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MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Competent Pharmaceutical and Analytical Scientists are in demand in the pharmaceutical industry. If you have a degree in Chemistry, Pharmacy or other related disciplines, the IMU MSc in Analytical & Pharmaceutical Chemistry programme could help you extend your knowledge and expertise in the field.
The programme encompasses drug discovery, drug design, drug development, techniques for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs, quality management and the regulatory environment, and research skills including writing proposals, scientific writing and specialized laboratory skills.
IMU’s Analytical & Pharmaceutical Chemistry programme consists of two semesters and is a combination of course work and research. Learning activities are conducted on weekends for the convenience of working students.
KEY FACTS
Degree
Commencement
Total Duration
Part-time: 2 – 6 years
Mode of Delivery
Tuition Fees
Malaysian students joining the 2020 intake are eligible for a 10% tuition fee bursary.
A bursary of RM12,000 is available for international students joining the 2020 intake.
Download Brochure
The MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (MAPC) programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK. The Royal Society of Chemistry is the world’s leading chemistry community and the oldest chemical society in the world. Accreditation by the Royal Society of Chemistry is a formal recognition that the programme is in line with international quality and standards. Employers are assured that graduates with accredited degrees have achieved the standards required to be considered professional chemists.
ABOUT ODL
What is ODL?
Open and distance learning provides working professionals with an alternative to conventional programmes at universities, giving them the opportunity to earn a university degree without interrupting their career.
As Malaysia’s first and most established private medical and health sciences university with 27 years of dedicated focus in healthcare education, IMU offers a few postgraduate programmes via this learning mode with students having the opportunity to benefit from all the teaching and support that the University has to offer.
Benefits of ODL
Designed especially for students with employment, family or other commitments, this mode of learning provides flexibility and convenience for the student to schedule their studies around these obligations and around their lifestyle – allowing a student to plan and pace their own learning at a time and learning environment that is most suitable for the student. It also saves students from spending time travelling to the university, the costs of travelling to the university and the costs of staying near the university.
Teaching Methods
Teaching methods include a series of lectures (Powerpoint lectures, video lectures and i-lectures) supplemented by online discussions, forums and quizzes. For each subject taken, students will be part of a student online community. Students will also be assigned a mentor who will be available to answer any questions and provide feedback on their progress.
Students will be assessed fully online via the in-course assessment assignments and end of module assessment assignment so they don’t need to be at the University to sit your exams. They will the receive their grades and feedback online.
In order to do this, students will be required to have a desktop/laptop, internet connection, a headset and webcam to participate in online tutorials and other group activities, access to standard office software – such as Microsoft Word and Excel, plus any standard browser, such as Chrome, Edge or Firefox and Skype for certain online sessions.
Your Commitment
Time will be an ODL student’s most important commitment – understanding, working through and reflecting on all teaching materials. The hours spent per week on their studies for the duration of the programme depends on module taken.
Support from University
ODL students are fully registered student of the University with all of the support and services available to them, the same as the on-campus students. Technical support will also be provided if students have difficulty in accessing the e-learning platform.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The mixed mode programme consists of two semesters and is a combination of course work (21 credits) and research (22 credits). New semesters commence in March and September each year and each semester comprises 20 weeks.
Face-to-face teaching and learning activities are conducted on weekends.
The Course Modules include
- Modern Analytical Techniques for Qualitative Analysis (4 credits)
- Modern Analytical Techniques for Quantitative Analysis (4 credits)
- Principles of Drug Discovery (4 credits)
- Computational Drug Discovery Techniques (4 credits)
- Quality Management and Regulatory Systems (2 credits)
- Research Methodology and Scientific Writing (3 credits)
- Research Project I (4 credits)
- Research Project II (18 credits)
The curriculum is reviewed periodically and is subject to change.
Semester 1 (20 Weeks)
- Course work modules including Research Methodology & Scientific Writing
- Research Project I
Semester 2 (20 Weeks)
- Course work modules
- Research Project ||
LEARNING AND DELIVERY METHODS
Teaching and learning methods are in line with objectives of programme modules. The research module and student centered learning delivery methods throughout the programme enhances your analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills, promote your professional development and prepares you for the current challenging work environment.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
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A. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
|
B. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
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Applicants are required to have obtained:
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For Malaysian Students Not applicable |
For International Students
The following categories of students are exempted from the above requirements:
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APPLICATION & REGISTRATION FEES
| Malaysian Student (RM) | International Student (RM) | |
| Application Fees | 150 | 450 |
| Registration Fee | 1,100 | 3,400 |
| Refundable Caution Deposit | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Student Association Fee per Semester | 40 | 40 |
| Tuition Fees (Conventional Mode) | 43,000 | 57,500 |
| Tuition Fees (ODL Mode) | 34,400 | 34,400 |
- All IMU alumni who are self-funding their postgraduate studies and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible for a 25% bursary.
- Malaysian students joining the 2020 intake are eligible for a 10% tuition fee bursary.
- A bursary of RM12,000 is available for international students joining the 2020 intake.
- Application fee is payable upon submission of application.
- Registration fee and refundable caution deposit is payable upon acceptance of the offer letter issued by the IMU Admissions Office.
- Students must adhere to the “Policy on Payment of Fees“.
- For information on Student Visa Application fee, please check the “Visas & Immigration“
OUR TEAM
Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika
Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika is a Professor in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy. His is at present the Associate Dean (Research and Consultancy), School of Pharmacy looking after the research activities in the School and the Head for the Center of Excellence, ‘Bioactive Molecules and Drug Delivery’, Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI). Prof Mallikarjuna’s research specialisation is in medicinal chemistry with a special emphasis on drug discovery and development. He has authored more than 60 research papers in national and international indexed journals and his publications receive about 1000 citations. He has patents for the development of herbomineral formulations.
A/Prof Ng Chew Hee
A/Prof Ng Chew Hee has been teaching undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry courses for more than 20 years. He has been awarded more than RM1.8 million of research grants and published more than 70 journal papers. His research areas cover Coordination Chemistry, Biological Inorganic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, application of metallodrugs as anticancer and antiprotozoal agents, nanoparticle-metal complex conjugates, and recently genetic and epigenetic factors affecting the drug resistance/ sensitivity of anticancer metal complexes. He is currently a member of the International Advisory Committee for Asian Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conferences (AsBIC). He is an active member of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry as member of the Industrial Chemistry Section, Chemistry Education Section and Malaysian Chemistry Quiz Technical Committee (K3M).
A/Prof Ooi Ing Hong
A/Prof Ooi Ing Hong is the former head of department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy. He received the IMU Achievement Award for T&L Innovation for leading the pharmaceutical team in designing and developing the MAPC programme in 2012, which was accredited by MQA with a perpetual status in 2014. He is a member of Joint Technical committee-Institut Kimia Malaysia (IKM) working group for chemistry degree programme standards, and a member of IKM industrial chemistry section. He also serves as a scientific committee of international conferences on nanotechnology: fundamentals and applications. His research interest is on synthesis and characterisation of polymeric materials for biomedical applications.
Dr Lee Choy Sin
Dr Lee Choy Sin has 11 years of teaching and postgraduate research supervision experience. Her research expertise is in organic synthesis, polymer chemistry and oleochemistry and her research products include biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric scaffolds, polymer excipients for pharmaceutical formulations and bioactive polymeric reactants for antimicrobial coatings. She has secured numerous national and international research grants, namely Japan Toray Science Fund, ERGS, FRGS, MPOB-GSAS and e-science funds and she has filed 2 patents in Malaysia and regional countries. Dr Lee was awarded The Young Scientist Award 2018 by the Malaysian Oil Scientists’ and Technologists’ Association (MOSTA). She won two Silver Medals in the International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) under the categories of Materials (2017) and Medical and Health (2019).
Dr Sreenivasa Rao Sagineedu
Research Interest:
Natural products chemistry & drug discovery, organic spectroscopy and pharmaceutical analysis
Dr Chin Swee Yee
Research Interest :
Synthesis of nanoparticles and bioactivities of nanoparticles
Dr Murugesh Kandasamy
Research Interest:
Expertise in pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism studies, PK-PD analysis, physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling
Dr Vasudeva Rao Avupati
Research Interest:
Computational drug discovery and hybrid molecular design and synthesis of bio-active molecules
Dr Low May Lee
Research Interest:
(i) Metal-based compounds for therapeutic, bioimaging, biosensing and catalysis applications (ii) Smart, stimuli-responsive/bioinspired materials (iii) Molecular self-assembly (iv) Nanomedicine
Dr Thiagarajan Madheswaran
Research Interest:
Topical delivery/transdermal delivery using nanoparticles, self-assembled liquid crystalline nanoparticle-based drug delivery, nanoparticle-based drug delivery for cancer therapy, nanoparticle-loaded hydrogel
Dr Wong Lai Chun
Research Interest:
Organic synthesis, analysis of pharmaceuticals and environmental contaminants
GUEST LECTURERS
Dr Irene See
Dr Irene is an experienced research and development manager with almost 3 years’ experience in natural products manufacturing industry and 8 years’ experience in natural products research. Dr Irene also conducts in-house manufacturing training to ground staff as well as product training to customers in different languages. Part of her job duties also involves designing and setting up laboratory and manufacturing facilities, and to follow through with conducting research, and manufacturing the end product. She is skilled in the area of natural products, cell culture, product development and research & development. Dr Irene is currently a technical excellence associate at Reckitt Benckiser (Thailand).
Tan Poh Lee
Tan Poh Lee has more than 10 years of industry experience in the area of research & development (R&D) at Furley Bioextracts Sdn Bhd. She is currently the R&D manager at the company. Furley Bioextracts is a recognised industry leader of Biotechnology in Malaysia. Tan leads the R&D team in tasks which include creating customised testing, product development, product prototyping, process optimisation and regulatory affairs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The programme aims to:
- equip graduates with the relevant knowledge and analytical skills to cope with the ever-changing environment of pharmaceutical and analytical chemistry.
- develop key personal skills which includes time management, organisational skills, computing skills and statistical analysis capability and to nurture a commitment to lifelong learning.
- prepare graduates to be innovative and responsive to technological changes.
- provide an opportunity for students to undertake a research project and conduct cutting-edge research in the pharmaceutical field.
- provide graduates with enhanced prospects for employment within the pharmaceutical and chemical-related industries leading to a fulfilling career.
The objective of the programme is to produce highly competent pharmaceutical chemists who are equipped with the knowledge and analytical skills that are essential for contributing to the research and development of drug products, quality control of pharmaceuticals, management improvement processes and regulatory science.
Applicants are required to have obtained:
- A bachelor’s degree with minimum CGPA of 2.75 or equivalent, as accepted by the HEP Senate; or
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent with minimum CGPA of 2.50 and not meeting CGPA of 2.75, can be accepted subject to rigorous internal assessment; or
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent not meeting CGPA of 2.50, can be accepted subject to a minimum of 5 years working experience in relevant field.
All students are normally required to provide written evidence of their ability in the English Language in order to study in IMU. The standard English Proficiency requirements are usually overall band score of IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 550 (PBT) or 79 (IBT) or MUET band 4.
Semester contents are available in the programme brochure [Download Brochure]
Semester contents are available in the programme brochure [Download Brochure]
Teaching and learning methods vary in line with the objectives of the course modules. They include didactic lectures, workshops, tutorials, practical sessions and seminars.
Students are continuously assessed throughout the degree via project works, critical reviews, practical reports, assignments and oral presentations. There are no written examinations. To progress from one semester to the next, students must perform satisfactorily during each semester.
The teaching faculty reflects a wide range of backgrounds in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The faculty, comprising local and international lecturers with PhD qualification, have many years of academic and industry experience in various related field of specialisations that include pharmacy, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer chemistry, natural products, inorganic chemistry, surfactant chemistry, oleochemistry, pharmaceutical technology, biotechnology, molecular biology, drug discovery, formulation and drug delivery, pharmacokinetics and pharmcognosy. All faculty are actively involved in research and much of their work has been published in ISI-indexed journals.
- The course is delivered over weekends for the convenience of working graduates. Regular working hours of students in employment would not be disrupted.
- The course is offered on a modular basis, allowing students to enrol in either Semester 1 or Semester 2 of each year.
READ STORIES OF THE PROGRAMME
MSc in Analytical & Pharmaceutical Chemistry – IMU News
Achieve Your Career Goals 15 Jun 2020Joanna Tan Lay Hsien shares her experience as a Master of Science in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry student.
Achieve Your Career Goals with an IMU MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry 9 Jun 2020Joanna Tan Lay Hsien shares her experience as a Master of Science in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry student.
Unlocking Your Potential with an IMU ODL Master Degree 14 Dec 2019First cohort of ODL students
ENQUIRIES? CONTACT US
APPLY NOW
Interested in applying for one of our programmes?
You will need to prepare the following documents for your application:
- Verified copies of your academic qualifications
- Evidence of English language proficiency
- A copy of your MyKad or the identification page of your passport
These supporting documents needs to be attached electronically to your application. Please note that all of our programmes require payment of a non-refundable application fee after the application has been submitted. Application will only be processed once the payment for application fee has been made.
We wish you all the best with your application, and hope we will be welcoming you into one of our programmes soon!
WHY STUDY ANALYTICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY AT IMU
An Established Private Healthcare University
Renowned and Highly Experienced Faculty
Curriculum Benchmarked to International Standards
Pursue a Master's Degree While Working Full Time
Research Partnerships
Students will benefit from IMU’s national and international research collaborations with renowned institutions in areas such as drug discovery, design and development, natural products, drug synthesis, pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.
“Graduates of this programme will have developed a greater depth of knowledge and advanced skills that are essential for R&D, biomedical & pharmaceutical analysis to pursue careers in academia, biotechnology, drug discovery and development, and QA/QC.”
DR WONG LAI CHUN
Senior Lecturer & Programme Director
PhD (UK), CChem, MRSC
