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Bachelor of Engineering (Pharmaceutical)

Campus North Terrace Campus

Degree Type Bachelor

Duration 4 years full-time or part-time? equiv.

SATAC Code 324451

2009
ATAR 83.95

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  • Program Outline

    Pharmaceutical engineers are vital to improving health and the well being of society through the development, large scale production, packaging and delivery of health-care products. Graduates will be capable of directing development, commercialisation and manufacturing of components within the pharmaceutical industry.

    With a global shortage graduates will command lucrative national and international career opportunities. Pharmaceutical engineers work in industries such as pharmaceutical, nanotechnology, biotechnology, biomedical, food and food additives, nutrition, cosmetics and personal products. Pharmaceutical engineering is extremely rewarding for many different reasons. Working in the health industry as an engineer, speeding up delivery time of drugs to patients, making medications more affordable and more widely available, and designing new drugs to target very specific parts of the human body with fewer side effects. Pharmaceutical engineering is a high-tech program with an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to post-genomic engineering. It takes a sustainable approach, minimising waste and maximising the use of by-products.

    The degree is concerned with pharmaceutical process improvement. Students learn how to develop drug formulation processes at an industrial scale with high levels of efficacy and how to improve the economical delivery, manufacturing and packaging, and design of pharmaceutical products.

     

  • Program Structure
    The first two years of the program build a scientific and engineering foundation for the more specialist pharmaceutical engineering courses which predominate in the third and fourth years. The degree is concerned with pharmaceutical process improvement. Students will learn how to develop drug formulation processes at an industrial scale with high levels of efficacy, and how to improve the economical delivery, manufacturing and packaging, and design of pharmaceutical products. Students are required to complete 12 weeks of approved work experience.
  • Related Programs
  • Admission and Fee Information

    Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions information for this program.
    I am a:

    Domestic applicants

    Not a domestic applicant? ?

    SATAC Code 324451
    2009 CSP ATAR 83.95
    2009 CSP IB 30
    Annual tuition fees ?
    Commonwealth-supported place: $7,567
    Mid-year entry? Only if prerequisites to core subjects have been completed
    Enquiries Student Centre
    Selection Criteria ?
    Year 12 applicants
    You must not have completed more than 4 years full time equivalent university study (96 units). You compete for a place with your Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER).
    Prerequisites ?
    SACE Stage 2: Mathematical Studies and TWO of Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Specialist Mathematics.

    IB: either Mathematics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) and TWO of Biology, Chemistry or Physics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3); or, Mathematics (HL grade 3) and ONE of Biology, Chemistry or Physics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3)

    Midyear applicants must also have completed SACE Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics, or Mathematics 1MA (or equivalent) to allow enrolment in Mathematics 1A in Semester 2. To ensure that you meet the entry requirements, contact the Student Centre.
    Alternative entry pathways
    • Higher Education applicants
      You must have completed at least half a year full time equivalent higher education study. A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined). You compete on the basis of your best GPA.
    • VET applicants
      You must have completed an AQF Diploma or above. Your application will be ranked according to the level of the award.
    • Special Entry applicants
      You must be 18 years or over before February 1st of the year that you will be studying. If you have studied a higher education program within the last two years, you must not have studied more than 2 years full-time equivalent in that program and you must not hold a completed higher education level award. If you meet this criteria, you will be ranked according to your result in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Your STAT result is weighted such that the verbal component contributes 35% and the quantitative component contributes 65% to your overall score. Personal Competencies (PC) and Employment Experience (EE) statements may also contribute to your rank. If you submit a PC or EE statement, and one of these ranks higher than your STAT score, then the highest ranking statement will contribute 50% to your overall rank and the STAT will contribute the remaining 50%. If you do not submit a PC or EE statement, or if the statements have a lower rank than the STAT, then you will compete for a place on the basis of your STAT result only. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Scheme. See Wilto Yerlo for further information.
    • Without formal qualifications?
      You may be eligible for our special access schemes.
    How to Apply ?
    SATAC Code: 324451

    International applicants

    Not an international applicant? ?

    International ATAR 80
    IB 26
    IELTS Overall 6 [more info]
    Annual tuition fees ? International student place: $25,000
    Mid-year entry? Yes
    Enquiries Student Centre
    Selection Criteria ?
    Prerequisites ?
    Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics
    Equivalent Scores
    International ATAR 80
    IB 26
    IELTS
    Overall
    Reading
    Listening
    Writing
    6
    5.5
    5.5
    6
    How to Apply ?

    International applicants applying with Australian year 12 results

    Not an international applicant applying with Australian year 12 results? ?

    International ATAR 80
    Annual tuition fees ? International student place: $25,000
    Mid-year entry? Yes
    Enquiries Student Centre
    Selection Criteria ?
    Prerequisites ?
    SACE Stage 2: Mathematical Studies and TWO of Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Specialist Mathematics.

    IB: either Mathematics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) and TWO of Biology, Chemistry or Physics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3); or, Mathematics (HL grade 3) and ONE of Biology, Chemistry or Physics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3)

  • Areas of Specialisation

    Pharmaceutical Engineering

  • Study Plans

    The study plans ? given are examples of pathways through this degree for students that commenced their program in 2010 (refer to the program rules). Students that commenced in previous years should refer to the tabs above(referring to years) or consult their Faculty for advice.

    Level I

    Semester 1

    Semester 2

    * Students who have undertaken SACE Stage 2 Specialist Maths will be required to enrol in Maths IA followed by Maths IB. Students who have not taken SACE Stage 2 Specialist maths will be required to enrol in Maths IMA followed by Maths IA and Maths IB in summer semester to complete the requirements at Level 1.

    ^ Students with a Subject Achievement score of at least 13 in SACE Stage 2 Chemistry or equivalent must enrol in CHEM 1100 Chemistry IA / CHEM 1200 Chemistry IB. All other students must enrol in CHEM 1101 Foundations of Chemistry IA / CHEM 1201 Foundations of Chemistry IB.

    International Students

    All international students who do not have English as their first language are required to undertake the course ENG 3003 Engineering Communication EAL - usually in their first semester of study in Adelaide. This course will replace one of the courses in the above study plan. Students will be given an individual study plan that show when they will need to undertake ENG 3003 Engineering Communication EAL.
    Level II

    Semester 1

    Semester 2

    Level III

    Semester 1

    Semester 2

    • CHEM ENG 3026 Pharmaceutical Engineering Projects & Expt Design III (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 3025 Pharmaceutical Plant Design & Process Engineering (3 units)
    • CHEM 3214PE Medicinal & Biological Chemistry III (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 3021 Advanced Pharmaceutical Unit Operations (3 units)
    Level IV

    Semester 1

    • PHARM 4200 Drugs, Discovery and Development (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4036 Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Validation & Regulation) & Packaging Systems (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4034 Professional Practice IV (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4038 Particulate Processes & Colloid Science (3 units)

    Semester 2

    • CHEM ENG 4035 Pharmaceutical Plant Design Project (includes lectures on Process Safety & Management) (6 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4033 Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Project(H) (3 units)  OR
    • CHEM ENG 4037 Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Project (N) (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 3031 Process Control & Utilities (3units)
    Electives*
    • CHEM ENG 4045 Introduction to Nanotechnology (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4040 Chemical Engineering Research Elective (3 units)
    • CHEM ENG 4039 Environmental Engineering (3 units)
    • Plus any appropriate Science elective subject to approval from the Head of School
    • * Electives not offered in 2010
     
  • Career Opportunities

    Pharmaceutical Engineers can work in diverse fields such as: 

    • Pharmaceutical
    • Nanotechnology
    • Biotechnology
    • Biomedical
    • Food & Food Additives
    • Nutrition
    • Cosmetics & Personal Products

    Graduates will be capable of directing development, commercialisation and manufacturing of components within the pharmaceuticals industry. With a global labour shortage, graduates will command lucrative national and international career opportunities. Further graduates of this program will have the flexibility and option to practice as a Chemical Engineer.



    Potential careers

    Nanotechnologist, Engineer, Biotechnology, Environmental Engineer, Researcher, Pharmaceutical Engineering

  • Graduate Attributes

    The objective of the undergraduate Chemical Engineering programs is to produce graduates with following attributes:

    • The ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals.
    • Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large.
    • In-depth technical competence in at least one chemical engineering discipline.
    • Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance.
    • Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multi-disciplinary and multicultural teams; with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team manager.
    • Understanding the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development.
    • Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them; and expectation of the need to undertake lifelong learning, and capacity to do so.
    • Ability to focus on the integration of process safety considerations with environmental concerns, waste minimisation, and control system specifications.
    • Confidence to tackle real-world problems and issues central to engineering and to work as individuals and cooperatively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
    • Enthusiasm and interest for undertaking life-long learning and the continual updating of their engineering skills.
  • Professional Accreditation

    The program is designed to provide the necessary academic requirements for professional membership of Engineers Australia and many overseas engineering bodies.

  • Work Placement

    Students are required to complete 12 weeks of approved work experience.

  • Program Rules
  • Further Information
    Telephone (08) 8303 6476. Email: ecms_office@adelaide.edu.au. Website: www.ecms.adelaide.edu.au. Open Day 2008, 17 August, talk at 3.30pm. Information session Tuesday 9 December 2008.
  • Useful Links

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Last updated: Wednesday, 8 Feb 2012

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