University of Sydney Handbooks - 2012 Archive

Download full 2012 archive Page archived at: Wed, 02 May 2012 14:20:26 +1000

Bachelor of Pharmacy

The Bachelor of Pharmacy is the only undergraduate degree offered at the Faculty of Pharmacy. The degree is a full-time, four-year course with progression towards the degree by the accumulation of credit points. The degree may be awarded at the Pass or Honours level.

Curriculum

The course will cover major topics including chemical, physical, pharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of medicines and the application of these in the practice of pharmacy. Practical experience in a variety of clinical settings, including hospital and community pharmacy, is emphasised in the Bachelor of Pharmacy, particularly in the third and fourth years.

The curriculum allows students to undertake the study of a major in their final year of the program. Majors are offered in Rural Pharmacy, Industrial Pharmacy and International Exchange. These majors allow students to participate in a range of activities, including extended placements in rural or industrial environments or to participate in an international exchange program.

Assumed knowledge

It should be noted that most of the first-year units of study will be taught on the assumption that students have reached the standard of assumed knowledge specified in the units of study table.

Prerequisites and corequisites

To be eligible to enrol in second-year, third-year and fourth-year units of study, students must have completed the prerequisite unit(s) of study. Any corequisite unit(s) of study not previously completed must be taken concurrently (see units of study table).

Course rules

 

Bachelor of Pharmacy

Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code

Course title

PH001

Bachelor of Pharmacy

2 Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for this course is full time only.

3 Admission to candidature

(1)
Admission to undergraduate courses at the University of Sydney is either on the basis of completion of secondary study via the NSW Higher School Certificate, leading to the award of an Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) plus a satisfactory result in the STAT (Special Tertiary Admissions Test) or equivalent (and subject to special admissions provisions as set out in the Coursework Rule) .
(2)
Rural Students Entry Scheme
Students who completed an Australian Year 12 examination in either of the two preceeding years, have no tertiary record, and have completed at least the last four years of secondary education at a rural school, may be eligible for admission under the Faculty of Pharmacy Rural Students Entry Scheme for study in the Bachelor of Pharmacy. Under this scheme, a limited number of places will be available to applicants whose ATAR is not more than five points below the Main Round ATAR cut-off.

4 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for the course are set out in Table 1.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the pass degree, a candidate must successfully complete 192 credit points, including:
(a)
144 core credit points in the first three years; and
(b)
an additional 48 credit points consisting of:
(i)  48 credit points of core units of study; or
(ii)  24 credit points of core units of study plus 24 credit points of major units of study.

5 Additional requirements prior to commencing clinical placements

(1)
Information about the procedures for gaining clearance for clinical placements will be provided after enrolment.
(2)
Student clearance for clinical placements
The New South Wales Department of Health requires that all students obtain clearance in order to undertake clinical placements. This involves a criminal record check according to NSW Health policy.
(3)
Prohibited employment declaration
All students should complete a prohibited employment declaration as required by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People.
(4)
Immunisation
All students must have evidence of vaccinations and immunisation against certain infectious diseases prior to undertaking clinical placements. The requirements are consistent with Australian public health policy and NSW Health guidelines.

6 Progression rules

(1)
Candidates may not take a second year unit of study until they have:
(a)
gained credit for at least 24 credit points in first year units of study; and
(b)
successfully completed the first year units of study, prescribed by the Faculty as qualifying or prerequisite units of study for the second year, as set out in Table 1.
(2)
Candidates may not take a third year unit of study until they have successfully completed all the first year units of study, and all the second year units of study prescribed as qualifying or prerequisite units of study for the third year, as set out in Table 1.
(3)
Candidates may not take a fourth year unit of study until they have:
(a)
gained credit for at least 18 credit points derived from third year units of study; and
(b)
successfully completed all the third year units of study prescribed by the Faculty as qualifying or prerequisite units of study for the fourth year, as set out in Table 1.
(4)
Candidates who fail one unit of study in the third year, and who have no previous record of failure in the degree, may apply for a prerequisite waiver which would allow enrolment in the full complement of subsequent year units of study, together with the failed unit of study.

7 Majors

(1)
Completion of a major is not a requirement of the course. Candidates have the option of completing one major. A major requires the completion of 24 credit points chosen from units of study listed in the table for that major. The majors available are:
(a)
Rural
(b)
Industrial
(c)
International
(d)
Management

8 Requirements for the Honours degree

(1)
Honours is available to meritorious candidates who complete an alternative set of units of study in the final year of the program. Admission to the honours program is by permission of the program coordinator after the completion of third year.
(2)
Admission requires:
(a)
candidates to normally be of no more than three years standing, and normally have no fail or absent fail results; and
(b)
a WAM of at least 65 in year two and three units of study.
(3)
Honours students can progress to second semester Honours only if they obtain a credit average in their first semester marks. Students who fail this requirement will go back to the Pass stream, fourth year second semester.
(4)
To qualify for the award of the honours degree a candidate must:
(a)
complete the requirements for the pass degree but include the alternative 30 credit point honours pathway described in the table of units for the degree; and
(b)
normally be of no more than four years standing in the degree;
(c)
normally have no fail or absent fail results.
(5)
The grade of honours will be determined by HWAM and is awarded with the following grades:

Level of honours

Honours mark

HWAM

First Class

mark >= 85

HWAM >= 75

Second Class, Division 1

mark >= 80

70 <= HWAM < 75

Second Class, Division 2

mark >= 75

65 <= HWAM < 70

Honours not awarded

mark < 75

HWAM < 65

Candidates not meeting these criteria will be awarded the pass degree.
(6)
HWAM means the Honours Weighted Average Mark calculated from results for all 2000, 3000 and 4000 level units attempted for the degree, weighted 2, 3 and 4 for the respective levels. The Honours units of study are given a weighting of 8 in this calculation.
 
WAM =  
sum(M x C x L)  
sum(C x L)
Where M is the mark, C is the credit point value, and L is the level or weighting or level of the unit of study.

9 University Medal

A student must obtain a WAM of 85 or greater over the entire degree, and must achieve minimum final honours mark of 90 or greater in two honours units of study - Research Methods and Honours. The medal is awarded at the discretion of the Faculty to the highest achieving students who in the opinion of the Faculty have an outstanding academic record, in accordance with the Coursework Rule.

10 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2008 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2008 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2008 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that the requirements are completed by 1 January, 2013. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.