Engineering - Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Course Outline
The MEngSc/PG Dip in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering are part-time modular degrees which can be taken over 24 months (for award of a Postgraduate Diploma) to 60 months. You will have the opportunity to gain a formal qualification in areas of particular concern to the bio/pharmaceutical industry that you may not have benefited from before, including issues such as product containment, powder/particle technology, design of API and secondary production facilities, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), design of classified facilities, aseptic processing facility design and validation.

Why Choose This Course
The aim of this course is to fill a need for the continuing professional development (CPD) and postgraduate education of engineers working in the pharmaceutical industry. This course covers issues of particular concern to the pharmaceutical industry such as product containment, powder/particle technology, design of API and secondary production facilities, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), design of classified facilities, aseptic processing facility design, validation, etc.

The MEngSc course is in two parts. Part I (which constitutes the PG Diploma) involves taking 12 modules to the value of 60 credits. Taught modules are offered on a cyclical basis. Six modules are taken per annum over a two-year period if you opt for full registration, although the course can be taken over a maximum of five years. Part II consists of a research thesis to the value of 30 credits. The choice of modules is subject to the approval of the course coordinator. The modules currently on offer are detailed below.

Part I Modules

Choose 60 credits from the following:

Offered in 2021/22

CM6010 Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
PE6016 Pharmaceutical Industry; Manufacturing and Optimisation (5 credits)
PE6018 Pharmaceutical Process Validation and Quality (5 credits)
PE6022 Aseptic Manufacturing Design (5 credits)
PE6024 Advanced Process Design & Safety Engineering (5 credits)
PE6025 Advanced Health and Safety Management (5 credits)
PE6026 Project Engineering - From Concept to Completion (5 credits)
PF6302 Introduction to Pharmaceutics: Formulation Science (5 credits)

Offered in 2022/23

CM6010 Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
PE6016 Pharmaceutical Industry; Manufacturing and Optimisation (5 credits)
PE6018 Pharmaceutical Process Validation and Quality (5 credits)
PE6022 Aseptic Manufacturing Design (5 credits)
PE6024 Advanced Process Design & Safety Engineering (5 credits)
PE6025 Advanced Health and Safety Management (5 credits)
PE6026 Project Engineering - From Concept to Completion (5 credits)
PF6302 Introduction to Pharmaceutics: Formulation Science (5 credits)
Part II (30 credits)

PE6021 Dissertation in Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering (30 credits)
Further details on the cyclical module content are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar.

Requirements
Candidates must have a BE (Hons) or BEng (Hons) Degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade II, or a level 8 BSc degree, with a minimum grade Second Class Honours Grade II, where the BSc graduate has a recognised qualification in Process or Chemical Engineering (e.g. the Diploma in Process and Chemical Engineering at UCC or equivalent).

However, candidates with equivalent academic qualifications and suitable experience may be accepted subject to the approval of the Programme Director under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In all cases, the course of study for each candidate must be approved by the Programme Director.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements available online.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements, please find our grades comparison by country online.

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file online.

For more information please contact the International Office.

How Do I Apply
1. Choose Course
Firstly choose your course. Applicants can apply for up to two courses under one application. Details of taught courses are available on our online prospectus.

2. Apply Online
Once you have chosen your course you can apply online at the online application portal. Applicants will need to apply before the course closing date. There is a non-refundable €50 application fee for all courses apart from the Education - Professional Master of Education - (Secondary School/Post-Primary Teacher Training) which has a €100 application fee.

Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing must apply on the PAC website when the programme opens for applications.

3. Gather Supporting Documents
Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded to the online application portal in support of your application. Applicants may need to produce the original documents if you are accepted onto a course and register at UCC.

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC
Any supplementary items requested for your course.
Please log into the online application portal for more details.

4. Application processing timeline
Our online application portal opens for applications for most courses in early November of each year. Check specific course details.

5. Rounds
For courses that are in the rounds system (Irish and EU applicants), please check the rounds closing dates via link below.

Questions on how to apply?
Please use our web enquiry form to contact us.

All Applicants
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Please upload your CV.
The closing date for non-EU applications is 15 June.

Assessment is by continuous assessment and end of period exams.

Part-time. Minimum of 24 months, maximum of 60 months.

Start Date September 2020

Skills and Careers Information
The course offers graduates working in the pharmaceutical industry the opportunity to further develop your skills set and employability across a wider range of roles in the industry through enhanced continuing professional development.

Through the opportunities provided by participation on the programme, you are provided with opportunities to enable greater cohesion and understanding among inter-and multi-disciplinary teams while earning a formal qualification in engineering.