UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
ADC/ASC/FINAL1
PART 1: COURSE SUMMARY INFORMATION2
Awarding body
University of Brighton
School
Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Faculty
Science and Engineering
Partner institution(s) n/a
Course status
Validation/Franchise/Jo
int3
Host Department
Location of
Moulsecoomb
Study/campus
Professional,
General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
Statutory and
Regulatory Body
Award and titles
Award
Title
Final award
Postgraduate
Postgraduate Diploma in
Diploma
Pharmacy
Intermediate award
Intermediate award
Intermediate award
Mode of study
Duration of study
Maximum registration
(standard)
period
Full-time
1 year
3 years
Sandwich
Part Time
Distance
Start date for
September 2005
programme
(month/session)
Course codes/categories
JACS code
UCAS code
QAA Subject Benchmark
Pharmacy
CATS points for
120 level 7
course
Admissions Agency
UCAS
GTTR
NMAS
Direct to School
x
Admissions criteria
A copy of the applicant’s degree in pharmacy certificate (as approved
by GPhC). A copy of the applicant’s International English Language
Testing System (Academic) Test Report Form (an IELTs score of 7 in
each parameter at one sitting is required to allow the student to be
put forward for an OSPAP place).
Contacts
1
2
3
Delete/cross through as appropriate
Information from Part 1 is entered onto the courses database
Delete/cross through as appropriate
Course Leader (or
Mr M Ellis-Martin
Course Development
Leader)
Admissions Tutor
Mr M Ellis-Martin
Examination and Assessment
External Examiner(s)
Professor L Goodyer (also Drs S Murdan and
TBA for some Special Topics)
Examination Board(s)
Pharmacology & Therapeutics AEB, MPharm/OSPAP
(AEB/CEB)
CEB
Approval/start dates
Start date
(month/session)
Validation
Programme
Specification
September 2009
Approval date
June 2008
May 2011
Review date
2012-13
May 2012
PART 2: COURSE DETAILS
AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Aims:
The aims of the programme are:
 To encourage the development of critical
thinking, integrative capabilities and problemsolving skills appropriate at postgraduate
level.
 To facilitate the development of personal,
social, behavioral and communication skills for
effective interaction with patients, colleagues
and health care professionals.
 To provide students with an academic and
scientific education and the skills which enable
them to successfully undertake the preregistration year and subsequently pursue a
career in any branch of UK pharmacy.
 To engender professional and ethical awareness
and to be confident in the application of the
current laws pertaining to UK pharmacy.
Learning
The outcomes of the programme provide information
outcomes
of how the primary aims are demonstrated in
students following this programme:
By the end of the course the Postgraduate Pharmacy
student will have demonstrated in relation to the
UK (as appropriate):
Knowledge
 an understanding of and ability to explain the
scientific principles underlying the design, and
production of medicines concentrating
predominately on state-of-the-art and future
applications.
 an understanding of the rôle of pharmacy in
primary health care and the influences of
government in the health service.
 an ability to discuss the social and ethical
issues arising from the practice of pharmacy and
to demonstrate a sound understanding and working
application of the laws pertaining to pharmacy.
 sufficient academic and professional knowledge to
interpret and evaluate prescriptions and other
relevant and appropriate orders for drugs and
medicines.
 the capability to appraise critically a patient’s
medication and formulate a Pharmaceutical Care
Plan, suggesting, where necessary, alterations in
dosage form / strength or therapy.
 a knowledge of adverse drug reactions and
medication errors and the appropriate systems for
their prevention, monitoring and reporting.
 the recognition of modifiable risk factors for
health and appropriate means of client education
and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
 an appreciation of the place of complementary and
alternative therapies in modern healthcare.
Skills
 critical thinking, interpretive and problemsolving capabilities by the use of structured
exercises.
 a capability to use information technology
effectively to gather, integrate and communicate
information relevant to pharmacy.
 an ability to take responsibility for, and
successfully undertake, an on-going, reflective
learning programme with the ability to adapt to
changing requirements and expectations.
 competence in performing pharmaceutical
calculations.
 an ability to supply drugs and medicines in
accordance with current legislation and codes of
professional conduct and practice.
 an ability to elicit appropriate information from
clients and the recognition of the symptoms of
common diseases with appropriate counselling and
advice on the correct use of drugs and medicines,
both prescribed and non-prescribed; the
recognition of the need to refer major
conditions.
 how to ensure safe working in the laboratory.
 exercise initiative and personal responsibility
in teamwork.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
This section includes an outline of the structure of the
programme, course leaders may choose to add a structure diagram
here, including any exit points. Where a course is accredited by
a PSB, full detail should be included in this section
Advanced
Drug
Delivery
(CHM33, 10
credits)
Semester
2
Semester
1
An outline of the course is shown below showing the distribution
of the modules between the two semesters.
Applied
Therapeutics
(PYM38, 20 credits)
Pharmaceutical
Skills (PYM39, 40
credits)
The Patient and
Healthcare
Interface,
(PYM37, 20 credits)
Module codes
CHM04
(One taken from)PYM0109, CHM01-03, CHM05-06,
BYM32
CHM33
PYM42
Statu
s*
C
C
Module Title
C
M
Advanced Drug Delivery
Advanced Professional
Studies
The Patient and
Healthcare Interface
Applied Therapeutics
Pharmaceutical Skills
PYM37
C
PYM38
PYM39
C
C
*M = Mandatory
Advanced
Professional
Studies
(PYM42,
10 credits)
Inception to Market
Special Topic module
C = Compulsory O = Optional
Special
Topic (10
credits)
Inception to
Market
(CHM04, 10
credits)
Credi
t
10
10
10
10
20
20
40
LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
Learning
This section should set out the primary learning and
and
teaching methods, including total learning hours and
teaching
any specific requirements in terms of
practical/clinical-based learning).
Give an indicative list of methods and, where
appropriate, an indication of the proportion of the
course delivered by each method. Where a particular
method relates to a particular element of the
course, this can be stated.
The 1-year course consists of 380 student contact
hours and 460 hours of guided study. There is also
360 hours allowed for the preparation and
undertaking of assessments associated with the
course. The hours are comprised of the following:
Lectures
Workshops
Speci
al
topic
s
52
CHM33
PYM42
26
26
Assessment
PYM38
PYM39
100
Directed
study
Seminars
Experiential
Guided study
Assessment
PYM37
70
70
8
20
8
88
60
44
30
44
30
70
60
70
60
144
120
Within the course, there are a variety of teaching
methods employed including formal lectures,
workshops where students learn through hands-on
experience, directed study where a student is given
a particular piece of work to complete independently
which is not assessed, seminars where a group of
students and a staff member discuss a topic,
experiential where a student is placed in a setting
outside the university to gain an insight into
various aspects of pharmacy, guided study where a
student is directed towards a text to read and
finally assessment where the student prepares for
and undertakes various assessments to demonstrate
the learning outcomes have been met.
Assessment strategies vary between the modules and
are chosen according to the types of learning
outcomes being assessed. All students will
encounter the following types of assessment:


Examination: demonstrates acquisition of
knowledge and an ability to critically discuss
that knowledge.
Extended Essay: demonstrates analytical and
written communication skills.

Skills assessment: demonstrates the acquisition
of the appropriate skills required for pharmacy
e.g. calculations, oral communication. In
addition, there is a requirement to successfully
complete a Professional Competency Assessment in
dispensing which is comprised of two dispensing
examinations.
 Team assessment: demonstrates ability to work in
a team and organize and carry out a task.
Students are also required to maintain a compulsory,
non-assessed, reflective logbook based on activities
undertaken during PYM39, namely the Health Promotion
Campaign and the experiential visits. The logbook
must be presented to the student’s personal tutor
who will determine if the entries are acceptable.
REGULATIONS
Regulatio
The course regulations are in accordance with the
ns
University's General Examination and Assessment
Regulations (available from the school office or
the Registry).
In addition, the following course-specific
regulations apply:
Continuance on the course is subject to meeting
Fitness to Practice requirements including a
satisfactory Enhanced CRB disclosure.
Students will be required to abide by the Student
Code of Conduct as published by the GPhC.
Candidates must have studied all compulsory modules
and must have achieved 120 credits to be awarded a
Postgraduate Diploma Pharmacy.
PROFESSIONAL AND STATUORY BODY DETAILS (optional)
If a course is accredited by a PSB, full details of how the
course meets those requirements, and what students are
required to undertake should be included here
The GPhC require that pharmacists outside the EU (except those
countries with reciprocity with the UK) carry out a year postgraduate course in a UK School of Pharmacy to ensure they have
the equivalent knowledge as a student completing the MPharm
programme in the UK. The curriculum is laid down by the GPhC
and thus has been designed to fulfil this aim.
LEARNING SUPPORT
Central support: all students benefit from:
University induction week
Student Handbook
Course Handbook
Extensive library facilities
Computer pool rooms (indicate number of workstations by site)
E-mail address
Welfare service
Personal tutor for advice and guidance
Course specific: in addition, students on this course benefit
from:
 Student Course Handbook
 PABS Study Skills Handbook
https://studentcentral.brighton.ac.uk/webapps/portal/framese
t.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_31_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fe
xecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_24865_1%26url%3D
 Extensive StudentCentral provision
 Tutorial support
 Staff - Student Committee
Sustainability
Cogniscent of the definition by the Brundtland commission
that sustainable development meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own need, the OSPAP programme strives at all times to
present material and ideas which allow future developments
within the field of pharmacy whilst limiting the damage to
the environment for future generations. Where suitable
opportunities arise as in the presentation of lectures on
student central and in consideration of issues around printing
of handouts etc such as double-sided the ecological footprint
is maintained at a low level. All students are alerted to the
principles of sustainable development when appropriate within
the course. The impact of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical
industry are considered from a standpoint of sustainable
development and environmental concerns.
Research informed teaching
Pharmacy practice and clinical research form the basis of
lectures and workshops within this course. The principles of
evidence based medicine are highlighted throughout the course
and evidence based medicine is informed by research findings.
Without the relevant research base it would not be possible to
teach such areas as law, and pharmacy practice as it forms the
basis of the guidelines from bodies such as NICE. The course
is delivered by staff with research interest and experience in
pharmacy practice, chemistry and pharmaceutics. It aims to
inculcate students with a sense of the value of research and
to use evidence based best practice in delivery of material.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More detailed information about the course can be found in a
range of documents, including:
Student Handbook
Studentcentral
University Student Handbook
General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught
Courses
QUALITY INDICATORS
This section details external indicators of the quality of the
provision
QAA Subject Review outcome and 23 out of 24 (1999)
date
National student awards
None
Professional accreditation:
General Pharmaceutical Council
[full details of professional
accreditation can be found
under course structure]