Keele Badge

PHA-20018 - Module Specification
School of Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy
Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 16 September 2026

PHA-20018 - Applied Pharmaceutical Science II
Coordinator: Patricia Ragazzon Tel: +44 1782 7 34767
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None.

Barred Combinations

None.

Description for 2026/27

This module provides a detailed and fully contextualised analysis of pharmaceutics and drug delivery, alongside the relevant manufacturing and safety elements of pharmaceutical production.

After a general introduction to pharmaceutics, you will study the properties and applications of solutions, followed by rheology and the flow properties of liquids and semisolids. Interfacial phenomenon and disperse systems, including surface tension, surface active agents, emulsions, and suspensions will be covered in detail since these concepts are of vital importance in the performance of many dosage forms. Solid dosage forms will be discussed in Semester 2. All of the topics covered will be supported by a comprehensive programme of practical exercises.

Woven throughout the module is development of essential team-working and leadership skills: group-based tasks within the laboratory classes and practical skills workshops provide you with a forum to demonstrate your potential to work in and lead pharmaceutical science formulation teams.

Aims
This module aims to provide a fully contextualised analysis of crucial topics covering the breadth of pharmaceutics, formulation science, and manufacture and drug delivery in the pharmaceutical sciences.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/pha-20018/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

Justify formulation and processing choices for pharmaceutical dosage forms in relation to physicochemical and material properties, including rheological behaviour, excipient functionality and intended product requirements using appropriate guidelines whenever appropriate.
: 2,4
Manufacture representative pharmaceutical dosage forms, including an oral solid dosage form containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient, in accordance with defined formulation, processing and documentation requirements.
: 1,3
Analyse experimental data from pharmaceutical product testing using appropriate methods to interpret product characteristics, formulation, drug-delivery performance and manufacturing variables.
: 1,2,3,4
Conduct in vitro dissolution and model-barrier permeation studies of pharmaceutical dosage forms using established experimental procedures and relevant pharmacopoeial methods where applicable, with accurate, contemporaneous and traceable documentation consistent with recognised pharmaceutical quality and laboratory practice.
: 3
Apply risk-assessment and control principles relevant to medicinal chemistry products and to the safe handling of active pharmaceutical ingredients and the manufacture and testing of pharmaceutical dosage forms.
: 2,4

Study hours

Large- and small-group teaching sessions: 50 hours
Skills-based practical work: 50 hours, including multiple laboratory sessions dealing with a wide range of formulation types.
Directed private study, revision and assessment: 197 hours
Exam3: 3 hours


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Laboratory Practicals weighted 25%
Laboratory skills assessment 1
The laboratory assessment will comprise elements from multiple laboratory sessions. Students will be required to produce a laboratory report (Word limit: 1500 words). This assessment involves students working in groups. There are three parts to the assessment: - the batch record sheet (BRS) has to be completed by the group; this is a group assessment and students in the same group are awarded the same mark; this is weighted as 20% of the assessment - a COSHH form has to be completed (10% of the assessment) - the laboratory report is assessed for each individual student; this is weighted as 70% of the assessment.

2: Exam weighted 25%
End of semester 1 examination
The end of semester 1 examination will contain multiple choice questions (MCQ) which cover content delivered in Semester 1. This examination will take 1 hour and 30 minutes in duration.

3: Laboratory Practicals weighted 25%
Laboratory skills assessment 2
The laboratory assessment will comprise elements from multiple laboratory sessions and will focus on the pharmaceutics content of the module. The assessments will be: - the formulation manufacture and testing laboratory sessions This assessment involves students working in groups. There are three parts to the assessment: - The batch record sheet (BRS) has to be completed by the group; this is a group assessment, and students in the same group are awarded the same mark; this is weighted as 20% of the assessment - A COSHH form has to be completed (10% of the assessment) - The laboratory report is assessed for each individual student; this is weighted as 70% of the assessment (Word limit: 1500 words).

4: Exam weighted 25%
End of semester 2 examination
The end of semester 2 examination will contain multiple choice questions (MCQ) which cover content delivered in Semester 2. This examination will take 1 hour and 30 minutes in duration.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 16 September 2026