MPharm Pharmacy with a Foundation Year / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Integrated Project (Year 4)

Course unit fact file
Unit code PHAR40400
Credit rating 30
Unit level Level 4
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

On completion of this course unit the students should be able to:

  1. value the importance of being able to convey research findings to patients in a simple but scientifically accurate language
  2. use the evidence base to review current practice
  3. appreciate the multidisciplinary nature of the Pharmacy profession
  4. critically analyse interpret and evaluate the results of their studies, thus contributing to research & development activities to improve health outcomes and develop creativity and critical interpretation skills
  5. select and justify relevant methods (e.g. design appropriate experiments).
 

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Integrated Research Skills: preparation for 4th year projects and evidence-based practice PHAR30400 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Advanced Pharmaceutical Sciences PHAR40101 Co-Requisite Compulsory
The Patient (Year 4): Preparing for Clinical Practice PHAR40300 Co-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

  • To develop, implement, and evaluate in each student the skills of hypothesis formulation and testing, data acquisition and analysis, experimental design, literature retrieval, report writing and oral presentation.
  • To reinforce the relevance of basic sciences to the pharmacist’s reasoning process.

Learning outcomes

 

 

Teaching and learning methods

 
 

Assessment methods

Formative Assessment

Students pursuing CAC and HPPE type of projects receive formative feedback after each oral presentation/assessment throughout the 1st semester. In the second semester during the development and writing of the project or protocol students will meet online with their mentor once per week to discuss progress. A portion of the protocol (typically 1000 words) is submitted to the supervisor at the end of week 5 of the 2nd semester and students receive feedback on their progress by the end of week 7.

Students carrying out individual projects will meet with their supervisor frequently (typically weekly) to monitor progress. Four formal meetings are recorded. An outline (400 words) of the project is submitted at the end of week 6 of the 1st semester. This is marked by the supervisor and another academic and judged on the basis of its novelty and the clarity of the proposed research. The second marker usually is not a subject specialist and so the outline is written in a way that is understandable to a general audience. The project outline attracts 10% of the project mark. Mark and feedback on the outline to be provided by the end of week 11 of the 1st semester (unless a different timetable has been agreed with the supervisor). By the end of week 10 of the 1st semester the progress report should be submitted to the supervisor. The word limit for the 1st semester progress report is 800 words unless other arrangements are in place with your supervisor. The purpose of the progress report is to enable the supervisors to assess the students’ review skills, and everything required including ethical approval are in place. The 1st semester progress report attracts 15% of the project mark. Mark and feedback on the 1st semester progress report to be provided the period between 1st and 5th week of the 2nd semester. In addition to the progress report students have also to submit a literature review to one of their peers for peer review (deadline end of week 1 of the 2nd semester). The literature review is not marked by supervisors and does not contribute to the final mark but needs to be peer reviewed and the completed peer review form needs to be signed and included in the final report. The students should include in their final project report the peer review form that has been carried out by one of their peers for their project.

A portion of the Methods, Results and Discussion (or other section of the project, as agreed with the supervisor, typically 1500 words, but local custom and practice may dictate a smaller or larger amount) is submitted to the supervisor at the end of week 5 of the 2nd semester and students receive feedback on their progress by the end of week 8.

The second semester during the development and writing of the project or protocol students pursuing CAC and HPPE type of projects will meet with their mentor once per week (usually Friday) to discuss progress. A portion of the project or protocol (typically 1500 words) is submitted to the supervisor at the end of week 6 of the 2nd semester and students receive feedback on their progress by the end of week 7.

Detailed guidance and specification of final year project supervision and feedback to ensure consistency between the different types of projects can be found in blackboard.

Feedback methods

Students receive feedback regularly throughout their project work and for different types of the work they carry out. Details about feedback and supervision can be found in Blackboard in the Course Information folder > Project Guidance Notes.

Recommended reading

This is indicated to students by supervisors overseeing individual projects.

 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 5
Practical classes & workshops 200
Tutorials 10
Independent study hours
Independent study 285

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Richard Campbell Unit coordinator
Elena Bichenkova Unit coordinator
Constantinos Demonacos Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Summative Assessment

Individual projects

Assessment Weighting Equivalent credits
Project outline 10% 5
Project progress report 15% 5
Presentation 15% 5
Coursework 60% 15

CAC Projects

Assessment Weighting Equivalent credits
Presentations 20% 5
"Ask the Pharmacist" report 15% 5
Final project presentaiton 10% 5
Coursework 55% 15

Attendance

Students pursuing CAC and HPPE type of projects must attend all lectures, workshops, virtual meetings and oral presentations.

Mainly Fridays throughout the academic year are allocated for project work. If additional / alternative times are required these can be arranged in agreement between supervisors and students.

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