PHA-20030 - Module Specification
School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering
Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module provides an integrated and fully contextualised overview of crucial topics covering the breadth of the quality assurance and analysis of cosmetic products. The context which underpins all aspects of the module is product safety, and the emphasis of the module content will focus on how analytical methods and systems provide assurances on the safety of these products in the context of territorial regulations and legislation.
The module is underpinned by the national and international regulations that frame the manufacture, distribution and use of cosmetic and associated products, including ¿borderline¿ areas where the definitions of such product may differ or overlap (with, for example, over-the-counter medicines or personal care products). Product analysis is therefore discussed both from the viewpoint of the formulation development process and the on-going quality assurance of the finished product, moving from early non-GMP investigations to the final implementation of process analytical technology. The most commonly used analytical procedures (NMR, liquid chromatography, mass spectroscopy, rheology, thermal analysis) are discussed in detail and supported by practical exercises that develop quantitative skills. A wide range of techniques are also discussed in outline. Experimentation and data analysis is key to an understanding of product quality and an examination of the essential and appropriate techniques for the acquisition and analysis of experimental data will be provided.
Woven throughout the module is development of essential team-working and leadership skills: group-based tasks within the laboratory classes and practical skills workshops provide students with a forum to demonstrate their potential to work in and lead interdisciplinary teams.

The module will develop students knowledge of the application of appropriate methods of chemical analysis in the development, manufacture and use of cosmetics. Chemical, physical, analytical, microbiological and biological methods will be considered in the analysis of the constituents and end products.

Intended Learning Outcomes

explain the processes involved in the quality control of all aspects of cosmetic formulation manufacture and development processes, from bench-based research to scale-up and manufacture;: 2,3
describe in detail analytical techniques employed to assure quality and safety during the formulation development process and the quality, safety and efficacy of the finished marketed product;: 1,2
1,2,3
1,2,3
explain the common techniques used in the analysis of biological data to arrive at safe and appropriate product selection for a customer;: 1,2,3
describe the role of chemical analysis and quality assurance methods in the context of national and international standards and regulatory processes;: 3
demonstrate competence in physicochemical calculations related to quality assurance and quality systems in cosmetic formulation development;: describe the processes involved in the quality assurance of all aspects of product development, formulation and the manufacturing process, and how they are applied to the development and production of cosmetics.: 2,3
demonstrate competence in the understanding of applications of laboratory techniques in the cosmetic sciences and critical analysis of data generated through a series of sessions;:

Study hours

Tutorials: 2 hours
Lectures: 50 hours
Interactive lectures: 22 hours
Practical sessions: 8 hours
Exam: 2 hours
216 independent study hours will be used by students to work on problem solving, reading material and activities, that will be provided either as material or as guidelines in KLE.

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment