PHAR5714: Semester 1, 2025

Overview

In this unit of study students learn to evaluate the physicochemical principles, design, formulation, and manufacture of pharmaceutical dose forms. The formulation of liquid dose forms including parenteral, nasal, ophthalmic and aural products is discussed. Related topics such as diffusion and dissolution of drugs, drug solubilisation, surface and interfacial tension, surface active materials, micelle formation, pharmaceutical complexes and drug-packaging interactions are covered. Other topics covered in this unit include biomaterials; solid dose forms and particle science that comprise tableting and capsule technology; rheology, freezing point depression, osmosis, dispersion dose forms including suspensions, colloidal dispersions, and emulsions; topical dose forms and semisolids; inhalation pharmaceutical aerosols; medicinal cannabis, biologics, vaccines and their formulations; rectal products; novel drug delivery technologies. Aspects pertaining to the stability of dose forms are also presented in this unit.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	6 credit points of Biochemistry, 12 credit points of Chemistry, 12 credit points of Pharmacology, 12 credit points of Physiology
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Veysel Kayser, veysel.kayser@sydney.edu.au
Demonstrator(s)	Masoumeh Vakiliazghandi, masoumeh.vakiliazghandi@sydney.edu.au
	Samuel Tien, samuel.tien@sydney.edu.au
	Miftahus Saadah, miftahus.saadah@sydney.edu.au
	Shagun Gogna, shagun.gogna@sydney.edu.au
	Alex Byun, alex.byun@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Shoohb Alassadi, shoohb.alassadi@sydney.edu.au
	Pegah Varamini, pegah.varamini@sydney.edu.au
	Veysel Kayser, veysel.kayser@sydney.edu.au
	Hien Duong, hien.duong@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Written examination	55%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Tabletting laboratory Practical assessment	10%	Multiple weeks	2 x 4 hrs
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Physical chemistry practical Practical assessment	15%	Multiple weeks	4 x 3 hrs
Outcomes assessed:
Supervised test ?	Quiz Quiz	20%	Week 08 Due date: 14 Apr 2025 at 11:30	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Physical chemistry practical: Each laboratory is completed as part of a group. The minimum number of members per group is two and the maximum number is four. Students will be allowed to select their own group members during the first laboratory class. The labs must be completed within 3 hours. No extra time will be given to groups that do not complete within this time.
Tabletting laboratory: The practical exercise will be performed in small groups during the scheduled practical sessions. The objective is to understand the underlying principles of the course through experimental investigation and critical analysis. Each practical will be marked according to the performance in the laboratory.
In-Semester Exam: The minor, mid-semester examination will consist of multiple-choice questions.
Final exam: The final exam will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.You must pass this assessment to pass the unit of study.

No use of AI tools (All assessments)

The use of automated writing tools and generative artificial intelligence is prohibited in this assessment. You are not allowed to use AI or any other software to create information or answers, to alter your own original writing, or to generate or modify text from other sources. This includes translation software, editing/paraphrasing software and other generative artificial intelligence tools.

Unapproved use is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and may result in penalties, which can include a fail for the assessment.

Repeating students: Exemption from components (tutorials, workshops) for students repeating PHAR5714 will not be granted, except in exceptional circumstances by the MPharm program director.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

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

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.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	At HD level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to students who demonstrate the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce original solutions for novel or highly complex problems and/or comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At DI level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the units material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce good solutions for challenging problems and/or a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the units material and can solve routine problems and/ or identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At PS level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory adequately referencing the original source of the work.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

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

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

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.

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.

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
Week 01	Solid oral dosage forms: tablets	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 02	Liquids and solutions	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 03	Rheology	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 04	Liquid formulation	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 05	Freezing point depression	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 06	Osmosis	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 07	Injectables and protein formulations	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 08	Colloids and suspensions	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 09	Emulsions, gels, and creams	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 10	Body systems	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 11	Pulmonary drug delivery	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 12	Capsule technology	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 13	Stability of pharmaceutical dose forms	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Weekly	Learning independently including pre-work, reports and assignments	Independent study (65 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: In accordance with the Master of Pharmacy Course resolutions on Attendance Requirements, students must attend a minimum of 85% tutorials/ labs/ workshops to satisfy attendance requirements for this unit of study.

For more information see Canvas site.

If a tutorial/ lab/workshop is missed due to illness or misadventure, students are to submit a special consideration application along with supporting documentation.

Students arriving more than 10 minutes after the commencement of the laboratory / workshop will be marked as unprofessional, which is a component of the class participation and professionalism assessment. Students swapping a class without prior approval from the UoS co-ordinator will be marked as unprofessional.

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

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library Reading List, available on Canvas.

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. (critically) examine scientific evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, in order to arrive at evidence-based conclusions
LO2. demonstrate an understanding of the body as a complex adaptive biological system
LO3. identify sources of drugs, the way they are discovered, purified, characterised and analysed, and their physico-chemical properties
LO4. demonstrate a working understanding of fundamental concepts and techniques of chemistry necessary for understanding drug analysis, delivery, drug action and therapeutics, and diagnostics
LO5. demonstrate an understanding of the mechanisms of action and the properties drugs display as biologically active molecules in living systems
LO6. apply appropriate numeracy skills to the solution of pharmacy problems
LO7. evaluate evidence for safety, quality, efficacy, and cost effectiveness of prescriptions and other orders for medicines
LO8. demonstrate the ability to learn independently and work effectively and cooperatively as a member of a learning team

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.

No major changes have been made since this unit was last offered, except for updating and revising the lecture and lab contents.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Please ensure you read the lab manuals in Canvas prior to attending labs.

Disclaimer

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

This unit of study outline was last modified on 28 Feb 2025.

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

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

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

PHAR5714: Pharmaceutics and Formulations

Semester 1, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

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

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