Università degli Studi di Parma

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Single cycle degree course 5 years

Pharmaceutical chemistry and technology

COD. 5009
WEBSITE
A.Y. 2013/2014
CLASS:
LM-13 - Classe delle lauree magistrali in Farmacia e farmacia industriale
Years of study: 5
Credits (CFU): 300
Mode of study: full-time
COURSE WITH ADMISSION TEST AT LOCAL SCALE

COURSE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM WITH CREDITS

CORSO GENERICO (curriculum)

Year of study: 1

Year of study: 2

Year of study: 3

Year of study: 4

Year of study: 5

Profile of the programme

The Single Cycle Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology primarily aims at providing students with an adequate technical-scientific preparation for a future career in the pharmaceutical industrial sector. The structure of the Degree Course follows directive EEC 85/432 regulating the pharmacist profession at a European level: for this reason, according to Ministerial Decree 270/04, the course lasts 5 years and includes a 6-month internship in a public or hospital pharmacy. The course programme not only provides the essential knowledge for the pharmacist profession, but also the necessary advanced scientific competences for the pharmaceutical industry, especially concerning the research, development, formulation, production and control of pharmaceutical and medical preparations in accordance with pharmacopoeia regulations. The course also provides chemical-toxicological knowledge and skills regarding the safe handling of pharmaceuticals within hospital and industrial facilities. The set of notions acquired in the chemical, biologic, pharmacological and pharmaceutical fields allows students to deal with the whole multidisciplinary process, starting from the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic design and optimisation of new chemical entities to the formulation, production, control, registration and dispensing of new drugs within the national health system. The Single Cycle Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology provides graduates the necessary competences and learning skills for further studies (Second Level Master Programmes, Postgraduate Schools, PhDs) and the mastery of the essential cognitive tools for constant update, as established by current legislation for healthcare professionals.

Admission requirements

The Course Council has set a limited number of enrolments.
Admission to the Single Cycle Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology requires possession of a secondary school qualification as established by Article 6, clause 3 of the Ministerial Decree 270/04. Applicants must demonstrate basic knowledge in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Biology in order to better deal with the course subjects, especially during the first years of the course. The level required is a secondary school preparation.
Admission to the course is locally regulated by the chronological order of enrolments. Admission is not subordinated to any entrance test.
At the beginning of the first year of Course, the Course Council tests the preliminary knowledge of the enrolled students. Students showing learning gaps will be required to attend complementary support activities (including tutoring resources) to bridge such gaps.

Key learning outcomes

The Single Cycle Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology primarily aims at providing students with an adequate technical-scientific preparation for a future career in the pharmaceutical industrial sector. The course structure includes compulsory basic, characterising or related subjects. Students also have the possibility to enrich their preparation with elective subjects. The fifth year of course is primarily dedicated to professional training and to the preparation of the final examination. This Degree Course represents an adjustment of the pre-existing degree course in compliance with directive EEC 85/432 regulating the pharmacist profession at a European level: for this reason, according to Ministerial Decree 270/04 the course lasts 5 years and includes a 6-month internship in a public or hospital pharmacy. The course programme not only provides the essential knowledge for the pharmacist profession, but also the necessary advanced scientific competences for the pharmaceutical industry, especially concerning the research, development, formulation, production and control of pharmaceutical and medical preparations in accordance with pharmacopoeia regulations. The course also provides chemical-toxicological knowledge and skills regarding the safe handling of pharmaceuticals within hospital and industrial facilities. The set of notions acquired in the chemical, biologic, pharmacological and pharmaceutical fields allows students to deal with the whole multidisciplinary process, starting from the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic design and optimisation of new chemical entities to the formulation, production, control, registration and dispensing of new drugs within the national healthcare system. The Single Cycle Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology provides graduates the necessary competences and learning skills for further studies (Second Level Master Programmes, Postgraduate Schools, PhDs) and the mastery of the essential cognitive tools for constant update, as established by current legislation for healthcare professionals. The curriculum offers the subjects and academic activities of class LM-13, including practical training, workshops and professional internships; it also takes into account the time dedicated to personal study or other individual academic activities. Future graduates will also acquire speaking and writing skills in at least one other European language beyond Italian. The course didactic regulations and offer also allows students to choose ad adequate number of credits in related sectors in order to enrich their preparation.

Career opportunities

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology may perform professional activities in various fields, and namely: a) enter the pharmaceutical industry and specifically, the sectors dedicated to research, development, production, quality control and registration of medicinal products or other biologically active substances; b) perform activities at cosmetic or food companies, or take over technical management of production plants, or at industrial sectors regarding medical/diagnostic devices, medical/surgical, biocide or phytohealth products; c) perform research activities at universities or at public or private entities: d) perform the functions envisaged for the profession of Pharmacist, according to EEC directive 2005/36, after passing the corresponding state exam. Obtaining a Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, and passing the state exam for the profession of Pharmacist, also authorises practicing the following professions in accordance with Presidential Decree no. 328 of 5 June 2001: performing chemical analysis; managing chemical analysis laboratories; study and set-up of chemical processes; design and realization of chemical laboratories and industrial chemical plants; testing of hazardousness/non hazardousness of chemicals. The course provides a preparation for the professions of chemists, pharmaceutical researcher, chemistry and pharmaceutical company representatives, pharmacists and similar professions, researchers and technicians with degree in chemical and pharmaceutical sciences.

Knowledge and understanding

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology must demonstrate to have acquired basic knowledge of physics and mathematics, necessary for understanding and for applying a scientific approach to problem solving. The basic knowledge of biology, chemistry and medicine, must be sufficient for understanding the relevant aspects for research, production and use of medicines. The Graduates have specific knowledge of medicinal chemistry, food chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and biochemistry, and pharmaceutical technology. These disciplines are essential for the production, synthesis, mechanism of action, pharmacology, pharmacokinetic and toxicological characteristics of drugs and other biologically active substances. In addition, they allow the design of the formulation, production and control of medicinal products. The Graduates posses the ability to understand the contents of scientific publications and technical directives concerning the world of medicines, to know the main analytical techniques and the legal context in which pharmaceutical industries and pharmacies work. They have the ability to understand legal and regulatory indications in this regard. The ability to understand will be facilitated by the use of heterogeneous independent sources, which underline points of view not necessarily in agreement, also in foreign language. Teachers will also stimulate students to critically discuss the treated subjects and for this purpose adequate educational material will be supplied. The verification of achievement of the expected results will be performed through specific exercises and written and/or oral tests.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology must have demonstrated, during the study course, the ability to apply their multidisciplinary education to the understanding and solving of complex problems related to research, development, production and use of medicines and biologically active substances. They must also have acquired the ability to apply their own scientific-cultural background to specific problems in the chemical, biochemical and pharmaceutical fields, such as: synthesis of new compounds, study of the structure-activity relationship for the discovery for new compounds with the desired pharmacological profiles, carry on and control of qualitative and quantitative analyses on medicinal products; preparation of galenic products; production and technological controls of pharmaceutical dosage forms and medicinal products according to the regulations of the official pharmacopoeias and EMA guidelines. This ability will be developed during theoretical courses and practical laboratory activities. Verification will be performed through examinations and, for laboratory courses, through practical tests, which may be described or accompanied by in-depth reports. The structure also includes a significant conclusive phase where students will be asked to develop an independent and original experimental research. This experience, in addition to representing an important opportunity for synthesis, is also an essential moment for evaluation.

Making judgements

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology must be able to know how to act professionally within the various aspects of the pharmaceutical world, knowing how to intervene in decision-making situations with autonomy and sense of responsibility. They must also know how to professionally and autonomously manage problems related to design and development, production, control and use of medicines, and be aware of the responsibilities resulting from their decisions. They must be able to judge the relevance and implications of scientific research regarding the world of medicines; know how to collect, analyse and interpret data, obtaining original solutions; know how to develop and apply protocols for quality control of medicines and healthcare products; know how to prepare, control and develop research protocols. Therefore, students must have acquired the ability for critical and autonomous evaluation for the selection and interpretation of the literature data and use them during individual classes and in particular when preparing and writing their thesis. Verification will be made with the supervising Faculty professor and during the thesis defense.

Learning skills

In addition to having undertaken the curricular academic activities, graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology must have developed the ability to independently learn new or additional information from controlled sources, putting them in a framework of scientific knowledge which is correct and sufficiently complete to consider the technical and legal aspects connected to the medicines. They must have developed a technical and scientific competence sufficient for successfully and independently undertaking academic programmes after graduation (Level II Master, Specialization schools and PhD courses). Verification of achieved critical learning ability will be mainly performed through examinations and, in particular, illustration of crucial topics of the various specific subjects during oral exams. On the other hand, in addition to in-depth verification of the ability to communicate the obtained experimental results in writing and orally, the final exam is used to assess the achieved ability to analyse and summarize the various problems connected with the subject studied. The ability to learn may also be evaluated through in-course tests aimed at improving and monitoring the adequacy of the progression of the academic process, in terms of the students’ receptiveness and validity of the teaching method.

Communication skills

Graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology must have acquired the ability to dialogue, in a highly multidisciplinary field, with other professionals with a chemical, biochemical, biological or medical background, understanding the technical aspects of each discipline and knowing how to adequately develop subjects related to the medicines. Using appropriate language mastery and technical-scientific terminology, they must communicate information, ideas and solutions related to their professional context, but also clearly and effectively explain the essential points of a problem related to the production, mechanism and use of a medicine. They must also be able to effectively communicate in English, both in writing and orally. Communication skills will be acquired by students by dealing with oral and written exams, by attending courses which require monographs or projects and in preparing their theses. Verification will take place during the examinations and during the presentation and defense of the thesis.

Final examination, if any

The final examination entails the production and discussion of an experimental original thesis written by the student under the guidance of a supervising professor of the Department. The thesis has to present original results obtained from research activities conducted on a specific topic in relation to a discipline of the course; the experimental or computational data obtained by the candidate must be adequately contextualised. The thesis work can entirely or partially take place outside the Department, in Italian or foreign laboratories or research centres according to the rules established by the Department Council in compliance with the University regulations.

Second cycle degree

Single cycle degree course 5 years