PM0PHS: Foundation in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences

Module code: PM0PHS

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Katrina Bicknell, email: k.bicknell@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE CH0CHE AND TAKE BI0BF1 AND TAKE IF0RAS (Compulsory)

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 23 April 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Building on the academic and scientific skills developed in Semester 1, this module develops students’ ability to work collaboratively and across disciplines to investigate complex global health challenges. Students will strengthen their numeracy, research, experimental design, data analysis, communication skills and will be introduced to pharmaceutical calculations.

Module Aims

• Extend students’ academic and scientific skills through interdisciplinary problem-solving
• Develop critical thinking, experimental design, and evaluation of scientific and clinical evidence
• Strengthen numeracy through learning about pharmaceutical calculations and data analysis skills in preparation for progression to degree study
• Enhance teamwork, research, and project management skills in a scientific context
• Prepare students for future academic study through independent, reflective, and enquiry-based learning

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Apply data analysis and digital skills to interpret and evaluate scientific data and use it to design and evaluate solutions to address global healthcare challenges, demonstrating critical thinking and an understanding of experimental and research principles.
2. Work effectively within interdisciplinary teams to research, discuss, and propose evidence based responses to complex global healthcare challenges and to communicate your ideas clearly and coherently.
3. Produce coherent scientific communications and reflective work, demonstrating independent learning, critical and effective use of evidence and readiness for progression to degree-level study.
4. Demonstrate general numeracy skills aligned to pharmaceutical calculations, including calculations involving units of mass, length, volume, and concentration, and calculations relevant to drug preparation and administration.

Module content

Building on the academic and scientific skills developed in Semester 1, this module further enhances your ability to work collaboratively and across disciplines to investigate complex global health challenges. Through a continued engagement with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), you will apply and extend your academic and scientific skills within discipline-specific and interdisciplinary contexts.

The module places greater emphasis on the application of skills, including research, data analysis, and scientific communication. You will develop increased independence in your learning and gain experience in teamwork, preparing you for progression into your chosen healthcare degree programme.

In this module, you will develop skills in:

1. Applying numeracy skills in scientific and pharmaceutical contexts 
2. Working with and interpreting data 
3. Using digital tools such as Excel and PowerPoint 
4. Presenting data effectively using tables, graphs, and infographics 
5. Accessing, evaluating, and using scientific resources, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence 
6. Communicating scientific ideas to both specialist and non-specialist (lay) audiences 
7. Research and enquiry, reflective practice, and independent learning 
8. Teamwork and collaboration in interdisciplinary settings.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be delivered by a mixture of different methods.  In each week you will have:

• 1-hour academic lecture: Introduction to interdisciplinary scientific skills, contextualised through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivered to all disciplines collectively.
• 1-hour study skills session: Smaller, discipline-specific group sessions led by a Study Advisor or other staff, focusing on the development of core academic skills.
• 2-hour workshop: Interactive, group-based workshops where students apply academic and scientific skills within their specific disciplinary context.
• 1-hour pharmaceutical calculations workshops: Interactive sessions where students will apply their numeracy skills to solve pharmaceutical calculations relevant to healthcare (weeks 1-7 only).
• 2-hour workshop: Interactive, group-based workshops where students apply academic and scientific skills within their specific disciplinary context.
• 1-hour flipped/digital learning activity: Independent or guided online learning designed to reinforce and extend key concepts introduced in taught sessions or other skills as needed. 

Study hours

At least 50 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. The student must pass the written examination at 50% to progress onto Part 1.
2. An overall module mark of 40%

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Throughout this module there will be opportunities to obtain feedback from formative assessments. These include:

• Formative numeracy quizzes on Blackboard
• Formative reflective writing
• Presentations to the group where peer feedback is delivered
• Formative numeracy test where peer feedback is delivered

Reassessment

Additional costs