BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Compounding Chemistry

Key Points

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Program description

BSc Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds (CPC) is an interdisciplinary course that focuses on the chemistry and biology of the pharmaceutical industry and includes a five-month industrial placement.

The course is an excellent pathway to careers in the pharmaceutical industry and is accredited by the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Industry experts lecture on pharmaceutical technology, regulatory issues and industry in Ireland. Our placement scheme includes application and interview training. Interviews with companies will be arranged.

Core subjects include organic, analytical and pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, supported by modules in physical and inorganic chemistry, physiology, mathematics and physics.

Senior research projects are written on pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical bioscience.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

Analyze and solve problems related to pharmaceutical products.
Describe the fundamental chemistry and biology of pharmaceuticals.
Design experiments in chemistry and pharmaceutical biology.
Communicate with pharmaceutical scientists.
Engage with the pharmaceutical manufacturing process and appreciate the opportunities and challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry.

Why choose this course

The BSc Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds (CPC) is the only course in Ireland that covers both the chemistry and biology underpinning the pharmaceutical industry.

In addition, CPC is the only undergraduate chemistry course that offers an organised placement scheme in the pharmaceutical industry. Feedback on placements from both students and companies is excellent.

CPC is the only course where industry experts present on key technical and economic aspects of the industry.

CPC is on the Teaching Council’s Auto-Qual list to be eligible to apply for PDE for teaching Biology and Chemistry.

Skills and career information

In this course, you will acquire skills in the synthesis and analysis of pharmaceuticals using chemical and biochemical technologies. The laboratory skills you will acquire include synthesis, chromatography (e.g. HPLC) and spectroscopy (e.g. NMR).

You will also learn presentation skills, such as document and poster preparation, oral presentation and interview skills. Problem-solving skills are developed in interactive group problem-solving sessions.

CPC is a pathway to careers in:

Support and development of pharmaceutical processes
Development of new processes
Supply Chain Management
Financial and human resources management
Drug discovery research

The pharmaceutical industry in Ireland is a major employer of CPC graduates. Graduates from this course are also working in leading research and development sites outside Ireland.

Program Structure

YEAR 1

Core

Cell, Biomlecules , Genetics and Evolution
Introduction to biochemistry and the biological basis of disease.
Physiology and structure of plants and animals
Microbiology in society
Fundamentals of modern chemistry 1
Fundamentals of modern chemistry 2a
Calculus for Science I and II
Physics for Biological and Chemical Sciences

YEAR 2

Biomolecules
Principles of metabolic pathways
Major group and transition element chemistry
Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry
Energetics and Kinetics
States of matter
Structures and reactions of the main group compounds
Aromatics, Carbonyls and Alkenes
Spectroscopy
Structure, Bonding and Quantum Mechanics
Introduction to Molecular Biology
Physiology

YEAR 3

Structural biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Synthesis, structure and reactivity of organic compounds
Analytical Chemistry
Natural products and reaction mechanisms
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Technology and pharmaceutical solids
Pharmacology
Toxicology
Chemotherapy and pharmacology of inflammation.

In addition, you will undertake an industrial placement between years 3 and 4 during the five month period from May to October.

YEAR 4

Protein Science
Advanced Organic Synthesis, Biosynthesis and Reactivity
Organic Chemistry Physics
Advanced pharmaceutical chemistry
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Drug Design and Development
Workplace
Neuropharmacology
Applied pharmacology and toxicology

Electives

Range of research projects

Admission requirements

Minimum requirement 1 x H4, 1 x H5, 4 x O6/H7; Mathematics and laboratory science courses required.
In the case of international candidates, the foreign equivalent is required. In addition, a degree officially translated into English will be required.
IELTS 6.5, with no less than 6 in any component (or internationally recognised equivalent).