Outline

Overview

Developing the next drug for one of our global health challenges requires teams of diverse scientists with inter-disciplinary knowledge and skills. In this unit of study you will work together in teams under the supervision of expert academics and industry partners to address the unmet needs and questions of real-world projects in the pharmacological treatment of disease. You will explore ethical, societal and clinical aspects of developing and regulating new treatments for chronic diseases. You will expand your skills in evaluation of evidence from scientific, economic and industry sources. In this capstone unit you will extend your skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, project management, communicating with lay and expert audiences, cultural competence and collaboration – all highly valued by employers. This unit will foster your ability to work in interdisciplinary teams, which is essential for professional and research pathways in future. This unit of study is highly recommended for students who are interested in careers in the medical technology and pharmaceutical industry, commercialisation and start-ups, health professions (e.g. medicine, pharmacy), government policy and regulatory agencies.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	{(PCOL2011 or PCOL2021 or MEDS2002) or [BMED2401 and 12cp from (BMED2402 or BMED2403 or BMED2405 or BMED2406)]} and (PCOL2012 or PCOL2022 or PCOL2922)
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Kellie Charles, kellie.charles@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Kellie Charles, kellie.charles@sydney.edu.au
	Slade Matthews, slade.matthews@sydney.edu.au
	Jonathon Arnold, jonathon.arnold@sydney.edu.au
	Tina Hinton, tina.hinton@sydney.edu.au
	Mariam Mamlouk, mariam.mamlouk@sydney.edu.au
	Eric Sparkes, eric.sparkes@sydney.edu.au
	Arsalan Yousuf, arsalan.yousuf@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Skills-based evaluation	Journal club participation Participation in 5 weekly journal clubs	10%	Multiple weeks	90 min x 5
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Leadership assignment Leadership of one journal club discussion	10%	Multiple weeks	90 min
Outcomes assessed:
Short release assignment	Reflective task 1 (written) Written reflective task held in class	5%	Week 01 Due date: 29 Jul 2024 at 16:00	250-400 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project management plan + team charter Project management plan + team charter	5%	Week 06 Due date: 06 Sep 2024 at 23:59	750-1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Summary journal club presentation Summary presentation of the learning from the journal club	10%	Week 08 Due date: 16 Sep 2024 at 09:00	10 min presentation + 5 min questions
Outcomes assessed:
Short release assignment	Reflective task 2 Mid-semester project review - conducted as interactive oral interview	10%	Week 08 Due date: 18 Sep 2024 at 14:37	10 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Final project work pitch 8 minute presentation of the final group major works.	0%	Week 13 Due date: 28 Oct 2024 at 10:00	8 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Creative assessment / demonstration	Project multimedia education plan + evaluation proposal Education plan (written + video) + Evaluation proposal (written)	40%	Week 13 Due date: 01 Nov 2024 at 23:59	2500 words + 3 min video + storyboard
Outcomes assessed:
Short release assignment	Reflective task 3 Final reflective task - conducted as an interactive oral interview	10%	Week 13 Due date: 30 Oct 2024 at 17:00	10 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

By the end of semester, students will work in small groups to generate a major creative work comparable to the requirements of working on a government agency brief. To assist in completing this task, we have scaffolded the learning to comprise of smaller tasks to ensure student teams stay on track and meet required timelines.

The assessments for this semester fall into three main components

Journal club - knowledge acquisition
Project multimedia creative work - application of knowledge
Personal reflective practice - reflection on learning for further development of knowledge and skills

Before any new creative elements can occur, teams must understand the wider literature and background of the topic. Students will develop the required research knowledge through engaging in group journal clubs and presenting findings to the wider teams at the end of a series of 5 journal clubs.

Starting in Week 3, students will prepare a project management plan that outlines the deliverables, timeframes and responsibilities of the team. The team will work together to enact the proposed plans to develop a multimedia group creative work. Teams will pitch the plan to the wider group for formative feedback and then refinement before final submission at the end of semester.

Finally throughout semester, we ask that you actively reflect on your contributions and learning towards personal learning goals. Three reflective tasks will be completed - Week 1 (goal setting), Week 8 (project progress review) and Week 13 (project completion review). The first of the reflective tasks is a written work with the mid-semester and end of semester reflections completed as an interactive oral interview with the UOS coordinator.

Students will be taught research project skills in dedicated skills workshops to support the completion of all assessment tasks.

Details about individual and group assessments will be discussed in the first session of the Unit of Study. All requirements will be further outlined within the assignment portals on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

How Your Assesments will be Graded

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

The University uses standards-based criteria for assessment, such that marking standards and grade descriptors are used to assess your demonstration of learning outcomes on set assessments. As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Grade	Descriptors	Explanation / Interpretation
High distinction (85-100)	Work of exceptional standard	Mastery of topics showing extensive integration and ability to transfer knowledge to novel contexts; treatment of tasks shows an advanced synthesis of ideas; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is very well presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an outstanding level
Distinction (75-84)	Work of superior standard	Excellent achievement, consistent evidence of deep understanding and application of knowledge in medical science; treatment of tasks shows advanced understanding of topics; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is well-presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a superior level
Credit (65-74)	Competent work demonstrating potential for higher study	Confident in explaining medical science processes, with evidence of solid understanding and achievement; occasional lapses indicative of unresolved issues; treatment of tasks shows a good understanding of topic; work is well-presented with a minimum of errors; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a high level
Pass (50-64)	Work of acceptable standard	Satisfactory level of engagement with and understanding of topic; some inconsistencies in understanding and knowledge of medical science; work is adequately presented, with some errors or omissions, most criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an adequate level
Fail (<50)	Work not of acceptable standard	Unsatisfactory achievement and engagement with the medical science discipline; inadequate understanding or fundamental misunderstanding of topics; most criteria and learning outcomes not clearly or adequately addressed or achieved; lack of effort/involvement in the unit

Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in marking guides provided on your LMS. All written submissions will be graded using the marking guides and rubrics provided on LMS. All quizzes and examinations will be graded similarly (excluding references). For more information, please refer to the University Assessment Procedures http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/267&RendNum=0.

Award of Final Marks and Grades

The process of assessing your achievement of the learning outcomes in this unit of study is based on the University’s Coursework Policy 2014 and Assessment Procedures 2011 available at:

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2014/378&RendNum=0

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/267&RendNum=0

In order to successfully complete this unit of study you must demonstrate a threshold (pass) standard of attainment of the unit of study learning outcomes as measured by performance on the unit of study summative assessments. Students who do not reach a threshold standard of proficiency of the learning outcomes will receive a maximum mark of 49 FA. In addition, in order to pass the unit of study, you must participate in all assessment tasks. Failure to participate in any one or more of these will result in a grade of Absent Fail (AF) for the unit.

Award of final marks and grades is an academic decision that is made seriously and diligently for the entire cohort of students enrolled in a unit of study. If you are concerned about the mark awarded, you should first contact the unit coordinator and arrange a meeting to review your work.

If, after this process of receiving feedback and of discussion of the standards against which your work has been assessed, you still have concerns about the mark awarded, you can submit a formal appeal of the academic decision with any relevant supporting documentation to the Faculty.

The policies governing units of study, assessment and marking are:

· Coursework Policy 2014;

· Assessment Procedures 2011, and the

· Learning and Teaching Policy.

The process for lodging appeals is outlined in the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended): available at:

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/253&RendNum=0. (Link per July 2018)

http://sydney.edu.au/science/cstudent/ug/forms.shtml#appeals

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The Assessment Procedures 2011 provide that any written work submitted after 11:59pm on the due date will be penalised by 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. If the assessment is submitted more than ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes
Weekly	Weekly seminars based on topical areas in pharmacology and toxicology will be delivered on Monday 10:00-12:00 delivered in real time in person. These sessions are compulsory and no recordings will be available. Seminar content is assessed in the in-class reflective writing session at end of the weekly workshop. Students will also present group project summaries in Week 8 and 13 in the Student showcase sessions. These are compulsory attendance due to inclusion of assessments.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Weekly	Weekly skills development workshops, journal club or group project time will be delivered on Monday 13:00-4:00 delivered in real time in person. In-class time is provided to learn knowledge and skills relevant to the project topic. Specific time is allocated to completion of group project assessment tasks. These are compulsory attendance due to inclusion of assessments.	Workshop (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The University of Sydney Coursework Policy 2014 states:

55 (2) A student enrolled in a unit of study must comply with the requirements set out in the faculty resolutions, award course resolutions or unit of study outline about undertaking the unit of study, including on matters such as:

(a) attendance at and participation in lectures, seminars and tutorials; and

(b) participation in practical work.

The Faculty of Science resolutions states:

9(1). Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Associate Dean.

Thus, attendance at a minimum of 80% of all timetabled classes is compulsory for successful completion of the course. Attendance will be recorded. If you do not show sufficient cause for absence from any part of the course you may not be allowed to undertake the final examination. Absences from scheduled workshop sessions must be supported by appropriate documentation (also see Guidelines for Special Consideration/Arrangements for important information relating to absence from scheduled classes).

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Weekly readings or podcasts or videos will be provided on the canvas page. For each journal club, publications from all group will need to be reviewed and critically analysed prior to the subsequent week. These papers will be identified and posted on a group discussion board at least 5 days prior to the next journal club.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Apply disciplinary knowledge to solve problems in an interdisciplinary context.
LO2. Find, define and delimit authentic problems in order to address them.
LO3. Create an investigation strategy, explore solutions, discuss approaches and predict outcomes.
LO4. Analyse data using modern information technology and digital skills.
LO5. Demonstrate integrity, confidence, personal resilience and the capacity to manage challenges, both individually and in teams.
LO6. Collaborate with diverse groups and across cultural and disciplinary boundaries to develop solution(s) to the project problems.
LO7. Communicate project outcomes effectively to a broad audience.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This Unit has been running with student-led adaptions since 2020. Feedback from the 2023 cohort was positive and supportive of the teaching structure and format. The scaffolding of the unit from journal club with dedicated skill development sessions to project generation with practical assessments supported learning of new research skills and application to a project which could influence real-world communities. Students recommended 1) introducing the project earlier in the semester rather than after completion of journal clubs 2) too many reflective tasks (weekly). As an academic team we have reflected on the suggestions and have started the project 4 weeks earlier and provided more dedicated time to work on the project. We have also reduced the number of reflective tasks from 12 to 3 at key time points over the semester. To account for AI-assisted writing, we have made the mid-semester and final reflective task an interactive oral interview format to allow for an conversational reflection of the student's learning throughout the semester.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties

for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and

Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PCOL3888: Pharmacology Interdisciplinary Project

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect