Pharmaceutical Bioscience - MSci (Hons)

Overview

An integrated masters degree that will captivate your interest in chemistry and prepare you for a career in the global biopharmaceutical industry.

Summary

Study Pharmaceutical Bioscience at Ulster University in the United Kingdom.

The MSci Pharmaceutical Bioscience has been designed for those with a strong interest in science and a keen desire to pursue a career in the industry responsible for the manufacture of medicines. The course contains all the relevant chemistry required for a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry as well as providing students with a wider skillset to achieve the necessary expertise required for the biopharmaceutical industry.

The programme has been designed in consultation with a number of leading international bio/pharmaceutical companies, creating a tailored education to meet the needs of future employers. You will learn how to prepare pharmaceutical ingredients, formulate these into medicinal products and have a thorough understanding of the effect of these drugs and therapeutics on the human body.

100% of our graduates are either in professional employment or have gone on to further education (PhD) and in the 2019 NSS we scored 97% Overall Student Satisfaction.

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The overall purpose of the course is to provide an academically challenging and vocationally relevant science education for those wishing to follow careers in research, the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry and other areas of biomedical science producing competent graduates to meet local, regional and national needs. The course aims to provide opportunities for students to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical science, biomedical science, formulation and manufacture of medicines

• Develop core skills necessary to evaluate and to undertake research in pharmaceutical/biomedical sciences or industry

• Apply intellectual, practical, enterprise and personal skills (including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision making, initiative and creativity) to enable effective life-long learning in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.

  At Ulster University we recognise the benefits of hands on experience and as such we have incorporated a large practical element into each of the modules. In addition, there are two significant research projects/placement opportunities where the student will have the chance to work in a research environment in the award-winning Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSRI) at Ulster as well as a research/industrial placement in the final year of the four year masters degree.

  The course is mainly delivered from our own School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences building on the Coleraine campus. Specialised teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, a computer suite and a lecture theatre have all been finished to a high specification. In addition, students will have access to state-of-the-art instrumentation including a 600 MHz NMR, various Mass Spectrometers, RP-HPLC, Uv-Vis spectrometers and an award-winning bio-imaging suite.

Careers & opportunities

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course are now working for:

• Biopharmaceutical Industry
• Pharmaceutical Industry

Job roles

With this degree you could become:

• Analytical Scientist
• Biopharmaceutical Scientist
• Pharmaceutical Scientist
• Research and Development Scientist

Career options

The primary difference between the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries is the methods by which the new drug entities are produced. The traditional pharmaceutical method is through a series of chemical synthesis and purification steps, whereas the more recent biopharmaceutical method manufactures the new drug candidates from living organisms such as bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells. The line between these two pathways is becoming increasingly blurred with many of the leading biopharmaceutical companies being the leading pharmaceutical companies. However, there is no denying that globally both industries are growing fast. A degree in Pharmaceutical Biosciences will provide you with the necessary training to pursue a career in either of these two industries. The variety of subjects studied throughout this course means that in addition to an industrial career, graduates will have acquired unique knowledge and skills that will equip them for careers in teaching, research and development, marketing, the scientific civil service, medical research, veterinary medicine, forensic medicine, armed forces as well as the potential to apply for further research by completion of a PhD.

Work placement / study abroad

An innovative feature of this integrated Masters programme is the work based learning provision and distance learning features in the final year. There is a significant placement module which will run through both semesters of your final year. The remaining final year modules are all delivered via distance learning to allow you to dedicate your time to this work based learning module. As a student on this course, you will have the opportunity to compete for both industrial based placements as well as research based projects with the learning outcomes ensuring that you are well equipped for a career in the global bio/pharmaceutical industry.

Next steps:

1. find your course
2. check you meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements and any course-specific requirements
3. if your first language is not English, check you meet the English language requirements for your given course