BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science (Including Foundation Year)

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The foundation route is designed for students who do not meet the admissions criteria for the BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science degree. You’ll start by completing a foundation year, which provides well structured support, allowing you to develop your scientific skills and knowledge.

The content of our pharmaceutical science course has a strong grounding in the chemical and biological sciences, complemented by industry-specific topics such as pharmaceutical regulation and quality assurance.

You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of topics relevant to the field of pharmaceuticals, their design, development, quality control, and manufacture. To enhance your career potential, there is an emphasis on practical experience of techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry.

2023
2024

UCAS Code	Study Mode 2023	Duration	Start Date	Campus	Campus Code
3WBH	Full-time	4 Years	September	Glyntaff	A

UCAS Code	Study Mode 2024	Duration	Start Date	Campus	Campus Code
3WBH	Full-time	4 Years	September	Glyntaff	A

The first year provides you with well-structured support, allowing you to develop your scientific skills and knowledge. In the second year, you will study a variety of modules which will provide you with a strong grounding in chemistry that will prove invaluable during the rest of your degree and working life. To begin to understand the biological action of drugs and their impact, you will also be introduced to fundamental human biology and biochemistry.

All of these modules involve practical work and you will gain hands-on experience using equipment in our state-of-the-art laboratories. You would also be taught mathematics to enable you to understand the relevance of mathematics and statistics in the field of chemical and pharmaceutical science.

The third-year focuses on chemical synthesis, drug design, drug action and chemical analysis. In your fourth year, you will continue to develop your knowledge and skills in chemical synthesis and analysis, quality control and quality assurance regulatory affairs as well as use industry-standard instruments/ equipment.

Foundation Year: Pharmaceutical Science Degree

Foundation Biology
Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology
Key Skills and Professional Development
Foundation Chemistry
Physical Science
Scientific Data Literacy

Year One: Pharmaceutical Science Degree

Genetics and Evolution
Molecules, membranes and cells
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Fundamental Inorganic Chemistry
Your Skills, Your Future

Year Two: Pharmaceutical Science Degree

Cellular Pathology and Disease Processes
Spectroscopy
Analytical Chemistry
Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Heterocyclic Chemistry and an Introduction to Drug Design
Quality control and Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Year Three: Pharmaceutical Science Degree

Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology
Advanced Analytical Chemistry
Professional Practice, Employability and Major Project
Advanced Organic Chemistry
Advanced Drug Design and an Introduction to Formulation Science

Teaching

The Pharmaceutical Science degree is delivered through a blend of traditional lectures, tutorials, workshops, and practical laboratory sessions complimented by the resources of our newly built facilities. Self-directed study is supported by Unilearn, our online learning resource.

Employers regularly comment on our graduates’ excellent analytical skills, enhanced by hands-on experience of industry-standard instrumentation. Our students benefit from regular input from professionals who are working in the industry.

Our Pharmaceutical Science degree continues to evolve in partnership with industry to ensure graduates are highly valued by employers. You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of topics relevant to the field of pharmaceuticals, their design, development, quality control, and manufacture.

Assessment

You will be assessed using a range of techniques such as report writing, general coursework, oral presentations, on-line tests, and portfolios as well as exams.

Placements

Students have the option of a summer placement/or a year long placement at a pharmaceutical company.

Facilities

Our Pharmaceutical Science facilities are on a par with those found in industry. Students make full use of the laboratories during their studies and gain hands-on experience using the extensive chemical equipment. We have dedicated organic, inorganic and physical chemistry laboratories, as well as several instrumentation laboratories.

Lecturers

We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

The entry criteria below reflect our standard entry requirements for the course for September 2023. However, all applications received by the University are reviewed holistically and individually. Entry criteria for September 2024 is changing and will be published on ucas.com from 8th May 2023. Entry criteria for September 2024 will be updated on our website from the end of October 2023.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on it’s a student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.

Other qualifications and experience

We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.

To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.

If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here

Typical A-Level Offer

EE to include one A Level in a relevant Science subject but to exclude General Studies

Typical Welsh BACC Offer

N/A

Typical BTEC Offer

BTEC Extended Diploma Pass Pass Pass or BTEC Diploma Pass Pass in a relevant subject

Typical Access to HE Offer

Pass Access to HE Diploma in Science with a minimum of 48 UCAS Tariff points

Additional Requirements

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent but consideration is given to individual circumstances

International Entry Requirements

We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.

If your current qualifications don't meet the entry requirements for entry onto year 1 of your chosen undergraduate degree, we offer one-year International Foundation Programmes through our pathway partnership with QAHE to help you reach the level required for progression. For more information visit our Pathway website.

English Requirements

In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.

Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course

August 2023 - July 2024 Fees

Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: £14400

August 2024 - July 2025 Fees

Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC

Student Perks

At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.

Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.

Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

* Obligatory

Item	Cost
Kit / equipment		Students are encouraged to equip themselves with a suitable cotton laboratory coat, suitable for working in a chemical laboratory, and a pair of personal protective laboratory goggles, althouth the School does provide these items. Students who are successful in securing an industry-based project may, in a small number of cases, be required to purchase additional personal protective equipment as specified by the specific organisation or company.
Placement		Placements are not obligatory for students studying on the BSc Pharmaceutical Science programme. If students are successful in securing an industrial placement, arrangements can be made to transfer to the Sandwich programme for BSc Pharmaceutical Science. Students who successfully secure a placement in industry would be expected to pay their own travel costs to and from the venue during the period of placement. The cost of this will vary and some students may need to pay for accommodation close to their place of work for the duration of their placement.

Funding

Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs

Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.

UK students

Apply via UCAS if you are a UK residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.

International and EU students

Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK.

Admissions statement

This Pharmaceutical Science course provides you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills that will make you highly marketable to employers in the pharmaceutical sector. Being one of the largest employers of scientists in the UK, jobs for scientists within the sector are quite varied. You can pursue a career in research and development, and many scientists may also find themselves in roles that may range from a purely lab-based position, to marketing, patent filing, quality assurance/regulation, or even as a sales representative.

Our Careers and Employability Service

As a USW Pharmaceutical Science student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate. This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.

Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.

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BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science (Including Foundation Year)