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University College Cork

Engineering - Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Course Outline
The Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering is a part-time modular degree which can be taken over 24 months 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.

The PG Dip involves taking 12 modules to the value of ECTS 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. The choice of modules is subject to the approval of the course coordinator. Candidates who achieve an average of 50% in all taught modules may apply for entry to the MEngSc to complete a thesis.

Why Choose This Course
Many graduates working in the pharmaceutical industries with a scientific background find themselves working in areas which increasingly overlap with engineers and engineering. Many would like to develop an engineering-based understanding of processes and production in a formal manner. This course offers you the opportunity to do this, developing your skills set and employability across a wider range of roles.

The course also presents the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry with an opportunity to enable greater cohesion and understanding among inter- and multi-disciplinary teams as graduates with science backgrounds receive a formal qualification in engineering.

Entry requirements

Requirements
Candidates must have achieved an NQAI Level 8 degree in engineering or equivalent.

Or an QQI Level 8 BSc degree or equivalent, ideally with some relevant industrial experience.

In all cases, the course of study for each candidate must be approved by the course coordinator.

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

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 here.

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.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Duration

2 years part-time.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
This programme will be taught during weekends.

Careers or further progression

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.

Further enquiries

Dr Maria de Sousa Gallagher
e: m.desousagallagher@ucc.ie
t: +353 (0)21 490 3594
http://www.ucc.ie/en/processeng/mengsc/

e: processeng@ucc.ie
t: +353 (0)21 490 2389

Subjects taught

The modules currently offered are:

Part I:
Students take 60 credits from the following:
Offered in 2018/19
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 and Safety Engineering (5 credits)
PE6025 Advanced Health & Safety Management (5 credits)
PE6026 Project Management - From Concept to Completion (5 credits)
CM6010 Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
PF6302 Introduction to Pharmaceutics: Formulation Science (5 credits)

Offered in 2019/20
PE6010 Pharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)
PE6011 Biopharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)
PE6012 Pharmaceutical Process Equipment, Materials and Mechanical Design (5 credits)
PE6013 Powder and Particle Technology and Unit Operations (5 credits)
PE6015 Environmental Engineering in the Pharmaceutical Sector (5 credits)
PE6019 Process Analytical Technology (5 credits)
PE6023 Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Utilities (5 credits)
PE6027 Advanced Biopharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)

Part II (MEngSc only):
PE6021 Dissertation in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering (30 credits)

These are subject to change. Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here. For full course information see programme website. Further details on the content and modules are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar.

Modules
Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our book of modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar
You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Comment

Course Practicalities
Start-up sessions over two days (half a day per 5 credit module) (four contact hours per 5 credit module) (Fridays and Saturdays at end August/start September and start January)

Followed up by tutorial sessions (every two to three weeks on Saturdays) on respective modules throughout term. Tutorial sessions involve six contact hours

Complemented by regular feedback available weekly on each module during teaching period. For full programme (including timetable) information see programme website.

Who teaches this course
Staff from the Department of Process and Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and a number of guest lecturers from industry.

Assessment method

Assessment is by continuous assessment and end of period exams.

Application date

Applications for academic year 2020/2021 are open.

EU Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught courses, which means offers are made four times a year on a rolling basis. Some courses have one specific closing date, please check your course prospectus page for this information.

The UCC rounds closing dates for postgraduate taught courses are below. Applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of full applications:
For all completed applications received by January 10th 2020
Offers will be made by January 24th 2020

For all completed applications received by March 2nd 2020
Offers will be made by March 16th 2020

For all completed applications received by May 1st 2020
Offers will be made by May 15th 2020

For all completed applications received by July 1st 2020
Offer will be made by July 15th 2020

Late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity.

Non-EU Closing Date: 15 June
Non-EU Applicants: Information for Non-EU applicants may be found on the International Office Website https://www.ucc.ie/en/international/