Pharmaceutical Chemistry BSc Honours

This Pharmaceutical Chemistry degree is divided into four learning themes that are developed through the course of your study:

Core chemistry knowledge

Chemistry subjects are taught throughout the course of the programme with special emphasis given to organic and analytical chemistry. Year 1 begins with foundations of chemistry and analytical chemistry followed by applied physical and inorganic chemistry in year 2 as well as advanced organic chemistry which is further developed in year 3.

Practical skills

Laboratory work is an integral component in the career of a pharmaceutical chemist and therefore an integral component of your study. Year 1 begins with foundations of practical chemistry, followed by advanced practical chemistry in year 2, specialised organic synthesis techniques and a dissertation project in year 3. This element will be supported through a range of on-campus laboratories where available. Virtual laboratories and pre-recorded demonstrations will also be made available so that the programme outcomes and your skills development can be achieved.

Pharmaceutical knowledge

Broad understanding of biological functions in diseases and how drugs work will be developed from year 1 with biochemistry, followed by pharmaceutical chemistry in year 2, pharmacology and toxicology in year 3 as well as a dedicated module on drug discovery.

Numeracy and computational skills

Numeracy is an essential skill in chemistry developed from year 1 through the professional development module followed by research methods and statistics in year 2. These modules also provide you with generic computational skills such as processing data, using spreadsheets, word processing and internet communication. Specialised computational skills related to chemistry and drug discovery are developed in year 3 through the computational chemistry module.

Introduction to Biochemistry (30 credits)

The analysis and communication of scientific knowledge is an integral component of chemistry and this module aims to provide you with a number of key skills used widely by chemists. These include mathematics for chemists, communication skills and employability skills.

The mathematics component of the module provides you with basic mathematical techniques needed to support your studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. In addition to providing the necessary tools to solving quantitative problems in chemistry, it also helps you better understand chemical concepts such as, how and why reactions happen. The communication and employability skills component of this module aims to develop communicational, organisational and interpersonal skills and promote career awareness in the field of the chemical sciences.

This module introduces you to the fundamental laboratory techniques that underpin the study of pharmaceutical chemistry. You will develop skills in practical chemistry and improve their knowledge and understanding of the core areas of chemistry. This module integrates learning from the first year Fundamentals of Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry modules.

The aim of this module is to provide you with the theoretical knowledge that underpins fundamental concepts in analytical chemistry as well as the traditional and modern techniques that are used to analyse, separate, and characterise compounds. Emphasis is given to the chemical analysis of pharmaceutical materials and approaches used for green analytical chemistry. When you take this module you will have the opportunity to apply theoretical principles of analytical chemistry to the Foundations of Practical Chemistry or Practical Chemistry modules.

This module explores the cell as the basic functional unit of life investigating the structure and function of cell components and introducing the cell cycle and the biology of disease. Concepts of evolution and the principles of inheritance are explained at the molecular level.

The module aims to provide you with the skills necessary to plan, implement, analyse and report project-based work with focus on preparation for your final year project module. The module also develops your core research skills fundamental to a scientific research design, irrespective of discipline. Specific research skills will be explored to meet your course requirements.

This module builds upon the practical skills acquired during your first year of studies in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. It aims to provide you with essential skills in experimental techniques in inorganic, physical and organic chemistry, as well as a variety of modern techniques in instrumental analysis.

This module provides you with a wide-ranging knowledge of physical chemistry with a view of providing insight into biochemical phenomena. It builds on concepts learned in year one in Fundamentals of Chemistry and explores in more depth thermodynamics, molecular structure and kinetics from a biochemical perspective.

The module provides you with a comprehensive grounding in inorganic chemistry with reference to metal-based drugs. It builds on concepts learned in year one in Fundamentals of Chemistry and further explores topics in basic inorganic and organometallic chemistry from a pharmaceutical or biological perspective.

The module considers current approaches to genetic manipulation and the widening fields of application. You will learn how to use vectors and tools for DNA/RNA manipulation for modification of prokaryotes and eukaryotes organisms for biotechnology, research and detection. Ethical issues and regulation of the field of gene technology will be explored.

This module will build on the skills you have acquired in previous modules, and from the knowledge gained throughout the programme to date. Further development of analysis, critical thinking and scientific literary style will be promoted. You will be enabled to pursue areas of individual interest in the subject area appropriate to your target award and will have the opportunity of gaining increased theoretical and practical knowledge in a chosen specialist field. Individual research experience will be gained in an area that may provide future employment opportunities. Personal responsibility for own learning through self-directed study and supervised preparation will be fostered. It is an integral part of the degree programme, furthering the development of skills in critical analysis and reflection.

This module is designed to provide you with knowledge of all the key processes involved in bringing a drug to the market and the associated challenges. The first part of the module focuses on the science and technology involved in the discovery process i.e. from identifying a medical need to the discovery of a drug candidate and the second part of the module focuses on the steps required to turn the drug candidate into a product on the market. This module is supported by online resources/videos and external speakers covering specialist topics to cover specialist topics such as, preclinical and human clinical trials, economics of drug discovery, regulatory controls and manufacturing processes.

Organic synthesis is a practical module that aims to provide you with advanced skills in a synthetic laboratory. You will apply a range of important organic reactions seen in Years 2 and 3 and thus strengthen your existing knowledge and understanding of organic chemical transformations.

This module aims to cover the scientific basis underlying nutritional support, medical ethics and nutritional counselling. It provides a review of the relevant physiology, pathophysiology, nutritional support and dietetic application for the common disorders.

The module takes an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach to nutrition and health challenges facing the world. It aims to provide you with understanding of the nutritional factors that influence health from a local, national and global perspective. Additionally, it examines evidenced based approaches to the prevention, management and control of nutritional disorders of public health concerns.

Pharmaceutical Polymers (15 credits)

The module aims to extend the coverage of core inorganic and physical chemistry by expanding on topics.

This module introduces you to the key theoretical perspectives surrounding mental health and offending, and ensure they are familiar with the key legislation, policy and practice in this area. This will enable you to critically question the relationship between mental health and offending, develop a practical understanding of the current legal framework and service provision in England for ‘mentally disordered offenders’, and support them to critically evaluate the key debates and controversies in the field.

How we'll teach you

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

You will learn by attending lectures, seminars and practical workshops. Seminars and workshops are a great opportunity to discuss what you have learned in lectures and through independent study with your peers and tutors.

Most seminar groups have about 20–30 students.

Some of this course will be delivered using live interactive teaching sessions via learning platforms such as Kaltura Newrow, Adobe Connect or Zoom. You will take part in online problem-solving discussions, critical debates and exercises, online workshops, and in-class activities.

The programme has a strong practical element, with an emphasis on developing the skills needed in a laboratory setting and in gaining hands-on experience in diagnostic techniques. Virtual laboratories and pre-recorded lab and practice demonstrations are used to facilitate your learning.

Your work will be divided into credits of approximately 10 hours of study time. You will need to complete 120 credits per year, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits.

You will be studying at our north London campus in Hendon.

Timetable

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Typical weekly breakdown

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

• 5-6 hours of lectures
• 2.5 hours of seminars.

Independent learning

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and exams.

Teaching vs independent learning

Here is an indication of how you will split your time:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop the skills relevant to your degree from research and practical skills to critical thinking. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus, even over the weekend.

Coursework, exams and assessments

Your learning will be assessed regularly. The exact balance will depend on the modules you are taking. The table below is a good approximate guide.

Assessments

This pharmaceutical chemistry degree is assessed by a combination of examinations and coursework designed to appropriately address all learning outcomes. Examples of assessment methods are as follows:

• On-campus exams
• Oral presentations
• Lab reports (submitted online)
• Portfolios (submitted online)
• Research project reports (submitted online, Third-year BSc students only)
• Coursework (submitted online).

Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback or feedback from an external examiner.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.