MSc Pharmacovigilance

About the course

The aim of this MSc is to provide a postgraduate education in pharmacovigilance, including relevant techniques, the basis of adverse drug reactions, regulations and guidelines (UK, EU and major worldwide regions), handling safety issues including labelling and risk management and systems and processes. Teaching consists of lectures and workshop activities in small groups and takes into account real world situations. There are opportunities for sharing experiences and networking which contributes to the development of your knowledge and understanding of pharmacovigilance issues. This is a flexible programme designed to meet the needs of those in either full or part-time employment who are likely to have a spread of responsibilities. Students are able to complete the MSc course in under three years if able to attend all modules at the earliest opportunity. Alternatively, they can take up to five years, progressing at a slower pace.

Why choose this course?

The MSc/PgD/PgC in Pharmacovigilance is a programme developed by the School of Life and Medical Sciences and the Pharmaceutical Information and Pharmacovigilance Association (PIPA). In addition to offering this course, The University of Hertfordshire is also part of the Eu2P European Programme in Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, an online pan European e-learning/e-teaching MSc course. The programme includes eight taught modules, provided as intensive three-day workshops, and for the MSc award, a research project. It is taught mainly through teams of staff drawn from the professions appropriate to pharmacovigilance. This is a major feature of the programme, the majority of staff delivering the courses will be acknowledged experts. The aim is to provide a postgraduate education in pharmacovigilance, including relevant techniques, the basis of adverse drug reactions, regulations and guidelines, handling safety issues and the role of systems and processes.

What will I study?

Taught modules normally consist of approximately 24 hours class contact. In addition, about 120 hours will be needed to complete the pre and post-course activities. The actual amount of time spent will depend upon your existing knowledge and ability. All modules are free-standing. Satisfactory completion of four modules is compulsory for the PgCert; all eight modules are required for the PgDip and MSc. Coursework will contribute significantly to assessment and may comprise some or all of the following: summaries of pre-course reading, written reports of class discussions, essays, performances in seminars, poster presentations, problem solving or data interpretation exercise, short projects and case studies. Unseen written examinations will feature in some courses; they may be used to examine understanding of pre-course reading material. Attendance at the taught component and satisfactory completion of both coursework and examinations (where present), with a minimum mark of 50% in each element, is normally required to pass each module. Professional Accreditations - PIPA (Pharmaceutical Information and Pharmacovigilance Association)

Careers

Potential candidates will normally be in either full or part-time employment and are likely to have a spread of responsibilities, mostly in pharmacovigilance and medical information, monitoring safety data in either pre- and post-marketing studies or from spontaneous reports. They will be graduates and/or experienced personnel and usually will have held positions in drug safety for one to several years. Some applicants may have doctorates and may be medically qualified. Following successful completion of the course the knowledge gained should enable the post-graduates to make a greater contribution to the pharmacovigilance industry.