The Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering is a part-time programme running for a minimum of 18 months over 2 academic years (maximum 45 months over 5 academic years) from the date of first registration for the programme.

Candidates must hold an NFQ Level 8 Degree in Engineering or equivalent, or an NFQ 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 Programme Director.

Students take modules to the value of 60 credits. Taught modules will be offered on a cyclical basis as detailed below. The choice of modules is subject to the approval of the Programme Coordinator.

Students select 60 credits from the following:

Offered in 2018/19
CM6010 Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
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 & Safety Engineering (5 credits)
PE6025 Advanced Health and Safety Management (5 credits)
PE6026 Project Engineering - From Concept to Completion (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)
PF6027 Advanced Biopharmaceutical Engineering (5 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2018/2019 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2018/2019.

MEngSc (Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering)
Students who pass (40%) each of the taught modules in Year 1 and Year 2 examinations of the Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering, and achieve an aggregate of at least 50% across all modules to the value of 60 credits at the first attempt, are deemed eligible to apply for transfer to the MEngSc (Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering). Students who opt to transfer to the MEngSc will not be conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma.

Individual Modules
Candidates who satisfy the programme eligibility criteria may, subject to the approval of the Programme Coordinator, be permitted to take individual modules, as part of UCC's commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and be provided with a relevant transcript of marks.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Apply an enhanced knowledge and understanding of the mathematics, sciences, engineering sciences and technologies to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical engineering;
• Identify, formulate, analyse and solve problems related to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical engineering;
• Design pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and processes, including unfamiliar, ill-defined scenarios, underpinned by a sustainability informed paradigm, taking account of environmental, health and safety and risk factors, and know how to apply relevant codes of practice, industry standards and emerging practices and technologies;
• Gather experimental data, apply a range of standard and specialized research tools and techniques and conduct critical evaluation of results;
• Reflect and act on social and ethical responsibilities in the practice of engineering, including the responsibilities towards developing sustainable processes and operations;
• Work effectively as an individual and in teams in planning and carrying through on assignments and projects in a lifelong learning context;
• Communicate effectively with the engineering community and with society at large.