UCL SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
BRUNSWICK SQUARE
Certificate of Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians (CMMPT)
Academic Regulations for the year 2015-16
1.
INTRODUCTION AND TERMINOLOGY
1.1
This document sets out the Academic Regulations which govern the Certificate in Medicines
Management for Pharmacy Technicians (CMMPT) Short Course at the UCL School of
Pharmacy. CMMPT students will be governed by these Academic Regulations as well as
UCL’s academic policies and procedures where specified.
1.2
Students will be subject to the Academic Regulations in place at the start of their programme
of study. There may be amendments to these regulations during a student’s registration on
their programme of study and they will be notified of any changes in advance.
1.3
The following terminology will be used throughout these regulations:



Programme of Study: This is the CMMPT short course.
Module: The CMMPT comprises one module worth 45 credits.
Programme Director: Prof Ian Bates
2.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
2.1
In order to be eligible for entry to the programme, students must normally:
i)
ii)
iii)
iiii)
2.3
Hold NVQ Level 3, BTEC or an equivalent qualification for pharmacy technicians;
Have at least two years’ post-qualifying experience as a pharmacy technician;
Be employed as a pharmacy technician while they are undertaking the programme.
The programme is undertaken in the work place; before enrolling students must ensure
that their work place is an accredited site.
Students may not be granted exemption from any part of the programme of study.
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3.
REGISTRATION AND ENROLMENT
3.1
The programme will commence once per year with a start date in September. Students are
enrolled on a part-time basis for a minimum period of 1 year and maximum period of 12
months.
3.2
Students will be enrolled at the UCL School of Pharmacy but are taught entirely off site by
accredited training providers. Students will be subject to the regulations, procedures and
policies of the UCL School of Pharmacy.
3.3
Students who interrupt their studies or are required to take a year out to complete outstanding
assessments must complete the CMMPT within the maximum period of registration outlined
above. Exceptions to this regulation can only be made by the Dean of Students in exceptional
circumstances such as illness, compassionate leave, maternity/paternity leave, part-time study
etc.
3.4
The procedure for Interruption of Study can be found here.
3.5
The procedure for Withdrawal of Study can be found here.
4.
PROGRAMME OF STUDY
4.1
The CMMPT is awarded by the UCL School of Pharmacy and not by University College
London or the University of London.
4.2
The UCL School of Pharmacy will accredit training providers to deliver the programme in the
workplace. Each accredited programme will be under the direction of a nominated Accredited
representative and Tutor.
4.3
A Programme Director will be appointed by the London, Eastern and South East Specialist
Pharmacy Services of the National Health Service. The appointment will be subject to
approval by the UCL School of Pharmacy.
4.4
The Certificate comprises one module worth 45 credits at Level 5 of the FHEQ which
examines the principles of medicines management and their application. The programme
introduces basic clinical pharmacy skills and elements of pathophysiology, pharmacology and
therapeutics for a selected range of conditions.
4.5
The School cannot accept responsibility for Students who are unable to complete the
programme (e.g. due to lack of support in the practice base, change in job or personal
circumstances or redundancy).
5.
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
5.1
The CMMPT Board of Examiners is governed by the UCL Regulations for the Board of
Examiners for Undergraduate Programmes.
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5.2
There are two types of Board of Examiners for the CMMPT:


Main Board: This Board approves modules results and makes progression and award
recommendations to the Faculty Board of Examiners.
Resit/Deferral Board: This Board approves resit and first sit module results and
makes progression and award recommendations to the Faculty Board of Examiners.
6.
ASSESSMENT AND MARKING SCHEME
6.1
The programme will be assessed by a number of assignments, practice activities and case
studies along with a tutor report on practice-based activities and an examination at the end of
the programme.
6.2
Students must achieve a satisfactory standard in the coursework (the equivalent of 40%
undergraduate pass mark) assessed by a nominated tutor. The practice activities must
normally be completed before a student will be permitted to enter the written examination.
6.3
The written examination will be set by the UCL School of Pharmacy and administered by the
accredited training providers under conditions set by the UCL School of Pharmacy.
6.4
The Assessment will comprise the following:
i)
ii)
Coursework element (pass/fail)
One 3-hour written examination paper which consists of two sections:


Section A - Multiple Choice (30 questions) of the single choice variety
Section B - Short Answer questions (total of 8 out of 10 questions)
6.5
The pass mark for the examination overall will be 40% and students must obtain a minimum
mark of 35% in both Sections A and B of the exam.
6.6
The Certificate will be classified as follows:
 40% - 59%
Pass
 60% - 69%
Merit
 70% - higher
Distinction
7.
ENTRY TO ASSESSMENTS
7.1
A student will be entered for all assessments as long as they have attended the programme of
study and pursued the module to the satisfaction of their tutors. The minimum requirement for
‘satisfactory performance’ is attendance of 70% of the module in terms of lectures, seminars,
laboratory sessions and other forms of teaching and learning as specified by the School. If
this is not the case then the tutor will inform the School of Pharmacy Student and Academic
Support Office (SASO) at least two weeks’ prior to the date of the first assessment for which
entry has been refused. The Student and Academic Support Office (SASO) will in turn, notify
the student.
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7.2
A student is required to enter the diet of assessments for each Module at the first available
opportunity. In the case of approved extenuating circumstances, a student may be permitted
to defer assessments to the next available opportunity.
7.3
All assessed work, whether written papers or oral examination, shall be assessed in the
English Language.
8.
REQUIREMENTS TO PASS A MODULE
8.1
A Module may include one or more separate assessment components such as examinations,
essays, practical work, presentations etc. The methods of assessment for each component
will be set out in the Programme Handbook.
8.2
Students must complete a number of formative and summative assessments as detailed in
the Programme Handbook. Formative assignments give feedback to students on their
performance but do not count towards the final mark. The marks for summative assignments
count towards the final mark for the Module. The weighting of each assessment component
for the final Module mark will be detailed in the Programme Handbook.
8.3
Students are required to participate in all assessment components at the first available
opportunity. Students are only permitted to defer their assessment due to accepted
Extenuating Circumstances.
8.4
The minimum pass mark for the Module overall is 40% and students must obtain a minimum
mark of 35% in both Sections A and B of the exam.
8.5
A student who is absent from assessments without good cause will incur a penalty. For written
examinations this will be a mark of zero and for coursework this will either be a mark of zero
or a late penalty mark deduction depending on the lateness of the submission. The
coursework penalties are outlined in UCL Academic Regulations for Undergraduate Students
Section 3, point 3.1.6.
8.6
Where students have extenuating circumstances which render them not fit to sit an
assessment, they must report these to the Extenuating Circumstances Panel (ECP), via the
Student and Academic Support Office (SASO), as soon as practically possible and within the
deadlines set out on the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. If the EC’s are accepted by the
ECP then no penalty will be incurred.
9.
RESIT PROVISIONS
9.1
If a student has passed a Module or been awarded the CMMPT then they cannot resit an
assessment.
9.2
A candidate who has failed an assessment at the first attempt may be permitted an
opportunity to re-enter for the assessment at a later date specified by the Board of Examiners.
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9.3
The right to resit an assessment is not automatic and is at the discretion of the Board of
Examiners. Students whose performance is exceptionally poor may be required to repeat the
failed assessments with attendance or they may be required to withdraw from the programme.
9.4
Resit assessments will be in the same format as the assessments taken at the first
opportunity. Where an identical assessment cannot be offered an alternative form of
assessment may be set which allows the candidate to demonstrate achievement of the
learning outcomes for that assessment. However, if the original assessment has to be
passed, the student may be required to sit out the academic year and repeat the assessment
at the next available opportunity.
9.5
A maximum of two attempts at each assessment is permitted. A third attempt may be granted
by the Board of Examiners in exceptional circumstances such as a marginal fail in a Module or
accepted extenuating circumstances.
9.6
The maximum mark that can be achieved at a resit assessment will be the minimum pass
mark for that assessment component. The minimum pass marks obtained at resit will be used
for calculating the overall pass mark for the Module and the final award.
9.7
Marks achieved at the resit opportunity will override any marks achieved at previous attempts.
This will be the case even where the marks achieved at the resit opportunity are lower than
those achieved previously.
9.8
Students who fail some assessment components for a Module but pass others will be credited
with the marks for the assessments they have passed and will not be required to repeat them.
9.9
A candidate who fails an assessment must satisfy the examiners at the next available
opportunity and within 12 months from the date of the first entry to the examination.
10.
COURSEWORK PROVISIONS
10.1
Students must submit coursework in accordance with the procedures set out in the Student
Handbook. They must also follow any specific requirements set out in the CMMPT
Programme Handbook.
10.2
All coursework submitted in hard copy must have a completed Coursework Coversheet
attached. An electronic version of the Coursework Coversheets is available on Moodle.
10.3
Coursework which is submitted late and without valid Extenuating Circumstances will be
subject to the penalties outlined in the UCL Academic Regulations for Undergraduate
Students Section 3, point 3.1.6.
10.4
Extension to submission dates for coursework/projects can only be approved via the
Extenuating Circumstances procedure. Academic staff cannot approve extensions to
deadlines.
10.5
Penalties will be imposed for over length coursework, including research projects,
dissertations and final reports as outlined in the UCL Academic Regulations for
Undergraduate Students, Section 3, point 3.1.7.
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11.
EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
11.1
Information about the Examination Procedures will be sent to students prior to each
examination session by email. If students do not receive this information it is their
responsibility to inform the Student and Academic Support Office (SASO). Students must
familiarise themselves with the Examination procedures available on the School website prior
to each examination period.
11.2
Any breach of the Examination procedures will be dealt with under the UCL Examination
Irregularities Procedure.
12.
EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
12.1
The School operates a “fit to sit” Extenuating Circumstances Policy. If a student believes that
their ability to sit an assessment will be seriously affected by extenuating circumstances then
they should refrain from sitting the assessment and submit extenuating circumstances in
accordance with the School Policy.
12.2
Students who sit an assessment are declaring themselves fit and well enough to do so.
Students who sit assessments cannot later submit extenuating circumstances and claim that
their performance was affected. The only exception would be where a student had been taken
ill during the assessment.
12.3
To make a claim for EC’s a student must submit an Extenuating Circumstances Form (ECF)
supported by original independent documentary evidence as outlined in the School’s
Extenuating Circumstances Policy. EC’s must be submitted by the published deadline and
prior to the meeting of the Board of Examiners.
12.4
An Extenuating Circumstances Panel will meet prior to the Board of Examiners to consider the
claim and the documentary evidence and will decide whether to accept or reject the claim
based on the criteria outlined in the School’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy.
12.5
The Board of Examiners will receive the outcomes of the Extenuating Circumstances Panel
but will not have access to the details of individual cases in order to protect confidentiality.
112.9 If work is submitted late without an agreed extension the mark awarded will be penalised in
line with the UCL Policy as outlined in the UCL Academic Regulations for Undergraduate
Students, Section 3, point 3.1.7.
13.
SPECIAL EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS
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13.1
Students who have a disability and/or learning difficulty and require special examination
arrangements must submit their request in accordance with the procedure.
13.2
Informing UCL of a medical condition/learning difficulty at the start of the programme does not
automatically lead to special examination arrangements being made. Students are required to
request special examination arrangements in accordance with this procedure.
14.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND PLAGIARISM
14.1
Students must abide by UCL’s policy on academic misconduct and plagiarism. Failure to do
so may result in a student being required to attend a disciplinary hearing.
14.2
Students should ensure they have read and understood the plagiarism guidance available on
the web and in the Student Handbook. Students must also be familiar with what constitutes an
Exam Irregularity.
14.3
By sitting an examination or submitting work either in hard copy or electronically, a student is
confirming that the work submitted is exclusively their own, except where referenced, and that
work has not been submitted previously for assessment at UCL.
15.
AWARD OF CERTIFICATE
15.1
The date of the award to successful students is 1 August, but where a student completes the
certificate at a time other than the summer vacation, the date of award will be the month
following the completion of the certificate.
15.2
The CMMPT is awarded by the UCL School of Pharmacy and not by University College
London or the University of London.
16.
APPEALS
16.1
Students cannot contest the decision of the Board of Examiners on academic grounds.
Students can only contest the results on specific grounds as set out in the School Appeals
Procedure
17.
REVOCATION OF AWARDS
17.1
The School may revoke any award if the following circumstances are discovered at any time
and proved to the satisfaction of UCL:
i)
There was an administrative error in the award made under the procedures required by
UCL, including an error in calculating the results.
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ii)
iii)
Subsequent to award, a Board of Examiners, having taken into account information
which was unavailable at the time its decision was made determines that a student’s or
students’ classification should be altered.
The award has been cancelled owing to examination misconduct.
Document Version
Version 1.1
Version 1.2
Version 1.3
John Peck, Head of Student and Academic Support. Updated to
include reference to revised terminology.
Helen Crane, Assessment and Programmes Manager
Kirsty Martin, Student and Academic Support Manager
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01 September 2013
30 September 2014
12 September 2015