Programme Specification for the 2023/4 academic year
MSci (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | MSci (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry | Programme code | UFX4BIOBIO03 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Part Time Full Time |
Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 7 (Masters) |
2. Description of the Programme
The MSci (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry programme provides training in both chemistry and biological sciences to ultimately show how these multidisciplinary areas relate to aspects of medicine and drug design. This 4-year programme mirrors the BSc (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry programme during the first three years, but also includes an additional fourth year during which you will be able to pursue research interests you have developed during your first three years on the programme. The first year provides a grounding in all three branches of chemistry – inorganic, organic and physical. Organic chemistry then forms a key part the main core of the programme in the remaining years at Exeter, with a focus on the clear link between chemistry and biological sciences. In particular emphasis is given to understanding the chemistry and synthesis of small molecules, particularly those used in medicine. The level and breadth of coverage of organic chemistry is comparable with that normally encountered in a MSci (Hons) Chemistry programme. The second and third years provide you with a wide range of module choice allowing further specialisation in chemistry, forensic science, cell biology, molecular biology and genomics, and biotechnology, alongside core topics including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and drug design. The final year of the programme then provides you the opportunity to focus on an intensive research project, within one of our leading research groups, together with undertaking advanced modules to further develop your academic and transferable skills.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
The general aims of this programme are:
To provide education intended to give you competence in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry, and to encourage you to develop your intellectual capabilities within an institution that is committed to advancing research, scholarship and learning, and to disseminating knowledge.
More specifically, this programme aims:
- To provide you with knowledge and understanding of an interdisciplinary area at the interface between chemistry and biological sciences, of particular relevance to the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, from the fundamentals to the frontiers of the subject.
- To provide you with the basic scientific, intellectual, and practical training that will prepare you for lifelong learning, and, if you wish, for a career in chemical and/or biosciences research.
- To enable you to think critically, evaluate evidence, analyse, challenge, solve problems, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively.
- To enable you to experience a supportive learning environment that fosters your academic and personal development.
- To provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to undertake a significant research project whilst working within our leading research groups.
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
You may take optional modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module. Descriptions of the individual modules are given in full on the Biosciences website.
You may take up to 30 credits of elective modules outside of the programme in the second or third years of the programme as long as you have obtained the explicit permission of the Programme Director, any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.
You are also permitted to take the five, ten or 15 credit Professional Development Experience modules BIO3910, BIO3911 or BIO3912 in the second or final years. Registration on these modules is subject to a competitive application process. If taken, these modules will not count towards progression or award calculation.
Stage 1
120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIO1332 | Biochemistry | 15 | No |
| BIO1333 | Fundamental Principles for Bioscientists | 15 | Yes |
| BIO1334 | Genetics | 15 | No |
| BIO1337 | Microbiology | 15 | No |
| BIO1339 | Cells | 15 | No |
| BIO1345 | Structure and Reactivity of Organic Compounds I | 15 | Yes |
| BIO1347 | General Chemistry | 30 | No |
Stage 2
75 credits of compulsory modules, 45 credits of optional modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIO2071 | Research Skills and Bioethics | 15 | Yes |
| BIO2085 | Structure and Reactivity of Organic Compounds II | 15 | Yes |
| BIO2086 | Metabolism | 15 | No |
| BIO2090 | Analytical Techniques in Biochemistry | 15 | No |
| BIO2091 | Bioinorganic Chemistry | 15 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioS S2 BSc-MSci BMC opt 2023-4 | |||
| BIO2066 | Forensic Science | 15 | No |
| BIO2088 | Advanced Cell Biology | 15 | No |
| BIO2089 | Molecular Biology of the Gene | 15 | No |
| BIO2092 | Genomics and Introductory Bioinformatics | 15 | No |
| BIO2101 | Advanced Microbiology | 15 | No |
| CSC2005 | Introduction to Pharmacology | 15 | No |
| BIO2106 | Employability and Workplace Learning | 15 | No |
| CSC2026 | The Biology of Cancer | 15 | No |
| CSC2027 | Experimental Pharmacology | 15 | No |
Stage 3
90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIO3096 | Biosciences Research Project | 45 | Yes |
| BIO3041 | Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry | 15 | No |
| BIO3089 | Organic Synthesis and Drug Design | 15 | No |
| BIO3090 | Secondary Metabolites | 15 | No |
Optional Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioS SF BSc-S3 MSci BMC opt 2022-3 | |||
| BIO3073 | Specialist Topics in Chemical Sciences | 15 | No |
| BIO3077 | Frontiers in Molecular Cell Biology | 15 | No |
| BIO3078 | Cellular Basis of Immunity | 15 | No |
| BIO3082 | Science Communication | 15 | No |
| BIO3085 | Horizons of Biochemical Research | 15 | No |
| BIO3086 | Cell Biology of Disease | 15 | No |
| BIO3092 | Bioinformatics | 15 | No |
| BIO3093 | Energy Metabolism | 15 | No |
| BIO3058 | Beyond the Frontiers of Medical Mycology | 15 | No |
| BIO3059 | Molecular Biology of Bacterial Infection | 15 | No |
Stage 4
120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOM569 | Research Project | 90 | No |
| BIOM527 | Research Grant Proposal | 15 | No |
| NSCM006 | Advanced Topics in Natural Sciences Chemistry I | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Demonstrate broadly based knowledge and understanding in all areas of biological and medicinal chemistry (organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, molecular and cell biology, microbiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and biochemistry). | Within the programme, teaching and learning activities are designed to encourage a progressive acquisition of subject knowledge and skills by moving from study methods that have a greater degree of support and assistance towards more independent learning. The programme uses a diversity of teaching and learning methods: lectures, laboratory classes, research projects, group work. Typically a 15-credit module would consist of 15-20 x 1-hour lectures in which the core subject material will be provided. The lecture notes will be available via the University of Exeter Virtual Learning Environment and references to outside reading will be made available. Laboratory classes will normally run for either 3 or 5 hours and you will be provided with a written schedule describing in detail the experimental procedures. You will normally work individually or in groups (2-5 individuals depending on stage) with an expectation that the workload is divided equally. Some laboratory classes form the basis of assessment and require the submission of a final laboratory report. This will sometimes require data analysis in the form of tables and graphs. There is also an expectation that the data generated will be used in some subsequent calculations and analysis. Discussion of the findings or answers to short questions will be used to provide evidence of knowledge gained. The stage 3 research project will normally take place in the 1st term where you will undertake a project in a research group followed by production of a written report in the 2nd term. If the project is literature-based, you will normally receive feedback on a draft report before production of the written report in the 2nd term. The stage 4 research project is taken by all MSci students, and normally takes place in the 1st and 2nd term. Research will be followed by the production of a written report and oral presentation. This project is conducted alongside a research group but with a greater degree of independence than the stage 3 project. The stage 3 and stage 4 projects may be conducted alongside either the same or different research groups. However, if continuing to work alongside the same research group, the stage 4 project must be sufficiently distinct, and as a minimum be an extension of rather than a continuation of the stage 3 project. | The programme uses a diversity of formative and summative assessment methods such as: essay and problem-based examinations, short answer and multiple choice tests (MCQ), practical work and reports, quantitative (numerical) problems, project reports, oral presentations. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
6. With limited guidance, deploy established techniques of analysis, practical investigation, and enquiry within biological and medicinal chemistry. | See above. | See above. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
8. Communicate ideas effectively and professionally by written, oral and visual means. | See above. | See above. |
7. Programme Regulations
Programme-specific Progression Rules
To progress to stage 3 you must achieve a credit-weighted stage average of at least 65% in stage 2, otherwise you will be required to transfer to the relevant 3-year BSc programme if progression criteria for this programme have been achieved.
Programme-specific Award Rules
At the end of stage 3, you may be permitted to exit with a BSc (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry provided that you have achieved 360 credits in total, you have taken no more than 150 credits at level 4 and at least 90 credits at level 6 or 7. If you do exit with a BSc (Hons) the award will normally be based on the degree mark formed from the credit weighted average marks for stages 2 and 3 combined in the ratio 1:2 respectively.
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
You will be allocated a personal tutor for the duration of your studies. Their role is to both instil in you a sense of academic rigour and thinking, and to provide you with advice and support for the duration of the programme. This includes working with you to decide the appropriate optional module choices, and research project areas, and extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. Project supervisors provide further academic and tutorial support once you move on to the research component of the programme in stages 3 and 4. There is also a Programme Director for the MSci (Hons) in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry who follows the cohort through to graduation and who will monitor student absences and progress, and meet any students needing additional support. You can also expect reasonable access to individual teaching staff through appointments. The Biosciences website and online Exeter Learning Environment (ELE) includes the student handbook and learning materials, and you have access to computers and printers within the University. You will also have access to the Biosciences external seminar speaker series where leading researchers are invited to give research seminars. The Biosciences Student/Staff Liaison Committee enables students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
MSci (Hons) Biological and Medicinal Chemistry
19. UCAS Code
CF72
20. NQF Level of Final Award
7 (Masters)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | ECTS credits |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
[Honours] Biosciences
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 10/11/2018 |
Date of last revision | 04/04/2023 |
|---|
