2631 - Honours Degree of Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science

This honours year program is designed to prepare students for entry to a higher degree by research. The honours research projects are offered in the principal areas of medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical biology, pharmaceutics and pharmacy practice. Available honours projects depend upon the availability of resources for supervision, laboratory space and materials.

The prerequisite for entry to the honours year is a bachelors degree in pharmacy, pharmaceutical science or other related field with an average overall credit grade or higher in the final year of the course, or equivalent qualifications and experience deemed by the faculty research training committee to be suitable preparation for the candidate's proposed field of study.

The objectives of this course are to:

• develop students skills in research including research planning in conjunction with their project supervisor, experimental techniques, data analysis and scientific writing
• provide students with a research-oriented degree suitable for entry into pharmaceutical science industries
• provide future higher degree candidates with advanced knowledge in pharmaceutical science and research methodology
• encourage students to become technically competent to use analytical instrumentation, conduct experimental procedures and methodologies
• provide the opportunity for students to undertake data manipulation and analysis and understand the interpretation of data
• provide a forum for students to communicate the outcomes of the research project orally and in writing.

The honours degree consists of 20 per cent coursework and 80 per cent supervised research undertaken in one of the faculty's departments.

Students enrol in one of the following units. Each unit contains a combination of research and coursework activities, based on one specific pharmaceutical science research area:

• VCP6121 Pharmaceutics
• VCP6131 Chemistry
• VCP6141 Pharmacology
• VCP6151 Pharmacy Practice

The course consists of:

(a.) compulsory coursework including an induction program and topics applicable to the research interests of the student

(b.) supervised research.

The latter component can be based in any area that falls within the interests of the faculty's departments (pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical biology and pharmacology, pharmacy practice).

With permission of the research training committee, it may also be possible to undertake a portion of the research in an external institution (eg a hospital or industry laboratory). If a substantial portion of the research work is to be carried out in an external institution, a suitably qualified person within that institution should act as an associate supervisor. The internal (faculty) supervisor is responsible for the overall research program at an academic level.

The Honours Degree of Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science