medicines is consistently high. It is a skilled and important profession and Otago pharmacy graduates credit their degree with developing strong practical and analytical skills which have formed the backbone of their professional lives.
Please do not hesitate to contact the School if you have any enquiries about our undergraduate degree, postgraduate professional qualifications, research degrees, research collaborations or any general enquiries.
Our te reo Māori name
In 2020 the School of Pharmacy (as it was then called) was gifted the te reo Māori name, He Rau Kawakawa.
This was gifted to the School after engagement with The Office of Māori Development, specifically Komene Cassidy, and Paulette Tamati-Elliffe. The thinking behind ‘Rau Kawakawa’ as the name was having a name that was not a direct translation of the English version. Kawakawa is the most well-known and widely used medicinal plant. The kawakawa bush is an analogy for good health, and the School as a leaf on the plant. There is also a link with the medicinal side of the School of Pharmacy and Pharamcology and traditional Māori medicinal knowledge and use (rokoā/rongoā).