PM4PYE2: Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research

Module code: PM4PYE2

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

Credits: 20

Level: Level 4 (Undergraduate Masters)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Sakthi Vaiyapuri, email: s.vaiyapuri@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE PM3PY1 AND TAKE PM3PY2 AND TAKE PM3PY3 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE PM4PY1 AND TAKE PM4PY2 AND TAKE PM4PY3 (Compulsory)

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

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE PM4PYE1 OR TAKE PM4PYE3 OR TAKE PM4PYE4 (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 19 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This research-focused elective module provides students with the opportunity to take the lead on a research topic and gain experience in performing actual scientific or clinical research. The module is made up of one main component: a research project assessed by a written scientific report. The module supports students who want to pursue their career in scientific research (pharmaceutical or clinical in design). Introduction of generic and discipline-specific advanced research skills are already provided throughout the programme, including in the Research Skills module earlier this year and so this elective will involve the application of these skills to undertake a lab or non-lab-based project in an area of relevance to pharmacy (for example, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy and clinical practice).  

Aims 

The module aims to further develop students’ research and enquiry skills to support their future career. Students will undertake original research in an area of relevance to pharmacy through the design and execution of an individual project, under the direction of an academic supervisor. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Test a hypothesis or answer a research question using a range of experimental and/or non-experimental approaches.
2. Prepare a research report of the project demonstrating comprehensive understanding of the research topic and its rationale, and critical interpretation of their methodologies and data to set the research in a wider context
3. Demonstrate independent learning skills through use of resources that provide the skills needed to complete their project
4. Gain experience in applying the statistical skills to determine the significance of data and their importance for interpretation.
5. Understand the various aspects relating to health and safety at all times during their project.
6. Have an awareness of any relevant ethical considerations relating to developing their project and their significance.

Module content

All students will have completed the Autumn semester module on Research Skills that will support whichever research discipline they wish to undertake in this elective module.  

Students will undertake an individual research project and they will be expected to regularly meet their supervisor and keep a record of their meetings. They will also need to provide progress reports at appropriate intervals. Students will need to work in a timely manner to prepare for the project, for example, gaining ethics approval (if required) and formalising meetings with their supervisor both before and during the project period. Students are expected to attend two meetings with their supervisor prior to commencing the project work (the first meeting to be arranged in the previous term after allocation of projects has been completed). The project work itself will take place over the second semester leading to the culmination of a written assignment. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

No formal teaching is provided in this elective however students will receive regular one-to-one and/or group supervision. In some circumstances, e.g., lab-based projects, the students will be provided with appropriate training ina laboratory setting. Students working in the laboratory will be trained in laboratory safety by the School Health and Safety Officer (additional building-specific training is also provided, if required). In other cases, students may undertake some of their project within a practice setting (for example, hospital or general practice) based on the expertise of the supervisor. Overall, the students are expected to gain relevant training and skills to successfully complete their project.  

At least 12 hours (including two hours in the previous semester) of scheduled meetings, trainings and/or other relevant learning activities will be arranged with the supervisors in person. The remaining hours are for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities e.g., data collection in labs, online or other relevant methods and reading literature, delivered either in person or online. 

Study hours

At least 12 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 50% to pass this module.

Students on the MPharm programme must, in addition, achieve a mark of 50% in each summative assessment.

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 will be via the submission of progress and draft research reports and meetings with the supervisor. 

Reassessment

Additional costs