PM1PY3: Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Science

Module code: PM1PY3

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr John Brazier, email: j.a.brazier@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module introduces students to the chemical and pharmaceutical science concepts that underpin the design of medicines; how medicines are sourced, developed and manufactured, and how the quality of these medicines is assured, as part of ensuring patient safety. This includes an introduction to natural and synthetic products, and structural and synthetic chemistry for organic and inorganic drug discovery. Students will also gain basic practical skills in numeracy.

To aim is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of science that underpin the discovery, design, development and delivery of drugs. The module will develop students’ understanding of where drugs come from, their development in terms of molecular structure, and the importance of quality and safety in these processes.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Explain the basic science fundamentals of molecular structure and reactivity
2. Describe the need, and fundamental science, for analysis in quality control and diagnostic testing
3. Outline the structure, binding and reactivity of drug molecules
4. Describe and use basic analytical techniques integral to the quantitative and qualitative analysis of medicinal products
5. Write and follow standard operating procedures and identify sources of error in practical situations

Module content

This module introduces basic pharmaceutical science concepts and general principles required to understand drug design and development. The module will outline the fundamental concepts of chemistry, and pharmaceutical analysis. These are crucial for understanding drug delivery to patients and links with other content delivered in this programme. An appropriate range of lectures, tutorials, practical classes and guided individual study will be used to achieve the learning outcomes and also integrate with those of the other Part 1 modules, helping to contextualise relevance to the programme.

Specific topics covered will include stereochemistry, functional groups, diversity of molecular structures, fundamental chemical analysis including in relation to diagnostics, numeracy, health and safety, and working to standard operating procedures.

Students will also develop the following transferrable skills:

1. Independent learning
2. Problem-solving and numeracy
3. Application of health and safety rules to manage risk

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The learning outcomes will be met through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, directed private study, self-directed learning, as well as practical-based laboratory classes. Some of the lectures or tutorials will utilise a team-based learning-like approach: activities will adopt characteristics of workshops where students will engage in formative activities e.g., in-class discussion. Appropriate supplementary information and reading lists will be provided to enable students to improve their own learning skills.

Study hours

At least 58 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Students on the MPharm programme need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. A mark of 40% in each assessment
2. An overall module mark of 40%

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment is largely based on diagnostic and self-directed assessment and will reinforce each of the learning outcomes of the module. These assessments will provide students with feedback on their achievement of the learning outcomes and prepare them for the summative assessments.

Reassessment

Additional costs