PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MSc Medicinal Natural Products & Phytochemistry
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
MSc
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
n/a
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
From 2012/13 intake onwards
(e.g. from 2015 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Faculty of Life Sciences
Parent Department:
UCL School of Pharmacy
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pharmacy
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full-time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduatestudy/taught/degrees/tmsphmspcg01
Length of the programme:
12 months
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
Level 7
n/a
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
Joint Postgraduate Exam Board
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
n/a
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit: n/a
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The Master delivers a contemporary vision of modern Pharmacognosy, resulting in a transfer of knowledge and
skills to the students in the following areas: Analytical Techniques in Pharmacognosy, Therapeutic Uses of Plants –
Benefits and Risks, Isolation and Elucidation of Bioactive Molecules, Natural Products from Plants, Microbes and
Marine Organisms, Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology and Therapeutic Natural Products Research and
Development
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Therapeutic Uses of Plants:
understanding of the legal
framework for Traditional Herbal
Medicines and Food Supplements,
their Benefits and Risks, their
quality assurance, how to inform
the public about these products,
their importance as source of
anticancer and antimicrobial
products.
Analytical Techniques in
Pharmacognosy, theory and
application of the most important
analytical techniques necessary to
the identification and quantification
of natural products (TLC, HPLC,
NMR, UV, IR, X-ray) plus a survey
of the necessary statistical tools
interpret and process the analytical
data.
Acquisition of 1: Lectures, workshop, seminars. Written
unseen examination (4 questions out of 6, 3h; 67% of
marks; pass mark 50%) and coursework (33% of marks;
pass mark 50%) The programme embeds elements of
teamwork (see Video Presentations), oral presentation
(see Video Presentations and Poster presentation) and
other skills alongside acquisition of subject knowledge
and understanding.
3.
Methods in Pharmacognosy: how
to isolate, elucidate and test
bioactive molecules from plants,
microbes and marine organisms.
4.
Therapeutic Natural Products :
Understanding the methodologies
applied to Ethnobotanical and
Ethnopharmacological studies;
Overview of regulatory and
industrial strategies to Research
and Develop natural products
Acquisition of 3: Lectures, workshop, seminars,
practical instruction. Written unseen examination (2
questions out of 4, 90 min; 67% of marks; pass mark
50%) and coursework (2-3k words essay on relevant
topic; 33% of marks; pass mark 50%).
Acquisition of 4: Lectures, workshop, seminars,
practical lectures, visits to the Chelsea Physics Garden
and to Hypha -a Drug Discovery Company. Written
unseen examination (2 questions out of 4, 90 min; 67%
of marks; pass mark 50%) and coursework (2-3k words
essay on relevant topic; 33% of marks; pass mark 50%).
and the research project and oral presentation
5.
Research Project on
Pharmacognosy
2.
Acquisition of 2: Lectures, workshop, student-driven
seminars (unassessed), and practical lectures. Written
unseen examination (4 questions out of 6, 3h; 67% of
marks; pass mark 50%) and coursework (33% of marks;
pass mark 50%) The programme embeds elements of
teamwork and oral presentation (see student-driven
seminars on Phytochemistry), laboratory skills (practical
instruction), chemical and mathematical problem solving
skills (coursework).
Acquisition of 5: 4-months full time experience in an
intensive research laboratory where the student is
constantly monitored/supervised. The last month is
chiefly dedicated to the writing up of their dissertation
based on the experimental results, which weights 90%
of the final marks. A presentation of the dissertation
supported by multimedia counts towards 10% of the total
marks of this project.
Assessment:
Exam, Coursework.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Critical assessment and dissemination of
the benefits and limitations of natural
products in healthcare (poster
presentation assignment)
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Lectures, workshop, informative seminars, practical
lectures.
Assessment:
Each student is assigned a topic consisting on a critical
assessment of the benefits and limitations of the
application of natural products on healthcare. The result
of their assessment is formatted into a poster. This
assessment evaluates, communication skills, the ability
to establish relationships between experimental and
clinical data in a bidimensional space and their ability to
engage with the public.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Give Professional advice on THMPs
(video presentation assignment)
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Lectures, workshop, informative seminars, practical
lectures.
a) communicate science effectively in
writing, and create multimedia materials.
(b) gain/improve their knowledge of
Pharmacognosy related fields and topics
(c) use data bases, digital resources and
word-processing programmes
(d) present (non-assessed) seminar
papers
(e) listen and discuss ideas introduced
during seminars
(f) practice research techniques
(g) maintain a constant rhythm of learning
and research
(h) choose their own dissertation topics
Assessment:
(a) A case study is given to the students who work
in groups to produce a professional advice on
the suitability of a THMP for a patient. This
advice is written down as a conversation
between them and the patient and videoed. This
assessment evaluates, communication skills,
team problem solving and decision making in
the context of licensed herbal medicines and
healthcare.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills - able to:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The programme will encourage students
to:
(a) long-essays, course work, seminar discussions,
dissertation
(b) applying critical thinking to reading primary,
secondary and tertiary scientific literature;
(c) submitting word-processed written work; using data
bases, consulting on-line library catalogues, using website material
(d) Submitting multimedia (video, posters) materials to
disseminate scientific ideas.
(e) attendance to conferences, professional meetings,
external seminars, visits to Physic Gardens and drug
discovery companies, ‘hands-on’ instruction
(f) Students actively lecturing each other under staff
supervision.
(a) write good essays and dissertations
(b) improve their scientific writing skills
(c) use computer resources and
information technology
(d) present material orally, create
multimedia materials
(e) listen and contribute in class
(f) critically discuss on scientific
methodologies and theory.
(g) Developing practical research skills in
the laboratory
(h) present (non-assessed) material orally
Assessment
(a)–(d)‘Unseen’ examination, long-essays and
dissertation;
(e) not assessed
(f) not assessed currently though in future may include
peer assessment.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/qualifications-frameworks.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Jose Prieto-Garcia (Programme Director)
Name(s):
Professor Simon Gibbons (Deputy Programme Director)
Date of Production:
Sept 2012
Date of Review:
October 2015
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
October 2015
October 2015