BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN BIOPHARMACEUTICAL & HEALTHCARE SCIENCE BY DISTANCE LEARNING
| Important Notice! This semester (starting October 2011) we will be delivering course material mostly through online delivery one evening per week. You will log on for a lecture in each of the two modules every week (total of 2 hours per week).
There will be a small number of Saturday sessions to back up the online lectures (details to be announced later). |
Why Study Biopharmaceutical & Healthcare Science by Distance Education?
The Honours Bachelor Degree in Biopharmaceutical & Healthcare Science by Distance Education is a two year, distance education honours degree.
If you already have a Diploma in Science, and are interested in obtaining an Honours Degree, but do not wish to give up your job to return full time to college, this course may be of interest.
Students have notes posted out to them, and have a small number of weekend study workshops in GMIT during the year (typically 4-5 weekends per year).
Use is made of the internet and e-mail to facilitate teaching of this course.
Students in the current year of this course are based both in Ireland and mainland Europe.
Course Content
This Degree programme was developed in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical industry in Ireland, and as such, represents the subjects and areas deemed important by these industries.
The course is normally taught as a full time one year programme to students who have a Diploma in a relevant Science discipline. Graduates normally gain employment within the pharmaceutical / biopharmaceutical industry (this year alone, approximately half the Degree year students had jobs before they finished the course). The Distance Education delivery of this course will be over TWO YEARS.
The subjects in this Degree programme include:
Advanced Pharmaceutical & Healthcare microbiology
Industrial sterilization, antimicrobial preservative systems, clean room technology, industrial hygiene
Applied Immunology
Immune response, Antibodies, Immunoassays, Quality issues in immunoassays.
Applied Pharmaceutical Science:
Drug discovery, In Vitro & In Vivo testing of drugs, Clinical Trials, Drug therapeutics.
Advanced Diagnostic & Analytical Techniques
Practical laboratory sessions covering a range of chemical, biological and physical tests. Typical tests include: Dissolution, HPLC, GC, GC-MS, Microbiological methods, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy. Calibration and validation issues.
Advanced Pharmaceutical & Healthcare microbiology
Industrial sterilization, antimicrobial preservative systems, clean room technology, industrial hygiene
Human Physiology & Pharmacology
Physiology of the major organs important in drug action, Pharmaceutics, drug action.
Biopharmaceutical Processing
This covers production and processes in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry together with genetic engineering
Quality Management
GMP, GLP, ISO, Environmental standards, Health and Safety standards. Statistical process control.
Project
Project completed under the guidance of an academic supervisor (projects will typically be completed by the student in their own company). Literature survey and final written report.
In some cases, students are not working or they are not working in a relevant sector in order to complete a project. In such cases we can help the student to arrange a work placement in industry in order to complete the project.
Course Delivery
There are seven subjects and a project in the Degree programme.
We plan to offer 3 subjects in Year 1 and 4 subjects in Year 2, with a proposed timetable of:
- Semester 1 Year 1 - Two subjects will be offered. Exams in late January.
- Semester 2 Year 1 - One subject will be offered. Exams in May. Project initiation.
- Semester 1 Year 2 - Two subjects will be offered. Exams in January.
- Semester 2 Year 2 - Two subjects will be offered. Exams in May.
The lecture notes will be provided to the students for home study. The notes will be comprehensive in nature, and will include self assessment questions which will help the student establish his/her understanding of the topics.
The practical laboratory sessions will be arranged to be completed in a one week block session at GMIT in the second year of the programme.
Study weekends will be organized - we predict approximately 4-5 per year - this may increase / decrease depending on the feedback from students.
Students will also be able to contact staff members with any questions on the course notes. Online tutorials may be arranged for some subjects.
Assessment: There will be continuous assessment - typically an assignment(s), and a final exam in each subject. A full timetable of assignment deadlines will be provided to the students at the start of the programme - allowing students to pace themselves over the year.
Admission Requirements
Candidates must have a Diploma in a relevant Science discipline such as Biological or Chemical Science.
If demand exceeds available places, candidates will be ranked according to the relevance and final mark of their qualification.
Course Fee
The course fee will be €5000. This fee will also cover the cost of the textbooks required for the course. This course is approved by the Revenue Commissioners for tax relief; the rate of relief is 20%.