REGULATION GOVERNING THE AWARD

OF THE

DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHARMACY

From ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/13

1MATRICULATION

1.1Every student for admission to the undergraduate Integrated Degree of Master of Pharmacy must satisfy the Ordinance on Matriculation, the requirements set out in the Regulation for the Admission of Students to Undergraduate Programmes of Study, and the Programme Admission Requirements

2.STUDY REQUIREMENTS

2.1STAGE 1

2.1.1Students must study units amounting to 120 Credits at Level 4.

2.2STAGE 2

2.2.1Students must study units amounting to 120 Credits at Level 5

2.3STAGE 3

2.3.1Students must study units amounting to 120 Credits at Level 6

2.4STAGE 4

2.4.1Students must study units amounting to 120 Credits at Stage 4, all of which must be at Level 7.

3.COURSES OF STUDY

3.1Students will study linked units of no more than 40 credits and no less than 20 credits

4. PURSUIT OF COURSE OF STUDY INCLUDING CREDIT IMPORTATION

4.1Exemption for prior learning, achievement or experience will not be given

5.PROGRESSION BETWEEN STAGES

5.1Students may progress from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the course if they achieve at least 40.0% in individual Stage 1 units amounting to all 120 credits.

5.2Students may progress from Stage 2 to Stage 3 of the course if they achieve at least 40.0% in individual Stage 2 units amounting to all 120 credits

5.3Students may progress from Stage 3 to Stage 4 of the course if they achieve at least 40.0% in individual Stage 3 units amounting to 120 Credits.

6.SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT

6.1Students who at the initial attempt have not achieved the requirements for progression to the next Stage of their course of study are entitled to undertake Supplementary Assessment on one occasion, as of right. Students will be permitted a single third attempt with attendanceso long as they have achieved 80 credits at 40% or above at the second attempt[1].

6.2Students in stage 1 and 2 who do not achieve at least 60 credits at 40.0% at the initial attempt will forfeit the right to Supplementary Assessment without attendance in the Supplementary Assessment period. Such students will normally be required to repeat the Stage with attendance[2].

6.3Students in stage 3 and 4 who do not achieve 120 credits at 40.0% at the initial attempt will forfeit the right to Supplementary Assessment without attendance in the Supplementary Assessment period. Such students will be required to repeat the Stage with attendance.

7.PERFORMANCE IN SUPPLEMENTARY ASSESSMENT

7.1Students who, following Supplementary Assessment, meet the relevant requirements set out above may progress to the next Stage of the course of study. Students who have undertaken Supplementary Assessment with a view to attaining an award as set out below and who now meet those requirements shall be eligible for the award in question.

7.2In the case of students who, following Supplementary Assessment, do not meet the requirements for progression as set out above, or do not meet the requirements for an award set out below, a Board of Examiners has the discretion to permit a student to undertake Supplementary Assessment on up to 1 further occasion (up to a total of 3, including the initial attempt). This decision will be based on the approved algorithm set out under 6.1.1 above. The Board of Examiners shall recommend one of the following options:

  • That they be permitted to repeat the previous Stage of the course of study with attendance;
  • That they be required to withdraw from the course of study.

7.3Students who have exhausted all the attempts permitted by the Board of Examiners and still do not meet the requirements either for progression or for an award, will be required to withdraw from the course of study.

8.CARRY FORWARD OF MARKS

8.1The maximum carry forward mark awarded to students following Supplementary Assessment will be capped at 40.0%.

9.ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARDS

9.1Certificate of Higher Educationin Pharmaceutical Studies – Interim Award

9.1.1To be eligible for the award of the Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies, you must achieve at least 40.0% in individual units amounting to 100 Credits and at least 35.0% in individual units amounting to 20 other Credits, including at least 100 at Level 4 or above.In addition you must demonstrate learning outcomes that reflect your ability to apply the principles, knowledge and skills of the science and practice of pharmacy in a context that is well-established and defined for you. You will be able to deal with problems within this defined context, and will be able to apply basic theories and concepts of uncertainty. You will be able to communicate established theories and concepts to a knowledgeable audience coherently. You will be able to develop skills within a managed environment and exercise some personal responsibility.

9.1.2Students who, in achieving the requirements set out in 9.1.1, attain an overall average of at least 68.0% in the assessments for the units required shall be eligible for the award of the Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies with Distinction.

9.1.3Students who, in achieving the requirements set out in 9.1.1, attain an overall average of at least 58.0% in the assessments for the units required shall be eligible for the award of the Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies with Merit.

9.2Diploma of Higher Educationin Pharmaceutical Studies – Interim Award

9.2.1To be eligible for the award of the Diploma of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studies, you must achieve the requirements set out in 9.1.1 and attain at least 40.0% in individual units amounting to 100 Credits and at least 35.0% in individual units amounting to 20 other Credits, including at least 100 at Level 5 or above.In addition you must demonstrate learning outcomes that reflect your ability to apply the principles, knowledge and skills of the science and practice of pharmacy in a context that is well-established and defined for you and will be able to critically evaluate these approaches. You will be able to deal with problems both within and beyond this defined context, and will be able to use theories and concepts of uncertainty to interpret the concepts and knowledge you have used. You will be able to coherently communicate information, analyses and arguments that are targeted to the knowledge level of your audience. You will be able to develop skills within an open environment and exercise significant personal responsibility.

9.2.2Students who, in achieving the requirements set out in 9.2.1, attain an overall average of 68.0% in the assessments for the units required shall be eligible for the award of the Diploma of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studieswith Distinction.

9.2.3Students who, in achieving the requirements set out in 9.2.1, attain an overall average of 58.0% in the assessments for the units required shall be eligible for the award of the Diploma of Higher Education in Pharmaceutical Studieswith Merit.

9.3Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studies – Interim Award

9.3.1To be eligible for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studies, you must comply with the requirement set out in 2.1 and 2.2 and attain the following:

9.3.1.1 comply with 9.1.1 and 9.2.1 above, and attain the following in Stage 3 of the course of study:

i)At least 40.0% in individual Stage 3 units amounting to 100 Credits and at least 35.0% in individual Stage 3 units amounting to the 20 other Credits.

9.3.2The non-registerableclassified Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studiesshall be awarded to students who have satisfied the requirements set out above and laid down in the relevant Course Regulations and who have attained the required standard in Stage 3, or in accordance with the provisions set out below.In addition you must demonstrate learning outcomes that reflect your ability to apply the principles, knowledge and skills of the science and practice of pharmacy in a context that is both defined for you and that is defined by you, and some of which is at the forefront of the discipline. You will be able to deal with problems in complex and unpredictable contexts, will be able to apply uncertainty to the concepts you use and use this application to make appropriate judgements, even when presented with incomplete information. You will be able to communicate problems you have identified, and your solutions to those problems, coherently and to a range of audiences. You will be able to manage your learning through primary and review sources and apply and extend your skills to engage with professional level training.

The Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studiesshall, on the basis of a student’s performance, be awarded by class and division as follows:

First Class Honours

Second Class Honours - First Division

Second Class Honours - Second Division

Third Class Honours

9.3.3The class and division of the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studiesshall be awarded to the individual students according to the order of the best 100 credits from the assessments in Stages 2 and 3, derived from a 20.0% weighting for Stage 2 and a80.0% weighting for Stage 3.

9.3.4The classes and divisions of the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Studiesshall be awarded on the basis of the following minimum final overall weighted average marks:

First Class Honours68.0%

Second Class Honours - First Division58.0%

Second Class Honours - Second Division48.0%

9.4Degree of Master of Pharmacy

9.4.1To be eligible for the award of the Degree of Master of Pharmacy, students must comply with the requirements set out in 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 above, and must achieve:

(i)the requirements set out in 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 and attain the following in Stage 4 of the course of study:

(ii)at least 40.0% in individual Stage 4 units amounting to 120 Credits.

9.4.2 The Integrated Degree of Master of Pharmacy shall, on the basis of a student’s performance, be awarded by as follows:

MPharm with Distinction

MPharm with Merit

MPharm

9.4.3The Integrated Degree of Master of Pharmacy shall be awarded to the individual students according to the weighted average marks from the best 100 credits from assessments in Stage 4.

9.4.4The Integrated Degree of Master of Pharmacy shall be awarded on the basis of the following minimum final weighted average markscalculated from the best 100 credits at Stage 4.

MPharm with Distinction68.0%

MPharm with Merit58.0%

MPharmBelow 58%

10.AEGROTAT AWARDS

An aegrotat degree of MPharm may not normally be awarded

11.AMENDMENTS TO SYLLABUS

Amendments to syllabus should not normally be permitted and only after consultation with the GPhC

12.ASSESSMENT

12.1Students who attend an assessment event are deemed to be fit and well enough to sit the assessment. Unless there is evidence of the student becoming unwell during an assessment then extenuating circumstances will not normally be accepted after an assessment has occurred.

12.2Recommendations regarding assessment results shall be presented by a Board of Examiners to the School Board of the School responsible for the administration of the course of study concerned. Recommendations concerning the award or non-award of a degree shall also be presented by the School Board to the Senate.

Last Updated August 2014

[1]Students who fail to reach pass standard only because of failing element(s) of the synoptic supplementary assessments at Stage 2 may be allowed a 3rd attempt with attendance at the Board of Examiners discretion, based on their overall profile and improvement seen between initial and supplementary synoptic assessments, regardless of the number of credits failed.

[2] Students who fail to reach pass standard only because of failing element(s) of the synoptic assessment at Stage 2,may proceed to supplementary synoptic assessment, regardless of the number of credits failed.