Postgraduate Qualifications

Background

Recognition in the industry and by your peers is always an important incentive to both the individual and the company. NSF-DBA offer, for those taking Qualified Person (QP) training, an opportunity to gain a Master of Science Postgraduate qualification, a Postgraduate Diploma or a Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmaceutical Quality and Good Manufacturing Practice, depending on how much work you can afford to put in.

Certificate

For the Quality Professional who is looking to gain a further qualification or just recognition in their profession. You will need to complete three NSF-DBA nominated modules (QP foundation modules) and three modules of your own choice and perform satisfactorily in the assessments for each, to be eligible to apply for the Postgraduate Certificate with the University of Strathclyde.

Diploma

Delegates registered for the Diploma qualification who perform satisfactorily in the Module Assessment procedures, may then sit the course Diploma examinations. If successful, they will be awarded the University Diploma in Pharmaceutical Quality and Good Manufacturing Practice. The duration of the study parallels the QP modules, i.e. 21 months.

MSc

Holders of the Diploma who have attained a suitably satisfactory result may proceed to the University of Strathclyde MSc in Pharmaceutical Quality and Good Manufacturing Practice by undertaking a supervised, industrially relevant project on a subject approved by the Course Director. Candidates will be required to satisfy the Board of Examiners in a presentation of their project dissertation and in an oral examination. Projects shall normally be submitted within six months of completing the Diploma course.

Exemptions and Rewards

• Diploma/MSc candidates can apply for one exemption for a module covering a topic of existing expertise. However, for those taking all 13 modules, NSF-DBA will pay £1500 towards the University of Strathclyde Diploma/MSc fees
• Candidates who achieve an MSc will be invited to attend NSF-DBA’s annual one day QP Continuing Professional Development course as our guest for life (up to a maximum of ten free places per course)
• Delegates who gain UK QP status, MSc or Diploma will be entitled to apply for membership of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) to gain MCQI status
• Registration with the University of Strathclyde confers student status and permits use of all student facilities.

These Postgraduate qualifications are awarded by the University of Strathclyde, which is regularly in the top ranks of Schools of Pharmacy in the UK.

Fees

• The University fees for the MSc are typically £3000.
• Further detail on all programmes are available from the Course Director, Dr James Johnson (j.r.johnson@strath.ac.uk).
• To Register for the Post Graduate Qualifications Follow this link: http://spider.science.strath.ac.uk/sipbs/pharmaceutical_quality.htm
• If you have any problems with your registration please contact Mrs Catriona Howatson (PGT Secretary) by e-mail (cat.howatson@strath.ac.uk) or by phone: +44 (0) 141 548 3745

What’s Included in the Module Fees

Course fee includes tuition, full course documentation, any visits arranged, attendance certificate and assessments. Daytime conference facilities, lunches, refreshments and the formal course dinner are always included. Hotel accommodation and other evening meals are not included.

We know that we are in the fortunate position of being considered the premier provider of QP training. We also know that we are by no means the cheapest –although we like to think that you get what you pay for. Nonetheless, we appreciate that the pharmaceutical industry is going through a period of belt tightening and, whilst QP training represents a critical undertaking which will only be done once and so should be done right, we understand that budgets are not limitless. So we would like to continue to help by retaining the initiatives we introduced in Series 11…

• For companies sending more than one delegate from the same site to any of our modules, then the second and subsequent attendees will receive a 20% discount on the course fee
• 50% discount is available on a case by case basis to support charities, UK National Health Service and self funding unemployed individuals at the discretion of the Managing Partner

CQI

The QP has an immensely important role within the pharmaceutical industry. Like quality and regulatory professionals in other sectors, Chartered Quality Professional status not only recognises your proven commitment, skills and experience, but also marks out your unique expertise to colleagues and employers.

By joining the Chartered Quality Institute you instantly join a community of over 10,000 quality professional operating across a variety of sectors.

Membership benefits include:
• Free membership to the Pharmaceutical Quality Group
• 20% discount on CQI training courses
• Access to local CQI branch events and special interest groups
• Monthly hard copy of Quality World, the UK’s leading quality magazine

For further details visit www.thecqi.org/membership

Role of honour

These are some of our QP core delegates who have gone on to achieve postgraduate qualifications awarded at the University of Strathclyde

Successful Diploma Students

Gareth Adlam – Change Management Manager, 3M Healthcare, UK

Jozef Balla – Quality Manager, Sanofi, Hungary

Samantha Clack – Pharmacuetical Consultant and NSF-DBA Associate, UK

Jane Colman – Director of Quality, Aptuit, UK

James Culyer – Contract Operations Manager, Napp Pharmacueticals, UK

Treena Edwards – Quality Assurance Group Leader, Eli Lilly, UK

Marcus Evans – Product Development Chemist, Eli Lilly, UK

Dru Homer – Genzyme USA

Jantine Jonkman – Director of Quality Assurance, Nutricia, The Netherlands

Marc Kamp – Head of Quality Assurance, Kiadis Pharma, The Netherlands

Joanne Lewis – Quality Assurance Officer, Ipsen Biopharm, UK

Barbara O’Dwyer – Quality Assurance Specialist, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Ireland

Robert Potts – Regional Quality Manager, Hospira, UK

Richard Rogers – Quality Leader, Sterilies, Sanofi, UK

David Sanson – Director of Quality, Penn Pharmaceuticals, UK

Stefan Verstegen – QC Transfer co-ordinator, MSD Animal Health, The Netherlands

Frank van Vugt – Qualified Person, MSD Animal Health, The Netherlands

Jennifer Watson – Quality Assurance, UK

Successful Masters Students

Yara Barghothi – Pharmacist and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Jordan

Bob Clarke – Director of Quality, Napp Pharmaceuticals, UK

Tony Mayhall – Associate Director, QA, Universal Products, UK

Richard Smalley – Qualified Person, UCB, Belgium

Carol Sandercock – Quality Assurance Manager, Newcastle University, UK

Jan van Helvoirt – Head of Quality Control, Synthon B.V., The Netherlands

FAQs

Here are the answers to the most common question we get regarding the Postgraduate Qualifications. If you do not find the answer to your specific question, please, do not hesitate to contact us.

1. Q. 1. How do I enrol for the Postgraduate Certificate?
2. Q. 2. How do I enrol for the Postgraduate Diploma/MSc?
3. Q. 3. How much does it cost?
4. Q. 4. Do all QP modules cost the same?

1. Q. 1. How do I enrol for the Postgraduate Certificate?

   A.

   Candidates interested in the Postgraduate Certificate need to attend six NSF-DBA QP modules. For information on how to enrol on the QP modules please contact Stella, the QP Administrator at NSF-DBA. The University of Strathclyde coordinates their qualification directly with the delegate but do let your Personal Tutor know and Stella and she will inform the University in the first instance. The requirements for the Certificate are …

   attend three foundation modules and three of choice, perform satisfactorily in the module assessments, sit the Certificate exam at the University.

2. Q. 2. How do I enrol for the Postgraduate Diploma/MSc?

   A.

   • Candidates interested in the Postgraduate Diploma/MSc need to attend all NSF-DBA QP modules. The University of Strathclyde coordinates their qualification directly with the delegate but please let your Personal Tutor know and Stella and she will inform the University. Typically the requirements for the Diploma are …

   attend all modules, pass both papers of the module exams, sit the Diploma exam at the University

   • Candidates who hold the Diploma can then convert this to an MSc by undertaking a supervised industrially relevant project on a subject approved by the Course Director. Requirements are …
     • to satisfy the Board of Examiners in a presentation of their project dissertation
     • an oral examination

3. Q. 3. How much does it cost?

   A.

   The University fees for the MSc are typically £3000. NSF-DBA will pay £1500 towards the University Diploma/MSc fees for those taking all 13 NSF-DBA QP modules.

4. Q. 4. Do all QP modules cost the same?

   A.

   No, while most modules are 5 days in duration some are 4 days. In addition different venues (such as the practical module in Glasgow) can impact on the course costs.