Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Course

Pharmaceutical science is the science of medicines. The course covers a multi-disciplinary chemical and biological science base used in researching and developing reliable, accessible and effective medicinal products for patients, and so plays a core role in improving human health and wellbeing. This degree is carefully designed to equip students with the necessary skills and scientific knowledge to work in scientific, technical and management roles in the pharmaceutical as well as many other consumer product, cosmetic, chemical formulation, food and other related industries.

A pharmaceutical scientist is trained to select new targets for drug therapy which arise from basic research, and has the scientific and technical knowledge to translate new targets into reliable, accessible and effective treatments for patients.

The Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science has two major areas of study:

• Formulation science explores inventing, making and testing new products in fields such as pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics.
• Medicinal chemistry aims to produce graduates with an in-depth understanding of the principles and techniques behind drug discovery and development.

On completion of the course, students will have a thorough grounding in pharmaceutical science with a major in either formulation science or medicinal chemistry. Graduates will have had practical experience either in an industrial setting or in research related to drug development.

96 credit points

Students undertake a common first year and in second year select the medicinal chemistry or formulation science major.

Note: There is a quota on each major and entry into the preferred major is not guaranteed. Selection will be based on performance in all first year units and will be dependent on demand for the major and student results.

In second year students take four core units and four units specific to their major. In third year students take two core units, five units specific to their major and an elective unit.

First year

First semester

• PSC1021 Organic chemistry I
• PSC1041 Mathematics for pharmaceutical scientists
• PSC1071 Physical chemistry I
• PSC1081 Physiology I

Second semester

• PSC1022 Organic chemistry II
• PSC1042 Introduction to pharmaceutical sciences
• PSC1072 Physical chemistry II
• PSC1082 Physiology II

Formulation science major

Second year

First semester

• PSC2011 Pharmaceutical biochemistry
• PSC2021 Analytical methods
• PSC2241 Colloid chemistry
• PSC2271 Formulation chemistry I

Second semester

• PSC2062 Pharmacology
• PSC2092 Molecular cell biology
• PSC2202 Product development I
• PSC2272 Formulation chemistry II

Third year

First semester

• VPS3071 Formulation chemistry III
• VPS3081 Biopharmaceutics
• VPS3091 Molecular basis of drug action
• VPS3101 Product development II

Second semester

• VPS3052 Industrial project
• VPS3072 Formulation chemistry IV
• VPS3102 Product development III

Plus one of the following elective units:

• VPS3012 Drug discovery and development
• VPS3032 Current aspects of pharmaceutical biology
• VPS3042 Disease states and pharmalogical intervention

Medicinal chemistry major

Second year

First semester

• PSC2011 Pharmaceutical biochemistry
• PSC2021 Analytical methods
• PSC2121 Synthetic chemistry I
• PSC2141 Computational chemistry I

Second semester

• PSC2062 Pharmacology
• PSC2092 Molecular cell biology
• PSC2122 Synthetic chemistry II
• PSC2182 Introduction to spectroscopy

Third year

First semester

• VPS3011 Synthetic medicinal chemistry
• VPS3031 Spectroscopy
• VPS3081 Biopharmaceutics
• VPS3091 Molecular basis of drug action

Second semester

• VPS3022 Chemical technologies for the pharmaceutical sciences
• VPS3082 Research project
• VPS3012 Drug discovery and development

Plus one of the following elective units:

• VPS3032 Current aspects of pharmaceutical biology
• VPS3042 Disease states and pharmalogical intervention
• VPS3092 Computational chemistry in drug design
• VPS3102 Product development III

An optional honours year is available to outstanding graduates.

Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science