The Pharmacy Department was established in 1994 to start the Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme due to the constant push from the Ministry of Health and the pharmaceutical industries to meet the shortage of professionals in the pharmaceutical sciences area.In the beginning, the Department of Pharmacy was under the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences (FSKB). The first cohort of 21 students started their studies in 1995.

In the first 10 years, the Department of Pharmacy has grown rapidly and required relocation of its campus. The Department of Pharmacy Campus at the Titiwangsa Lake Garden was relocated to the Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz in 1998.

For over 14 years under the FSKB, the Department of Pharmacy is offering the Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree (Honours), Master of Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy), Master of Health Sciences and Doctor of Philosophy programmes. Looking at its ability to grow and the status of pharmacy programme as one of the professional programmes, UKM has decided to award the faculty status to the Department of Pharmacy.

The Faculty of Pharmacy was officially established on 1st June 2008. The faculty is prepared to meet the nation’s needs of the competitive and competent pharmacists and personnel in pharmaceutical sciences to serve the public and private sectors. This job area is considered critical by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education.

Apart for teaching, the Faculty of Pharmacy is also engaged in research and pharmacy services. The Faculty of Pharmacy is also working closely with other institutions at national and international levels. Main activities of the faculty take part at the Kuala Lumpur Campus (Block B and Block D) and clinical activities make use of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (PPUKM) located in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras.