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 How to …….. a Study Guide for CPS‐students! Year 2014‐2015 Utrecht University Faculty of Sciences Departement Pharmaceutical Sciences Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht 1
Colofon Opgesteld door dr. Irma Meijerman, augustus 2013; gewijzigd door dr. A.S. Koster, augustus 2014 © 2014 Departement Pharmaceutical Sciences
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How to …….. a Study Guide for CPS‐students! Year 2014‐2015 Utrecht University Faculty of Sciences Departement Pharmaceutical Sciences Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht 3
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Content 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 7 2. General Information ................................................................................................... 10 2.1. Student desk ......................................................................................................... 10 2.2. Academic counsellors ........................................................................................... 10 2.2.1. Programme Coordinator ................................................................................... 10 2.2.2. Tutor .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.3. Student counsellor ............................................................................................ 11 2.3. Questions concerning the university ................................................................... 11 2.4. Practical Information ............................................................................................ 12 2.4.2. UU‐Gmail ........................................................................................................... 12 2.4.3. Osiris‐student .................................................................................................... 13 2.4.4. Registration ....................................................................................................... 14 2.4.5. Blackboard ......................................................................................................... 15 2.5. Library and Books ................................................................................................. 15 2.5.1. Library ................................................................................................................ 15 2.5.2. Books ................................................................................................................. 15 2.6. Study Abroad ........................................................................................................ 15 2.7. Unitas Pharmaceuticorum ................................................................................... 17 3. Rules and Regulations................................................................................................. 18 3.1. Student Attendance Policy ................................................................................... 18 3.2. Fraud and Plagiarism ............................................................................................ 19 3.3. Binding Study Advice (BSA) .................................................................................. 21 3.4. Examination Regulation ....................................................................................... 22 4. The CPS Programme ................................................................................................... 23 4.1. Learning Outcomes .............................................................................................. 23 4.2. Curriculum ............................................................................................................ 24 5. Course descriptions year 1 ......................................................................................... 27 5
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1. Introduction The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a broad and multidisciplinary education. The study programme covers the complete ‘drug pipeline’ from discovery of new drugs to development and testing of new drugs in patients. As in drug research at big pharmaceutical companies, many disciplines have to come together to develop a new drug. These disciplines are biomedical sciences, chemistry and pharmacy. As a research scientist you need more than theoretical knowledge. You must be skilled in the lab and you need to think critically. You must be able to define a research question and develop a research design. What’s more, you must be able to see the ‘big picture’ and present your results in a paper, presentation or research proposal. Right from the start we help students develop both personal skills and scientific understanding. This is why we’ve created a research‐ and project‐based learning environment. By working in a group on scientific problems you will learn to use the disciplines and theories of pharmaceutical science to find creative solutions. You will also develop skills in ‘problem‐shooting’, cooperation and communication. We will coach you and help you become part of a scientific community. You will soon discover how much fun it is to work together with fellow students on crucial pharmaceutical problems. The project‐based learning environment we use is a form of Inquiry‐Based Learning (IBL, Questioning
also often called Enquiry‐Based learning, EBL). What is Inquiry‐based Learning? Researching
Reflecting
IBL is a broad umbrella term to describe approaches to learning that are driven by a process of enquiry. The teacher establishes Creating
the task and supports or facilitates the Discussing
process, but the students pursue their own lines of enquiry, draw on their existing Inquiry Based Learning
knowledge and identify the consequent Figure 1 learning needs. The students seek evidence to support their ideas and take responsibility for analysing and presenting this appropriately, either as part of a group or as an individual supported by others. They are thus engaged as partners in the learning process: …it promotes personal research...the student becomes more familiar with the multifarious resources at their disposal, such as e‐journals and databases. There is the opportunity to support one another in research and explore different avenues of information. The whole experience becomes one of interchange where students share opinions, research and experience in order to achieve an end result. IBL will thus stimulate you as a student to follow up interesting lines of enquiry and supports you in concentrating your efforts where you need to undertake further work. 7
IBL is usually organized around collaborative work in small groups or with structured support from others1. IBL is a student‐centered and student‐lead process. The purpose is to engage you as a student in active learning, ideally based on your own questions. Learning activities are organized in a cyclic way, independently of the subject. Each question leads to the creation of new ideas and other questions (see figure 1). This is almost analogous to performing research. In research also several sequential steps can be Figure 2 Obtained from: http://www.ukdrn.org/lrn/nec/public.aspx, July 2012 distinguished, called the research cycle. The Research Cycle in figure 2 identifies some of the main phases in the life of a research project. The cycle is not necessarily linear, and some, or even all of the steps may be revisited as research is completed2. Considering the large overlap in activities in research and IBL, IBL is a very good way to learn all the skills important in research and to prepare you for a future career as a (pharmaceutical) researcher. After completing the programme you have an internationally recognized Bachelor of Science degree. In addition you will receive a certificate of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. But what can you do next? It makes sense that you will enter a Master’s programme at Utrecht University, elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad. With a bachelor of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences there are many possibilities to enter a research‐
oriented Master’s programme at Utrecht University. Most of these Master’s programmes last two years and are English‐taught. As a CPS‐bachelor you are well prepared for a further specialization in pharmaceutical science. You can enter the selective Master programme Drug Innovation. The Drug Innovation Master’s programme focuses on interdisciplinary research in the field of the innovation and usage of drugs, biologicals (vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, gene therapeutics) and diagnostics. This international Master's programme offers a further training in the fascinating world of drug research. Other examples of Master programmes are the Epidemiology and Neuroscience & Cognition Master programmes. 1
Kahn and O’Rourke (2005) Understanding Enquiry‐Based Learning. Handbook of Enquiry & Problem Based Learning. Barrett, T., Mac Labhrainn, I., Fallon, H. (Eds). Galway: CELT. http://www.nuigalway.ie/celt/pblbook/ 2
http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/research‐support
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If you decide not to enter a Master’s programme the CPS is an excellent preparation to find a job at pharmaceutical and biomedical research institutes, the (pharmaceutical) industry or universities. 9
2. General Information Most information in this guide can also be found on: http://www.uu.nl/ science/students
Check this site regularly for updates and registration dates for courses. 2.1. Student desk At the student desk they can help you with all your questions about education, registration, courses, exams, comments and complaints and so on. The student desk of Pharmacy, and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, can be found in the David de Wied Building, Universiteitsweg 99, room 1.09. Opening hours
Mo ‐ Thur: Friday: 10.00‐12.00 & 12.30‐15.00 10.00‐12.00 Contact
Telephone: 030‐253 7310 Email: [email protected] 2.2. Academic counsellors 2.2.1. Programme Coordinator For general questions about the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, such as the programme, the electives, possibilities to study abroad, you can contact the programme coordinator of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Meijerman. Contact Telephone: Email: 06‐20290976 [email protected] 2.2.2. Tutor We believe in providing intensive support and supervision. This is why you will get a personal tutor to guide you throughout the programme, by helping you make study choices and with other, more personal issues. Furthermore, the tutor discusses your portfolio with you. Besides several compulsory meetings with you tutor, you can always make an appointment. The tutors are Daphne Deurloo and Karin Slot. Contact Daphne Deurloo Telephone: 06‐20245106 Email: [email protected] Karin Slot Telephone 06‐20266444
Email: [email protected] 10
2.2.3. Student counsellor The student counsellor provides advice and information about the study and everything around it. You can contact the student counsellor for questions concerning: study, transitional arrangements, personal problems, requests for graduation support, information about appeals, special circumstances and studying abroad. If there are special circumstances which influence your study progress (e.g. disease, personal problems), always make an appointment with the student counsellor. Make sure that you collect evidence material to support your situation (e.g. letters from physicians or other authorities). The student counsellor of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences is Carmen Jansen. She can be found in the David de Wied Building, Universiteitsweg 99, room 1.11. You can book your appointment online, see www.uu.nl/science/studentes > appointment study advisor Contact Carmen Jansen Working days: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Telephone: 030‐2537918 Email: [email protected] At www.uu.nl/students > student counselling, you can find study tips and helpful information about study‐related problems. 2.3. Questions concerning the university Student Services
You can contact Student Services for information on a wide range of issues relating to studying and student life. This includes admission, application and enrolment, tuition fees, financial assistance, working alongside your studies, insurance, schemes and facilities for outstanding student athletes, student housing and student organizations and information about studying with a disability or chronic illness. Contact details Frequently asked questions: www.uu.nl/QdeskEN E‐mail: [email protected] Tel: + 31 30 253 7000 (Monday to Friday 10‐12 am and 1‐3 pm) Fax: + 31 30 253 2627 Visitors’ address: UU for U, Student Services, Heidelberglaan 6, de Uithof (Monday to Friday 10 am ‐ 4 pm) 11
Postal address: Student Services Postbus 80125 3508 TC Utrecht The Netherlands Centre for Study Choice • More information http://www.centrumstudiekeuze.nl/English.aspx • For help and advice in rethinking your Bachelor degree choice or in choosing a Master’s degree 2.4. Practical Information 2.4.1. Solis ID Your Solis ID and Solis password give you access to a range of University IT resources such as Osiris, Blackboard and UU‐Gmail. Soon after you enrolled at the University, you received your Solis ID and Solis password in two separate e‐mails. These emails are generated for all students through an automatic link to the student progress and enrolment system Osiris. This process also involves the generation of an email address and the automatic inclusion of your data in Solis‐ugids. If you have not received these emails, you will need to visit Student Services with your student card (or proof of enrolment) (see 2.3). It is really important that you have your Solis ID and Solis password as Blackboard and UU‐Gmail will be used to provide you with essential information about the CPS. Some IT resources can only be accessed with a longer version of your Solis ID. This is the Solis ID you have received followed by '@soliscom.uu.nl'. Students with jobs at Utrecht University If you become employed at Utrecht University, you will retain your Solis ID and password. Applicable staff privileges will be automatically added to your Solis ID. In addition to your Gmail account, you will also get a Solis‐mail account. Note that this may affect receiving email at your UU Gmail account. 2.4.2. UU‐Gmail Utrecht University offers all students a Gmail account. As a new student, you will receive an email with your personal data at your private email account. Your university email address, which also is your Gmail account, is a combination of your name (initials and last name) with the addition: @students.uu.nl. This email address has 25GB of storage capacity. Log in to your UU Gmail account on http://gmail.students.uu.nl (please note: without www). You can find the FAQs about UU Gmail on this page. Please contact the IT Service Desk 12
through the Self‐Service Desk to submit a question about and report a problem with UU Gmail. For more information: www.uu.nl/science/students > ICT 2.4.3. Osiris‐student The study information system OSIRIS Student allows you to register for classes and exams, view your grades and credits, and schedule and change your address information. You can log in on OSIRIS Student (www.uu.nl/osirisstudent) with your Solis‐ID and password. The OSIRIS Student information is accessible from any computer with internet access. In the welcome screen, click on the ‘log in’ button and you will be asked for your user name and password. (You should have received your user name and password in a letter about OSIRIS). Click on the ‘log in’ button and your name and student number will appear. You can select other screens using the links at the top of the screen in order to change your address information, view your grades or print out a transcript overview. View or Change your Address Information ‐ Personal details This screen allows you to call up or change your address information. To enter changes, select the ‘Change address’ button at the bottom of the screen. View your Grades and Credits ‐ Results This screen allows you to view the results of your most recent courses and exams. Only the results of the last ten courses or exams will be displayed. To see a complete overview of all of your grades and credits, call up your transcript overview in OSIRIS Student. Transcript Overview The transcript overview allows you to view all of your course results achieved so far. To open a transcript overview, click on the heading ‘progress’ and select the transcript overview option. You can choose between a detailed and a summary transcript overview. The detailed overview shows the results of all courses, exams, required courses and electives. The summary overview shows only the final results for required courses. The results shown under ‘all phases’ include all grades and credits, regardless of the exam requirements for your study programme. When you select a specific phase, then the overview will only display the results applicable to the exam requirements for that phase. You can request an official certified transcript from the Student Desk, if needed. The Student Desk can also help you to correct any incorrect information in your transcript overview. 13
Registering for Courses You can register for all courses you wish to attend through OSIRIS Student. The student administration office limits the period for which a student can register for courses through OSIRIS Student. You can find information on Registration and De‐
registration on the Student Desk website. If you try to register for courses after the registration period, the message: “the registration period for... has expired” will appear. To register, type in the course code for the course you wish to attend and click on ‘Next’. Select the right block, then select ‘full time’ or ‘part time’. You will be asked whether the course is for your Bachelor’s or Master’s phase. Next, sign up for the work groups and labs listed under the selected course. De‐register Click on the 'De‐register' button to de‐register for courses. Again, you may only de‐
register during certain periods. You can find more information on Registration and De‐
registration on the Student Desk website. 2.4.4. Registration Course registration For the compulsory courses of the CPS programme (see Chapter 5) you don’t have to register. However, you have to register yourself for all elective courses (including the ones offered by the CPS). This is only possible during the registration periods. More information (also about the registration period) can be found on http://www.uu.nl/ science/ students under practical information, registration. Graduation procedure, Automatic graduation When you have fulfilled all requirements off your study programme, and consequently the registration in OSIRIS is completed, you will automatically be informed that your exam dossier will be presented to the Board of Examiners for assessment. If you have fulfilled all criteria, the Board of Examiners will pass your exam and determine the examination date (Re‐)enrolment To study at Utrecht University it is necessary to (re‐)enrol every year. The (re‐
)enrolment procedure may differ per situation. To continue the same programme you can re‐enrol via Studielink. We urge you to finalise your (re‐)enrolment request before August 1 so your enrolment becomes definitive before September 1! If you are not on time you cannot participate to the courses and exams.. After you log in at Studielink you click the ‘Possible reenrolments’ button and subsequently the ‘Reenrol’ button. You will receive an email from Utrecht University as soon as the Studielink website is open for re‐enrolment. 14
2.4.5. Blackboard Blackboard is the web based learning environment that is used at Utrecht University. Blackboard facilitates online interactions between students and staff. Access Blackboard via www.uu.nl/blackboard. 2.5. Library and Books 2.5.1. Library University Library, Uithof Heidelberglaan 3, Utrecht University Opening hours Mon to Fri: 8 am ‐ 10.30 pm (desks open at 9 am) Sat: 10 am ‐ 6 pm, Sun: 10 am – 10.30 pm 2.5.2. Books The books necessary for the course are mentioned in the course descriptions (see chapter 5) and course manuals. Members of Unitas Pharmaceuticorum (U.P) can purchase their books with a 15% discount. You need to order them in the web shop at www.upsv.nl before you can purchase and collect them in the U.P‐hol. You order your books per term. The web shop contains a list of books needed for each course, so you can easily figure out the titles needed for the courses you are about to follow. From the start of the new term students can buy the pre‐ordered books in the U.P.‐hol in the David de Wied building, room 0.37. U.P.'s bookshop is opened in the first week of the term from 11.00 ‐ 16.00 and in the other weeks from 12.20 ‐ 13.30. You can only pay by card. There is more information on the homepage of the web shop. When you have remaining questions, please contact [email protected] or 030 2535788. 2.6. Study Abroad During your Bachelor’s programme it is possible to study abroad for a while, especially to follow elective courses at another university during the second and third year of your study. The research project of the third year has to be performed in the Netherlands. 15
For studying within Europe you can employ the Erasmus exchange programme to study at a university abroad. For studying outside of Europe scholarships may be available. Please see www.uu.nl/science/studyabroad for more information. Going abroad requires a lot of careful planning! Ideally, start planning and organizing a full year before the intended stay abroad (see deadlines below!). You will be taking courses (or doing projects) that are inevitably different from Utrecht courses. Transfer of the credits of the courses taken abroad to your Utrecht programme is possible, if the courses are of a sufficient level. Formally, the board of examiners ('examencommissie') decides how many credits will be transferred and to which part of your programme. If you wish credits transferred to the major or mandatory part of your programme, it is advisable to seek the approval of the board before going abroad. Always contact your tutor, the student counsellor, or the Programme Coordinator to discuss the best place to go to, the best courses to take and how to optimally include your study abroad into your Utrecht study programme. Where to? The faculty of Science has arranged for exchange programs with partners in many countries ranging from Portugal to Poland, from Belgium to Turkey and beyond. More information about partner Universities can be found on www.uu.nl/science/studyabroad and www.uu.nl/students/exchange How to apply? To apply to study abroad you will have to make an appointment with the International Office. You can sign‐up for three preferred destinations. You will have to provide all the necessary documents and your Study Plan has to be approved and signed by the Programme Coordinator of the CPS, so start in time!! The Erasmuscode of the UU is: NL Utrecht 01. All the procedures can be found on www.uu.nl/science/studyabroad and www.uu.nl/students/exchange Deadlines for application are: 
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1 December 2013 for: UCLA, Kyoto, Philippines and Wisconsin‐Madison 15 January 2014 for: all other partners 1 February 2014 for: Science faculty partners So if you want to do your electives abroad in your second year, you already have to apply in your first year before January or February. For the third year, you will have to apply in your second year. 16
Contact International Office Bètawetenschappen Buys Ballot Lab, room 1.21, Princetonplein 5, De Uithof Tel: 030‐2532284/3704 Email: [email protected] International Office University Utrecht Studentservice/international Office, Heidelberglaan 8 Email: [email protected] Website: www.uu.nl/students/exchange 2.7. Unitas Pharmaceuticorum U.P.S.V. “Unitas Pharmaceuticorum” is the student association for students of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences in Utrecht. Being founded in 1894, we are the eldest student association Utrecht has to offer. In addition, with over 1500 pharmaceutical students we are the largest in the Netherlands in our field. Our main goal is to assist and aid all of our members the best way that we can. We have a close connection with the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, we organize various events in collaboration and we continuously evaluate the given courses. We also regulate the book store, our website and everything else that comes across. These practical matters are not all we are involved in. During our long history we have created a unique balance between educational‐ and relaxing activities. Several student committees work outside their college hours to enable seminars, excursions, parties, dinners, etc. As the board of this student association, we are always ready to answer any questions you may have. Monday through Friday (10.00‐17.00) you can usually find us at the U.P.‐hol, David de Wied building, room 0.37. On behalf of the board of U.P.S.V. “Unitas Pharmaceuticorum” I hope you thoroughly enjoy your college life and that we may soon greet you at our activities. 17
3. Rules and Regulations 3.1. Student Attendance Policy Introduction The Student Attendance Policy has been developed as part of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences’ (CPS) commitment to provide a supportive learning environment which enables all students who have chosen to study with the CPS to achieve their full potential. We recognize the investment that you, as a student, make when you enrol in a course and we believe that, as a responsible institution, we have the duty to monitor attendance, and to act on non‐attendance, so that you, and your fellow students, are supported to complete your study programme and develop a professional attitude. Policy Statement Attendance, preparation and active participation are key components in student retention, progression, achievement and employability. Regular attendance and academic achievement are closely linked. Students who actively participate in their learning by preparing and attending classes regularly are more likely i. to enjoy a rewarding experience in which their knowledge, skills and abilities are developed; ii. to successfully complete their course; iii. To achieve better results. We therefore expect you to attend all learning and teaching sessions associated with the programme. Examples of learning and teaching sessions include (but are not confined to) lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, group sessions, and laboratory and practical sessions. Policy 1. Students should arrive on time for classes and remain for the duration of the teaching session. Late arrival at, and early departure from, teaching sessions is disruptive, discourteous, unprofessional and unfair to other class members and teachers. After start of the lecture you are only allowed to enter the lecture room during a break. 2. Notify your teacher and fellow students in advance when you expect to be absent from scheduled classes or group sessions. 3. You are expected to attend all learning and teaching sessions of the programme. However, some learning and teaching sessions are always compulsory: practical work, exams and final presentations of group work. Other, course related, compulsory activities will be indicated by the teachers in the course manual or course schedule. 4. Unsatisfactory attendance includes failure to regularly attend learning and teaching sessions without providing a satisfactory reason to the teachers for absence and/or persistent late arrival at, or early departure from, learning and teaching sessions. Unsatisfactory attendance can lead to exclusion from the course 18
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or the replacement exam. In some cases, unsatisfactory attendance may result in an additional assignment. You have to obtain prior permission (e.g. in person, by phone or email) from your teacher for planned absences for two or more days during the course or from compulsory learning and teaching sessions. You have to contact the teacher/examiner of a course prior to an exam or examination moment (e.g. final presentation) when you are absent (e.g. due to sickness or other circumstances). By absence without giving notice in advance you will lose the right of a replacement exam. If you cannot take the replacement exam the teacher/examiner of the course will decide about a possible retake of the exam. Come well prepared to the learning and teaching sessions so that you can fully profit from the time spent in the class and improve your knowledge, skills and abilities. Participate in class!!! Actively participating in class has many advantages: you will get better contact with teachers and fellow students, you force yourself to play close attention and think critically about the subject which will help you understand and learn the subject matter, and you will practice your speaking skills and learn to develop ideas quickly, which are lifelong skills that will help you in your future career. You will always have a personal tutor. If there are any problems, personal, with other students or with your teacher, that influence your attendance or learning, don’t hesitate and make an appointment with your tutor. Based on documents of the University of Bolton and University Language Services 3.2. Fraud and Plagiarism Introduction Fraud and plagiarism are defined in the Education and Examination Regulation (OER) as follows: "Fraud and plagiarism are defined as any act or omission on the part of the student, which makes it difficult or impossible to assess his/her knowledge, insight and skills correctly." This includes fraud during exams or assessments, but also plagiarism in case of papers and essays. The Utrecht University will ensure that students are instructed in the principles of academic practice at the earliest possible stage of their course and are kept abreast of what the institution considers to be plagiarism, so that they are aware of the standards with which they are required to comply. Those (co‐)committing fraud or plagiarism will be punished by the sanctions described in the Education‐ and Examination Regulation (OER). 19
Fraud The following actions are especially understood as fraud: 
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copying from other test candidates or exchanging information with them in any way during a test; being in possession of any tool (previously programmed calculator, mobile phone, books, syllabuses, notes, etc.) of which use is not explicitly warranted, during the test; passing oneself off as someone else, or letting oneself be represented by someone else during the test; obtaining the questions or assignment of the test in question before the test date or time; faking up responses from questionnaires and interviews, or research data. Plagiarism The Utrecht University uses the following checklist for plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as including data or sections of text from others in a thesis or other paper without quoting the source. Plagiarism includes the following: 
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cutting and pasting text from digital sources such as encyclopaedias or digital publications without using quotation marks and referring to the source; cutting and pasting text from the internet without using quotation marks and referring to the source; using excerpts from printed material such as books, magazines or other publications or encyclopaedias without using quotation marks and referring to the source; using a translation of the abovementioned texts without using quotation marks and referring to the source; paraphrasing the abovementioned texts without referring to the source. A paraphrase may not consist purely of replacing several words by synonyms; using visual, audio or test material from others without referring to the source and presenting this as own work; using the work of other students and passing this off as own work. If this happens with the permission of the other student, the latter is also guilty of plagiarism; in the event that, in a joint paper, one of the authors commits plagiarism, the other authors are also guilty of plagiarism, if they could or should have known that the other was committing plagiarism; submitting papers obtained from a commercial institution (such as an internet site offering excerpts or papers) or having such written by someone else in return for payment. How to avoid plagiarism To avoid plagiarism during writing of a report or essay, it is important to give credit to the sources of information (also if it is a website!). This needs to be done if you copy directly from a text (quotation), but also if you used someone's ideas and put them in your own words (paraphrase). A quotation must always be placed in quotation marks. 20
A good source citation indicates where the original information can be found. This includes (if applicable): author(s), title, chapter, page numbers, volume, year and date of publication, internet address. Be rather reserved to refer to websites, since the information on websites may be altered in the course of time. Try to refer only to reliable websites. It is not necessary to cite a source if the information is common knowledge. Information that can be found in numerous places or is likely to be known by a lot of people, is common knowledge. Source: Graduate School of Life Sciences – Fraud and Plagiarism, http://www.uu.nl/university/education/EN/graduateschools/gsls/students/practicalm
atters/RulesandRegulations/Pages/Fraudandplagiarism.aspx) 3.3. Binding Study Advice (BSA) Interim study advice
At the end of the first semester (no later than the 31st of January) you will get an interim and not binding study advice. This advice is based on the number of credits you have earned at that time. You get a positive recommendation if you have earned 15 credits or more. You get a negative recommendation if you have earned less than 15 credits. A negative interim opinion is not binding. It is an urgent advice to stop. Please note that if you cancel your enrolment before the 1st of February in the first year of your studies, you will not be issued a binding negative study advice. Cancelling your enrolment in the first year also has consequences for your student grant and student travel product. Final Advice At the end of the academic year (no later than the 31st of August) you will receive the binding study advice. If you have earned 45 credits or more at the end of your first year, you will get a positive study advice. With less than 45 credits you must stop your study and you cannot re‐enrol for the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Utrecht for the coming 4 years. The advice is temporary if you want special circumstances to be taken into consideration. If you decide not to do so, the advice is directly binding. Delayed Binding Study Advice Under the circumstances that you have obtained a negative study advice while there have been circumstances beyond your control that may have affected your study results negatively you can apply for a Delayed BSA. You have to send an email to [email protected]. You will receive an invitation to explain your situation. Please make sure that you collect sufficient supporting evidence. And note that you are obliged to address your circumstances, which influence your study progress, as soon as reasonably possible. 21
3.4. Examination Regulation The Education and Examination Regulations (OER, in Dutch) of the Bachelor’s programme of Pharmacy can be found on www.uu.nl/studenten/farmacie The Education and Examination Regulations (OER) is the official document, in which all rules about the curriculum, the grading and the examinations is described. Unfortunately, no official English translation is available at the moment, but the student counsellor can help or advise you when needed. 22
4. The CPS Programme 4.1. Learning Outcomes Learning outcomes have been defined for the Bachelor of Pharmacy and the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The graduate should have developed knowledge, insight, skills and attitudes as specified below, at the level of an academic bachelor. Knowledge and insight The graduate has knowledge of and insight into:  the most important processes and mechanisms involved in the disease processes;  the different levels of organization (molecules, cells, tissues and organisms) and their interactions, in humans and animals;  the major clinical pharmacological, epidemiological and (bio)‐analytical research methods and techniques used in pharmaceutical research.;  methodology and statistical methods, relevant for pharmaceutical research;  the main groups of pharmaceuticals, their chemical and physical properties and their mechanism of action at the molecular and cellular level;  the processes and theories that play a role in the metabolism, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics;  routes of administration of medicines, and the influence of chemical and physical properties of pharmaceuticals on their storage condition and expiration date;  social and ethical issues of pharmaceutical research, such as medical ethics (medical ethical committee, animal ethical committee);  the safety issues of pharmaceutical research, such as legislation and regulation, relevant quality standards and quality models and the careful use of biological and chemical materials. Skills The graduate is able to:  form an opinion and develop a viewpoint on pharmaceutical questions, thereby taking into account relevant scientific, social or ethical issues;  find and analyse relevant data (literature, research data) in the pharmaceutical and (bio)medical field, critically judge these data and use them for research, to formulate a theory, and for the preparation and quality control of medicines;  translate a clinical or fundamental pharmaceutical problem into a research question and subsequently, under supervision, design a (simple) experimental or compounding protocol, execute this and report about the results in a manner that fulfils scientifically accepted criteria; 23
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apply pharmaceutical laboratory techniques and skills under supervision, including pharmaceutical calculations and maintaining a laboratory notebook; report orally and in writing, present to, and communicate with a diversity of target groups (other academics, healthcare professionals and laypeople); discuss, reason, collaborate, and to give and receive feedback; reflect on his/her own development and (study)career, make conscious choices and commit to a further (study)career; perform pharmaceutical research both independently as well as in a team. Attitudes The graduate demonstrates:  an respectful and constructive‐critical attitude towards own and other people’s plans, quality care systems, visions and research results;  a social and ethical attitude towards science, society and social problems that affect the profession of researchers or pharmacists;  a respectful and responsible attitude towards fellow students and other professional contacts;  the ability to independently obtain relevant knowledge and skills and to maintain them lifelong. 4.2. Curriculum At Utrecht University every study year is divided into 4 periods of 10 weeks (figure 3). Most of the CPS‐courses are full time, 15 credit, courses and have an estimated study load of at least 40 hours a week. The credits are standard credits according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The other courses, in particular elective courses, are scheduled parallel in ‘timeslots’ and have an estimated study load of 20 hours a week (7.5 credits). The model below explains the time slot concept. In this model, the weekdays are shown on the horizontal axis and the time in lecture hours are shown on the vertical axis. One time slot is a group of fixed days and times that repeats on a weekly basis. Each time slot is indicated by its own letter: A, B, C, D or E. The number of hours, days and times differs for each time slot. Most of the time the combinations AD and BC are used. The week is divided into time slots as follows: 24
combinations limited to A+B, A+D, B+C 
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A1‐A5: 3 time slots, 5 sub‐slots spread over 3 days B1‐B5: 3 time slots, 5 sub‐slots spread over 2 days C1‐C5: 4 time slots, 7 sub‐slots spread over 3 days D1‐D5: 4 time slots, 7 sub‐slots spread over 2 days, of which 4 sub‐slots are scheduled consecutively on one day. The E‐timeslot is seldom used for the CPS‐programme and other full‐time programmes of the Faculty of Science. The CPS‐programme has a total load of 180 credits and consists of major compulsory courses (60 credits), major elective courses (60 credits) and a free part, the electives. The courses can be level 1 (introductory), level 2 ( deepened ), and level 3 (advanced). In addition, 30 credits extra will be obtained in the honours programme of the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (see part honours programme) The major compulsory part (60 credits) of the CPS‐programme are those courses that every student has to take. These courses will provide you with a basic knowledge of pharmaceutical science, and skills that every CPS‐student needs (see figure 3, red) The major elective courses offer an orientation possibility into those subjects that you find interesting. From the major elective courses you should always choose between the two or three offered courses (see figure 3, orange). The exception is the undergraduate research project. This can be performed at one of the research groups at the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences or any other laboratory of the Utrecht Life Sciences of your own choice. You are only allowed to start with the research project when you have finished all compulsory courses with a sufficient grade. In the major you will get acquainted with many disciplines within the field of pharmaceutical science such as pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, epidemiology and toxicology. In the second and third year of the programme there is the opportunity to choose elective courses in one or more fields of your own choice (see figure 3, white). By using these elective courses you can follow your own ambitions and interest. Elective courses can be chosen from courses within the University of Utrecht, but also from other universities in the Netherlands or abroad (see also Chapter 5.2). It is possible to do a minor at another faculty or university. A minor is a coherent package of subjects relating to a specific fields of science. The Board of Examiners will determine whether a selection of courses can be marked as a minor. The offer of minors at Utrecht University can be found on www. uu.nl /minors (most of these are however in Dutch). Note that some minors will have specific demands and a limited capacity. Most minors comprise four courses ( at least 30 credits). Your tutor can help you with making your choices, making sure that all together you will built a coherent programme. 25
Registration You have to register yourself for all compulsory courses in year 2 and 3 (so not only for elective courses). This is only possible during the registration periods. More information about registration and about the registration period can be found on http://www.uu.nl/science/students under practical information, registration. To register for a course you have to use Osiris. Honours programme The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences is an honours programme. The contents and educational approach are aimed at excellent/gifted students. In addition, part of the programme is the involvement of students in extracurricular activities together with honours students from the regular Pharmaceutical Sciences programme and the Faculty of Science. All students will join the extracurricular honours programme (EHP) of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The aim of the EHP programme is to stimulate social and professional interaction between honours students from CPS, Pharmaceutical Sciences and other departments in the Faculty of Science and to offer extra challenges and opportunities in the form of complex projects. You can determine projects that you would like to work on, alone or together with other students from CPS or the regular Pharmaceutical Sciences programme. The additional work load for the EHP has been set to 15 European Credits for each year. Projects can be research projects, organizing symposia, working on a book, …… the possibilities are endless! Projects have to be approved by the EHP coordinator and will be evaluated yearly by the HP board. Furthermore, there are 10 meetings a year to support the projects and to get in contact with the other students (2 social events, 4 thematic events and 4 update meetings). In addition, part of the HP‐
programme is participation in the interdisciplinary HP programme of the Faculty of Science. This program is 5 EC (as part of the 15 EC). Note: The exact requirements of the EHP are under discussion and may change during the academic year 2014‐2015. 26
5. Course descriptions year 1 Year 1 ‐ Period 1 Epidemiology and Clinical Development of New Drugs Course Code FA‐CPS‐101 Timeslot: ABCD Credits: 15 EC Approaches Project work, which will consist of two parts: ‘The Disease File’ and ‘The Clinical Trial’. Furthermore there will be lectures, workshops, in particular on statistics, study design, and literature search, and the design and execution of an in vivo experiment. Every Friday afternoon there will be ‘Quite Interesting Afternoon’‐ meetings. In these meetings you will reflect on what you have learned. Assessment The grade is based on the assessment of the reports and presentations of the different projects, and the grade for the individual exam. Contents We all know people that use medication, like for chronic diseases, infections and for a headache. But what kind of drugs are there anyway, and how do we know that they are effective? Currently there are many drugs on the market for multiple diseases. They could only enter the market after their efficacy and safety was thoroughly investigated in clinical trials, first in human volunteers (phase I) and later on in groups of patients (phase II and III). This clinical process however cannot guarantee that all adverse effects are revealed and efficacy is efficiently proven. 27
Therefore epidemiologic research and post‐marketing studies are necessary to get real ‘evidence‐based’ drugs. In this course you will learn about epidemiology and clinical trials. Furthermore, you will learn basic statistics used to perform clinical and epidemiological research. In addition, you will be introduced into literature research so that you can find your way around in literature databases to find the information you will need for your project. Course Aims After this course you will be able to: 1. Recognize the research‐cycle 2. Design, execute and process the data of a simple in vivo experiment 3. Design and process the data of a clinical study 4. Express a critical attitude towards evidence based medicine and ethical aspects of pharmaceutical research 5. Use literature databases 6. Write a report and review the reports of other students 7. Use basic statistical tests and basic epidemiology methods to process data of experiments and clinical trials 8. Execute basic meeting skills Educational Material For this course you need the book “Medical Statistics at a Glance” of A. Petrie and C. Sabin (2009) and “Drug Discovery and Development – Technology in Transition” of H.P. Rang (2006). Coordinator Dr. A.S. Koster, email: [email protected] 28
Year 1 ‐ Period 2 Behaviour of the drug in the human body Course Code FA‐CPS‐102 Timeslot: ABCD Credits: 15 EC Approaches A project (e.g. creating a drug file) forms the central part of this course. It will consist of literature search and real experiments in the laboratory. In addition, there will be lectures, assignments, workshops on presenting skills (both oral and poster), and practical work in the laboratory. Every week there is an opportunity to meet an expert in his research area. Assessment Grading is based on the assessment of the drug file, presentations of the different projects, participation during meetings, and the grade for the individual exam. Contents A lot of people are taken drug products regularly to decrease the symptoms of their diseases. Even in some cases drug products are used to cure a disease (e.g. bacterial infection). Most drug products are taken orally. Once liberated from the drug formulation, the active compound enters the blood circulation with subsequently distribution throughout the whole body. This will eventually lead to an effect in the body (e.g. decrease in inflammation). Since active compounds are exogenous the body will try to eliminate the compounds via different routes. In this course you will learn about the basic concepts of what the drug can do to the body and what the body can do to a drug. Furthermore, you will learn basic laboratory skills which you can apply in your project. In addition, you will be introduced into designing and performing experiments. Course Aims After this course you will be able to: 1. describe the basic concepts of the organs (lungs, cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys, intestine, nervous system and immune system) 2. describe and explain the formulation of drugs products, with special attention to the tablet 3. analyse tablets by using European guidelines for tablets 4. perform basic pharmacokinetic calculations 5. describe and explain how drugs are eliminated from the body 6. describe and explain the general concepts of where and how neurological and immunological drugs act 7. execute basic laboratory skills 8. design and perform laboratory experiments 9. write a drug file and review the reports of other students 29
10. develop a research poster Educational Material For this course you need a book on anatomy and physiology and “Principles of Pharmacology: the pathophysiologic basis of drug therapy.” of D.E. Golan et al. (2011). Coordinator Mw. Dr. A. van Houwelingen, email: [email protected] 30
Year 1‐ Period 3 Drug Targets Course Code FA‐CPS‐103 Timeslot: ABCD Credits: 15 ECTS Approaches The course consists of two main project assignments, 1) the Receptor Report, in which you will work in small teams of 2 to 4 students, and 2) the Short Research Article that you will prepare on your own. The required background knowledge to complete the assignments will be collected through lectures, workshops, practical assignments and laboratory experiments. Assessment The final grade is based on the assessment of the report and the article, the presentations of the different projects, and the grade for the individual exam. Contents You will discover how drugs act within the cell, and in particular how they act at the molecular level. Basically, there are two kinds of drugs against disease, these are the ‘small molecule’ drugs (a low molecular weight organic compound, typically between 300‐700 Da, e.g. aspirin) and the ‘biopharmaceuticals’ (a high molecular weight biomolecule, like a vaccine, a therapeutic antibody, or RNAi). Starting with the ‘key‐and‐lock’ model, you will learn about the role of ligands and receptors, and about the interaction of drugs with their molecular targets in the cell. You will get familiarized with drugs like growth‐factor receptor antagonists, signal transduction pathway inhibitors and enzyme activity blocking agents, as well as with drug targeting approaches to improve the efficacy and/or selectivity of drugs. Course Aims After this course you will be able to: 1. Describe the interaction between ligands (drugs, substrates) and their macromolecular target (receptor, enzyme); both qualitatively ‐ and quantitatively (ligand binding and enzyme kinetics, inhibition) 2. Describe the role of membrane receptors and other receptors involved in signal transduction cascades in the cell in health and disease 3. Describe cellular processes related to the use of novel drugs, like RNAi 4. Perform protein analysis techniques like SDS‐PAGE, Western blotting 5. Use protein databases, DNA databases, disease related databases, and search for gene or protein homology. 6. Write a receptor report about a receptor and its interaction with a specific drug and you will present these data in an oral presentation. 7. Write a short research article, according to the standards used for scientific publications in peer‐reviewed journals like ‘Nature’ and ‘Science’ 31
Educational Material For this course you need the book ‘Molecular Biology of the Cell’, 5th revised edition, by Bruce Alberts ea. (2007). Coordinators Dr. R.J. Kok. email: [email protected] and Mw. Dr. M. Slijper, email: [email protected] 32
Year 1 ‐Period 4 The Drug Molecule Course Code FA‐CPS‐104 Timeslot: ABCD Credits: 15 EC Approaches The course ‘The Drug Molecule’ consists of three parts. The first part (weeks 1‐6) is focused on theoretical aspects to understand the chemical properties of drug molecules. The second part (weeks 7‐8) consists of working on the project ‘the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new drug against bacterial infections’ (project I). Finally, weeks 9 and 10 focus on an overall‐analysis of ‘the drug design process’, e.g. all aspects of drug design and development, as mentioned in courses A‐D, should be discussed in a final project (project II). With respect to the first part: at the beginning of each week, we will start with a ‘wicked problems?’ meeting in which the students must define their own learning goals. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be used for self‐study, interspersed with feedback meetings with the teachers on a ‘when‐needed’ basis. Lab‐work is scheduled on every Wednesday, and there will also be possibilities to illustrate theoretical aspects by several demonstration experiments. The Fridays will be used for ‘reflection on tasks’ meetings, ‘peer and self‐assessment’ sessions, and a weekly ‘summary and outlook’ discussion. Assessment The final grade is based on the written exam (40%), project I (30%), project II (20%), and the individual contributions to class meetings (10%). Contents In this course you will learn to understand which chemical properties play a role in the mode of action of drugs and drug‐like molecules. Topics that will be discussed include: structure of atoms and molecules, types and properties of functional groups, acid‐base properties/equilibrium, reaction kinetics and thermodynamics, thermodynamics of drug binding, physicochemical properties of drug molecules (logP, logD, pKa), chemical reactivity and organic synthesis, stereochemistry and conformations, drug‐target interaction, biomolecules. Course Aims After following this course, the student is able to: •recognize functional groups that play an important role in molecular properties like solubility, acidity, hydrophobicity, chemical stability, and interaction, •design several basic experiments for the chemical synthesis and characterization, and biochemical analysis of drug‐like derivatives, •understand the whole process of drug design and drug development, known as the ‘drug pipeline’, •work together, in which all aspects of team‐work are incorporated. 33
Educational Material The following text book is required for this course: ‘Chemistry3’ by a. Burrows, J. Holman, A. Parsons, G. Pilling and G. Price (2009) Oxford University Press, ISBN: 978‐
0‐19‐927789‐6. (or the 2nd Ed ISBN: 978‐0‐19‐969185‐2) Coordinator Dr. ir. D.T.S. Rijkers, email: [email protected] 34
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