This exciting new programme has been introduced as a spin-off from the very successful Drug Discovery MSc in response to the increasing opportunities which now exist for research scientists who can evaluate the business potential of their science as well as generate the science itself.
This MSc contains the science core of the Pharmaceutics MSc and combines a broad overview of the drug discovery and development process with specialisation in management training and awareness, and strategic partnering and business development skills.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (120 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Dissertation/report
All students undertake a business development project based on an aspect of science from drug discovery either at the UCL School of Pharmacy or in industry.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars and practical classes. Assessment is through a combination of written examination and coursework. The business development project is by written report and oral presentation to the class and a judging panel of scientists and managers.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Drug Discovery and Pharma Management MSc
Students who complete the Drug Discovery and Pharma Management MSc will progress to careers in the various aspects of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries including research, product development and manufacturing, clinical trials and regulatory affairs.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The Pharma Management component of this MSc is led by Dr Nigel Ratcliffe, formerly Vice-President for regulatory and commercial affairs at Astra Zeneca.
Students visit a leading research laboratory e.g. GlaxoSmithKline to look at computer-based molecular modelling, how physico-chemical properties are determined, the robotic compound library, and high throughput screening. The visit is supplemented by material and instruction and the discovery process of a drug will be worked through in detail.
Students attend a one-day research conference on an aspect of drug discovery and development organised by the Society for Medicines Research where there is opportunity to interact with leading industrialists and researchers in the field.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: School of Pharmacy
87% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The course is for high potential managers for international business and leadership roles. It is for those with a hands-on approach, wanting to learn intensively and gain global perspectives, and cross-sector knowledge. The client-facing side of the programme is particularly relevant for those wanting to engage with real business challenges, influence career direction and boost their management profile.
The MSc in Health Management provides strategic insights and business skills for those working across the worldwide health sector. The focus is on innovation and implementation with client-facing learning emphasising forward thinking.
Learning on the course is interactive, developing student’s business awareness, leadership and management capabilities; skills in project management and working in multi-disciplinary teams.
Throughout the course students engage in client-facing activities applying taught health management skills in management consultancy, internships, technology transfer and commercialisation projects.
Practical and relevant industry discussions are born from an international student body, working across different management and professional backgrounds, alongside speakers from the professional and scientific communities who promote practical industry relevant discussion and insights.
The course aims to enable students to engage in cross-sector and multi-disciplinary working, improve their team working abilities and client facing skills to achieve careers at the highest level within the international health sector.
The MSc Health Management is based in City's Franklin building, close to the School of Health Sciences, Cass Business School and major centres of medical leadership.
As an international city and global health centre, London is an outstanding location for health management studies. Major international corporations are headquartered in London, as well as healthcare think tanks, and policy institutes. It is the centre of the national health service (NHS) for England, and the largest strategic health authority in the United Kingdom. This reflects in the range of placements, projects, and internships available on the course.
The MSc Health Management includes placements, projects, and internship opportunities.
Health management consultancy is a placement that is part of the academic requirement of the course. Consultancies address a wide range of issues: strategy development, operational efficiency, new technologies and business start-ups. Consultancy teams are directed by the client, and facilitated and supported by the MHM academic team.
Technology transfer and marketisation projects provide opportunities for training and mentoring in commercialisation, on-the-job learning in multi-disciplinary teams and in some cases the opportunity to join a start-up management team.
Internship opportunities are available through the MHM Intern Development Programme. This offers opportunities with some of the most influential healthcare organisations in London. Internships are three-month periods of work experience, and opportunities to leverage career experience and direction. These are in the winter and spring semesters, as the health management consultancy placement is completed in the summer semester.
Teaching is provided by leading academics in the fields of business and the health care sector as well as respected guest speakers from the health industry and scientific community who join us to share experiences, and insights on future trends across the health sector.
Course delivery is approximately:
The assessment strategy reflects the management task, with a wide range of assessments allowing flexibility to tailor business knowledge to career needs. Collaborative group assessments emphasise communication and influencing skills as well as providing opportunities to address larger inter-connected challenges. Written assignments emphasise the principles of management and the core business functions and develop skills in organisation analysis and preparing business reports. Exams focus on specific applied skill sets for managers and leaders.
The health management consultancy project embodies the client-facing emphasis of the course, and the approach to assessment.
The MSc Health Management comprises seven modules and a 12-15,000 word health sector dissertation.
The emphasis is on practical and applied business skills, looking across the health sector. The outlook is international. From health services to pharma, to management consultancy, the course develops a wide range of industry relevant business skills.
There are opportunities to participate in technology transfer and commercialisation projects. A health management consultancy project applies MHM skills in a client-facing project. The Intern Development Programme offers further opportunities to apply learning.
Core modules
Management is a top Masters degree for earnings potential (Forbes 2015). With global health expenditure expected to increase to US$ 18 trillion (Lancet 2016), an MSc combining business skills with health sector application conveys exceptional career prospects,
Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies value skills in strategy, innovation and change leadership, management consultancy, and economic evaluation. The average salary of MHM graduates is £50,000.
Graduates from the MSc Health Management have gone on to work in all areas of healthcare, pharma, management consultancy and at companies including:
This course increases your knowledge and skills in pharmacology and biotechnology to increase your competitiveness in the job market or complete research at PhD level. If you are already employed, this course can help you to further your career prospects.
The course is delivered by internationally recognised academics who are involved in biotechnology and pharmacology research. Research projects include studying the manipulation of proteins and their application to Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, ion channels and the development of novel drugs from natural products.
You learn in detail how drugs act at the molecular and cellular level and then how biotechnological techniques are used to produce new drugs. Examples include developing new and effective treatments for diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and rheumatoid arthritis.
You also gain experience of the latest techniques used by the pharmaceutical industry to produce and study the effects of novel drugs.
The course gives you
The masters (MSc) award is achieved by successfully completing 180 credits.
The postgraduate certificate (PgCert) is achieved by successfully completing 60 credits.
The postgraduate diploma (PgDip) is achieved by successfully completing 120 credits.
Core modules:
Optional modules:
Assessment is mostly by written examination and coursework including problem solving exercises, case studies and input from practical laboratory work. Research project assessment includes a written report and viva voce.
The course improves your career prospects in areas of • biomedical sciences • medical research in universities and hospitals • the pharmaceutical industry • biotechnology companies • government research agencies.
You also develop the skills to carry out research to PhD level in pharmacology and biotechnology.
Recent MSc Pharmacology and Biotechnology graduates jobs include • project specialist at PAREXEL • quality assurance documentation assistant at Vifor Pharma • PhD at the University of Manchester • clinical research associate at AstraZeneca • workplace services analyst at Deloitte India (Offices of the US) • regulatory compliance specialist for Selerant • senior product executive at PlasmaGen BioSciences.
The School is equipped with a range of state-of-the-art equipment, which would help provide relevant practical experience for the students. Therefore the course aims to help students develop the necessary knowledge and practical skills to work in various areas within the pharmaceutical industry, including formulation, regulatory, and analytical services. Students will have a holistic view on the drug development process and be able to solve common pharmaceutical problems by critically evaluating and discussing the scientific literature.
The course is offered on a one year full-time basis, taught over three terms. It includes six taught modules in the first two terms in which all lecture material will be provided on our VLE to enable access.
If you wish to study MRes Cancer biology and Therapy, you must initially apply for MSc Cancer Biology and Therapy and successfully complete the first semester modules.
GSK, Quay Pharma, Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and MHRA etc.
The MSc programme is delivered not only via the conventional means of face-to-face lectures, workshops, tutorials and seminars, but the use of online technologies such as videos and discussion forum would also help integrate students’ learning into their normal daily activities.
Practical classes, problem-based-learning exercises related to industrial challenges and reflective activities throughout the course would also help develop students’ ability to solve pharmaceutical problems practically and provide students an opportunity to apply their knowledge into practice, particularly in relation to the need for appropriate formulation design and development, and how these factors affect clinical outcomes in practice.
A variety of assessment methods will be used for this MSc course, including essays, oral presentations, posters, written examinations and laboratory reports.
Students on the course have opportunities to visit our industrial collaborators who specialise in liquid and solid dosage forms, which aim to provide an insight to students about the pharmaceutical industry and the various roles available in industry. Guest lectures and workshops provided at UCLan from the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory bodies also supplement the various modules studied in the course.
Graduate careers include: formulation scientist, PhD research student, and quality control technician.
Graduates may apply for further PhD study at UCLan or other institutions following completion of the MSc Programme. Alternatively, graduates aim to find jobs in the pharmaceutical industry as a formulation scientist, regulatory affairs officer and other roles in industry.
Eligible students may also be able to conduct their MSc research project in collaboration with an industrial partner in semester 3 as part of their MSc studies. This could be in the UK or overseas, subject to availability and agreement with the industrial organisation.
The specifically designed Pharmaceutical Sciences laboratories have excellent facilities to carry out teaching and research in pharmaceutical sciences. For example, a single-punch tablet press and powder encapsulation equipment help provide practical experience of small scale solid dosage form manufacturing. Other specialist equipment such as coating and spray drying instrument also help enhance students’ learning experience at the University. The characterisation of various dosage forms in accordance to the BP or USP methods can also be carried out using dissolution, disintegration, friability testers etc.
Various advanced drug delivery devices for pulmonary, oral and transdermal applications are also available for both teaching and research at the School. Students would also be able to use the superb analytical instrument available at the University for their practical classes and research project.
Have you ever wondered how the latest life science discoveries - such as a novel stem cell therapy - can move from the lab into commercial scale production? Would you like to know whether it is possible to produce bio-polymers (plastics) and biofuels from municipal or agricultural waste? If you are thinking of a career in the pharma or biotech industries, the Biochemical Engineering MSc could be the right programme for you.
Our MSc programme focuses on the core biochemical engineering principles that enable the translation of advances in the life sciences into real processes or products. Students will develop advanced engineering skills (such as bioprocess design, bioreactor engineering, downstream processing), state-of-the-art life science techniques (such as molecular biology, vaccine development, microfluidics) and essential business and regulatory knowledge (such as management, quality control, commercialisation).
Three distinct pathways are offered tailored to graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme offers three distinct pathways tailored to: graduate scientists ("Engineering Stream"); graduate engineers from other disciplines ("Science Stream"); or graduate biochemical engineers ("Biochemical Engineering Stream"). The programme for all three streams consists of a combination of core and optional taught modules (120 credits) and a research or design project (60 credits).
Core modules
Students are allocated to one of the three available streams based on their academic background (life science/science, other engineering disciplines, biochemical engineering). The programme for each stream is tailored to the background of students in that stream. Core modules may include the following (depending on stream allocation).
Please go to the "Degree Structure" tab on the departmental website for a full list of core modules.
Optional modules
Optional modules may include the following (details will vary depending on stream allocation).
Please go to the "Degree Structure" tab on the departmental website for a full list of optional modules
Research project/design project
Students allocated to the "Engineering" stream will have to complete a bioprocess design project as part of their MSc dissertation.
Students allocated to the "Science" and "Biochemical Engineering" streams will have to complete a research project as part of their MSc dissertation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and individual and group activities. Guest lectures delivered by industrialists provide a professional and social context. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, coursework, individual and group project reports, individual and group oral presentations, and the research or design project.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Biochemical Engineering MSc
The rapid advancements in biology and the life sciences create a need for highly trained, multidisciplinary graduates possessing technical skills and fundamental understanding of both the biological and engineering aspects relevant to modern industrial bioprocesses. Consequently, UCL biochemical engineers are in high demand, due to their breadth of expertise, numerical ability and problem-solving skills. The first destinations of those who graduate from the Master's programme in biochemical engineering reflect the highly relevant nature of the training delivered.
Approximately three-quarters of our graduates elect either to take up employment in the relevant biotechnology industries or study for a PhD or an EngD, while the remainder follow careers in the management, financial or engineering design sectors.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
The department places great emphasis on its ability to assist its graduates in taking up exciting careers in the sector. UCL alumni, together with the department’s links with industrial groups, provide an excellent source of leads for graduates. Over 1,000 students have graduated from UCL with graduate qualifications in biochemical engineering at Master’s or doctoral levels. Many have gone on to distinguished and senior positions in the international bioindustry. Others have followed independent academic careers in universities around the world.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL was a founding laboratory of the discipline of biochemical engineering, established the first UK department and is the largest international centre for bioprocess teaching and research. Our internationally recognised MSc programme maintains close links with the research activities of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering which ensures that lecture and case study examples are built around the latest biological discoveries and bioprocessing technologies.
UCL Biochemical Engineering co-ordinates bioprocess research and training collaborations with more than a dozen UCL departments, a similar number of national and international university partners and over 40 international companies. MSc students directly benefit from our close ties with industry through their participation in the Department’s MBI® Training Programme.
The MBI® Training Programme is the largest leading international provider of innovative UCL-accredited short courses in bioprocessing designed primarily for industrialists. Courses are designed and delivered in collaboration with 70 industrial experts to support continued professional and technical development within the industry. Our MSc students have the unique opportunity to sit alongside industrial delegates, to gain deeper insights into the industrial application of taught material and to build a network of contacts to support their future careers.
Accreditation
Our MSc is accredited by the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
The “Science” and “Biochemical Engineering” streams are accredited by the IChemE as meeting the further learning requirements, in full, for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng, MIChemE).
This part-time course enables suitably-qualified pharmaceutical industry employees to:
The course is provided in a unique collaboration between:
NSF-Health Sciences are leading experts in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries offering training, consultancy and auditing services.
You’re required to complete six of the NSF modules for consideration for the Postgraduate Certificate. For the Postgraduate Diploma you need to complete 12 modules.
Modules run over a 21-month period as a series of 13 one-week residential courses. You complete additional study before sitting examinations for the award of the Certificate or Diploma.
The Diploma can be converted to the MSc by completion of a research project which is normally undertaken at your workplace.
The course is by part-time study only.
The course is based on the syllabus in the European-approved 'Qualified Person' (QP) study guide as used in the pharmaceutical industry.
The course content includes all the diverse elements required to ensure that each batch of a medicinal product meets the quality requirements of the relevant product and manufacturer's licences. This includes:
You’re also made aware of the statutory framework which is applied in the control of the manufacture and distribution of medicinal products.
The Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS) offers an excellent environment for research and teaching. It’s located in a new building with several laboratories. All are fitted with modern equipment.
Each module consists of:
The cohesion of the student group rapidly develops as all participants are generally working in some aspect of quality assurance in the pharmaceutical industry. As such, the informal aspects of each module can become an important part of the knowledge-gathering process.
Modules are assessed individually. You’ll sit formal examinations. MSc students write and submit for examination a thesis based on their research project.
Gaining knowledge and skills will enhance your career progression in the pharmaceutical industry.
The MSc Pharmaceutical Enterprise programme is an applied multidisciplinary course designed for entrepreneurial high-achieving individuals with ambition to take leading roles in SME pharmaceutical companies.
As the major pharma business model changes, established and emerging SME pharmaceutical companies are increasingly delivering novel candidate pharmaceuticals (small molecules and biologicals). This trend is expected to continue and offers a very nourishing environment for spin-out and other SME pharmaceutical companies that require high calibre personnel who are knowledgeable about all aspects of pharmaceutical enterprise.
The MSc Pharmaceutical Enterprise programme is delivered by experts in the field, many with on-going experience of the sector; and this ensures the programme maintains relevance in this fast moving industry.
The interactive teaching equips you with the medical, scientific, regulatory and business skills to achieve success. Internships and consultancy project opportunities arising from associated SME companies offer highly prized ‘real life’ experiences.
The MSc Pharmaceutical Enterprise programme aims to provide you with a toolbox of skills to enable you to:
We have a wide range of external experts lecturing on this programme and have included their profiles so you get an idea of who you will be coming into contact with on this exciting programme.
For more information about the academic staff please see the names below:
As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.
You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.
Careers Support for Postgraduate Students
Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career
We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website.
This Masters in Bioinformatics (formerly Bioinformatics, Polyomics and Systems Biology) is an exciting and innovative programme that has recently been revamped. Bioinformatics is a discipline at the interface between biology, computing and statistics and is used in organismal biology, molecular biology and biomedicine. This programme focuses on using computers to glean new insights from DNA, RNA and protein sequence data and related data at the molecular level through data storage, mining, analysis and graphical presentation - all of which form a core part of modern biology.
Bioinformatics helps biologists gain new insights about genomes (genomics) and genes, about RNA expression products of genes (transcriptomics) and about proteins (proteomics); rapid advances have also been made in the study of cellular metabolites (metabolomics) and in a newer area, systems biology.
‘Polyomics’ is an intrinsically systems-level approach involving the integration of data from these ‘functional genomics’ areas - genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics - to derive new insights about how biological systems function.
The programme structure is designed to equip students with understanding and hands-on experience of both computing and biological research practices relating to bioinformatics and functional genomics, to show students how the computing approaches and biological questions they are being used to answer are connected, and to give students an insight into new approaches for integration of data and analysis across the 'omics' domains.
On this programme, you will develop a range of computing and programming skills, as well as skills in data handling, analysis (including statistics) and interpretation, and you will be brought up to date with recent advances in biological science that have been informed by bioinformatics approaches.
The programme has the following overall structure
Additional information about the programme can be found in the Bioinformatics MSc Programme Structure 2017-18.
Please note: students undertaking the three month PgCert will also be required to take two exams in March/April.
Most of our graduates embark on a University or Institute-based research career path, here in the UK or abroad, using the skills they've acquired on our programme. These skills are now of primary relevance in many areas of modern biology and biomedicine. Many are successful in getting a PhD studentship. Others are employed as a core bioinformatician (now a career path within academia in its own right) or as a research assistant in a research group in basic biological or medical science.
A postgraduate degree in bioinformatics is also valued by many employers in the life sciences sector - eg computing biology jobs in biotechnology, biosciences, neuroinformatics and the pharma industries.
Some of our graduates have entered science-related careers in scientific publishing or education. Others have gone into computing-related jobs in non-bioscience industry or the public sector.
Sample modules:
Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.
Reading School of Pharmacy has excellent links with industry, from the big pharma to small and medium-sized enterprises. Many of our graduates go on to work in industry and as researchers at NHS organisations.
