Health Sciences

Master of Pharmacy (Pharmacovigilance & Pharmacoepidemiology)

The Master of Pharmacy in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance is a postgraduate programme that prepares pharmacists for advanced practice in drug safety surveillance, epidemiological research, and rational medicine use. The programme combines pharmaceutical science with epidemiological methods and pharmacovigilance practice.

Core areas include pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, drug safety surveillance, rational medicine use, adverse drug reaction monitoring, post-marketing surveillance, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both pharmaceutical theory and epidemiological research practice.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi through its Department of Pharmacy at Kenyatta National Hospital campus. This is a public university offering the programme over three academic years (six semesters) through full-time study.

Students develop competencies in pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, drug safety monitoring, adverse drug reaction reporting, post-marketing surveillance, rational medicine use, research methods, and academic writing. The programme includes coursework, research projects, examinations, and thesis.

The University of Nairobi charges a total of KES 1,177,000 over 3 years (~KES 392,333/year): Year 1 KES 390,000, Year 2 KES 382,000, Year 3 KES 405,000. Entry requires a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, registration with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and English proficiency for foreign applicants.

Graduates pursue careers as pharmacovigilance officers, pharmacoepidemiologists, drug safety specialists, regulatory affairs officers, pharmaceutical researchers, and lecturers in pharmaceutical sciences.

Skills Required

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Use Analysis
Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Surveillance
Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring and Reporting
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Rational Medicine Use Promotion
Epidemiological Research Methods
Drug Safety Risk Assessment
Pharmaceutical Data Analysis
Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Pharmacoepidemiology
Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Surveillance
Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Rational Medicine Use
Epidemiological Research Methods
Drug Safety Risk Assessment
Pharmaceutical Data Analysis
Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Thesis Research

Certifications

PPB Pharmacist Registration
ISPE Professional Membership

Specializations

Pharmacovigilance

Focuses on drug safety surveillance, covering adverse drug reaction monitoring, signal detection, risk management, and managing pharmacovigilance systems.

Pharmacoepidemiology

Examines drug use patterns in populations, covering epidemiological methods, drug utilisation studies, comparative effectiveness, and managing pharmacoepidemiological research.

Drug Safety and Risk Management

Covers drug safety risk assessment, covering risk identification, risk evaluation, risk minimisation, and managing drug safety risks.

Rational Medicine Use

Focuses on rational medicine use, covering drug utilisation review, prescribing audit, medication safety, and promoting rational use of medicines.

Post-Marketing Surveillance

Examines post-marketing surveillance, covering post-marketing studies, drug safety monitoring, quality surveillance, and managing post-marketing surveillance programmes.

Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation

Covers pharmaceutical policy, covering drug policy analysis, regulatory frameworks, medicine access, and managing pharmaceutical policy and regulation.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 392,333
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 12 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Pharmacoepidemiology
Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Surveillance
Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Rational Medicine Use
Epidemiological Research Methods
Drug Safety Risk Assessment
Pharmaceutical Data Analysis
Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Foundations of Pharmacoepidemiology
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines pharmacoepidemiology principles, drug use patterns, epidemiological study designs, and analysing drug use in populations.
Pharmacovigilance Principles and Practice
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers pharmacovigilance principles, adverse drug reaction monitoring, signal detection, risk management, and managing pharmacovigilance systems.
Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines adverse drug reaction monitoring, covering ADR reporting, ADR analysis, causality assessment, and managing ADR monitoring systems.
Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting pharmaceutical research, preparing students for their thesis.
Epidemiological Study Designs
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers epidemiological study designs, covering cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, and designing pharmacoepidemiological research.
Rational Medicine Use
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines rational medicine use, covering drug utilisation review, prescribing audit, medication safety, and promoting rational use of medicines.
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers post-marketing surveillance, covering post-marketing studies, drug safety monitoring, quality surveillance, and managing post-marketing surveillance programmes.
Drug Safety Risk Assessment
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines drug safety risk assessment, covering risk identification, risk evaluation, benefit-risk analysis, and managing drug safety risks.
Pharmaceutical Data Analysis
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers pharmaceutical data analysis, covering statistical methods, data management, statistical software, and analysing pharmacoepidemiological data.
Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines pharmaceutical policy, covering drug policy analysis, regulatory frameworks, medicine access, and managing pharmaceutical policy and regulation.
Research Seminar
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal and thesis, including research design, literature review, methodology, and presentation.
Research Thesis
Year 3Semester 210 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a pharmacoepidemiology or pharmacovigilance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and pharmaceutical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Pharmacovigilance
Focuses on drug safety surveillance, covering adverse drug reaction monitoring, signal detection, risk management, and managing pharmacovigilance systems.
Pharmacoepidemiology
Examines drug use patterns in populations, covering epidemiological methods, drug utilisation studies, comparative effectiveness, and managing pharmacoepidemiological research.
Drug Safety and Risk Management
Covers drug safety risk assessment, covering risk identification, risk evaluation, risk minimisation, and managing drug safety risks.
Rational Medicine Use
Focuses on rational medicine use, covering drug utilisation review, prescribing audit, medication safety, and promoting rational use of medicines.
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Examines post-marketing surveillance, covering post-marketing studies, drug safety monitoring, quality surveillance, and managing post-marketing surveillance programmes.
Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation
Covers pharmaceutical policy, covering drug policy analysis, regulatory frameworks, medicine access, and managing pharmaceutical policy and regulation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the M.Pharm in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance programme combines lectures, data analysis sessions, research seminars, pharmacovigilance case discussions, and independent study. Sessions cover pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, drug safety, rational medicine use, and research methods. Pharmacoepidemiology sessions examine drug use patterns, epidemiological study designs, and analysing drug use in populations. Pharmacovigilance sessions cover adverse drug reaction monitoring, signal detection, risk management, and managing pharmacovigilance systems. Drug safety sessions cover risk assessment, benefit-risk analysis, safety signal evaluation, and managing drug safety risks. Rational medicine use sessions cover drug utilisation review, prescribing patterns, medication safety, and promoting rational use. Research methods sessions cover epidemiological research design, data collection, statistical analysis, and conducting pharmacoepidemiological research. Data analysis sessions provide hands-on experience with pharmaceutical data analysis, statistical software, and interpreting pharmacoepidemiological data. Research seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings, discussing current evidence, and debating pharmacoepidemiological issues. Case discussions provide practical experience with analysing adverse drug reactions, evaluating safety signals, and managing pharmacovigilance cases. Guest lectures from experienced pharmacovigilance professionals, regulatory experts, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on a pharmacoepidemiology or pharmacovigilance topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for pharmacovigilance professionals in Kenya with increasing drug registration and medicine access.
Programme is unique in Kenya, providing specialised skills in drug safety and pharmacoepidemiology.
Graduates are eligible for PPB pharmacist registration and ISPE professional membership, enhancing career prospects.
Programme has global relevance with WHO and UMC connections, providing international career opportunities.

Against it

Programme is expensive at ~KES 392,333/year over 3 years (total ~KES 1,177,000).
Only UoN confirmed offering this exact programme, limiting institutional choice.
Programme duration is 3 years, longer than most M.Pharm programmes.
Programme requires a B.Pharm degree and PPB registration, limiting access to pharmacy graduates only.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public187k to 392k

187k at Moi University392k at University of Nairobi

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Public: Moi 187K, UoN 392K/yr (pharmacy.uonbi.ac.ke). Private: unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. PPB may provide training support for pharmacy professionals. WHO may provide pharmacovigilance training support. Some pharmaceutical companies and regulatory bodies may sponsor pharmacists for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
PPB Training Support
WHO Pharmacovigilance Training

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
PPB Training Support
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Pharmacy and Poisons Board supports training and professional development for pharmacy professionals in Kenya.
WHO Pharmacovigilance Training
GrantKsh 250,000
World Health Organization provides pharmacovigilance training support for professionals in developing countries.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Applicants must hold a B.Pharm degree, be registered with PPB or equivalent regulatory body, and demonstrate English proficiency if foreign. Contact the University of Nairobi for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, data analysis exercises, seminar presentations, case studies, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, drug safety, rational medicine use, and research methods.
Practical and Research Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through data analysis projects, pharmacovigilance case analysis, research exercises, and demonstrating pharmacoepidemiological skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a pharmacoepidemiology or pharmacovigilance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and pharmaceutical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya (PPB). University of Nairobi (public) offers M.Pharm in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance. The programme meets CUE and PPB standards for postgraduate pharmacy training. Graduates are eligible for PPB pharmacist registration and ISPE professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya (PPB). University of Nairobi (public) offers M.Pharm in Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance. The programme meets CUE and PPB standards for postgraduate pharmacy training. Graduates are eligible for PPB pharmacist registration and ISPE professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Pharmacovigilance Officer
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Manages pharmacovigilance activities in regulatory bodies or pharmaceutical companies, overseeing ADR monitoring, signal detection, and drug safety surveillance.
Pharmacoepidemiologist
Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 800,000
Conducts pharmacoepidemiological research, overseeing study design, data analysis, and managing drug utilisation and effectiveness studies.
Drug Safety Specialist
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 800,000
Manages drug safety in pharmaceutical companies, overseeing safety surveillance, risk assessment, and managing drug safety operations.
Regulatory Affairs Officer
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Manages regulatory affairs in pharmaceutical companies, overseeing drug registration, regulatory compliance, and managing regulatory submissions.
Pharmaceutical Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Conducts pharmaceutical research in research institutions, producing research reports, publications, and contributing to pharmaceutical knowledge.
Pharmaceutical Sciences Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Teaches pharmaceutical sciences at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for pharmacoepidemiological research, data analysis, and analysing and interpreting research data for thesis.
SAS
Software
Statistical analysis software for pharmacoepidemiology, covering advanced statistical methods, data management, and analysing large pharmaceutical datasets.
VigiBase
Software
WHO global pharmacovigilance database for accessing adverse drug reaction reports, signal detection, and managing pharmacovigilance data.
Stata
Software
Statistical software for epidemiological research, data analysis, and managing pharmacoepidemiological data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Pharmacovigilance is just about reporting side effects.
Pharmacovigilance covers comprehensive drug safety surveillance including signal detection, risk assessment, risk management, benefit-risk analysis, and post-marketing surveillance.
This programme is only for regulatory body staff.
Pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiology skills are valuable in pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, hospitals, and any organisation involved in drug safety and rational medicine use.
There is limited demand for pharmacovigilance professionals in Kenya.
With increasing drug registration and medicine access in Kenya, demand for pharmacovigilance professionals is growing in regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and health institutions.
Pharmacoepidemiology is just statistics.
Pharmacoepidemiology applies epidemiological methods to study drug use, effectiveness, and safety in populations, requiring both pharmaceutical knowledge and epidemiological skills.
This programme is less important than clinical pharmacy.
Pharmacovigilance and pharmacoepidemiology are critical to public health, ensuring medicine safety and effectiveness at the population level, complementing individual patient care.
This programme has no practical application.
The programme has direct practical application in drug safety monitoring, regulatory decision-making, pharmaceutical policy, and improving medicine use in health systems.