BPS2042 Drug development
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
BPS2042 Drug development is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Malaysia, Parkville
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Overview
This unit will take you through the process of developing a drug candidate into a registered pharmaceutical product. This encompasses: pre-clinical development, including drug formulation based on the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicological profile of a drug candidate; clinical trial regulation and design; intellectual property and marketing considerations. You will be introduced to the regulatory and commercial requirements as well as the scientific concepts underpinning the drug development processes. This unit also explores a range of career paths available in the pharmaceutical industry.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Malaysia | On campus |
| Second semester | Parkville | On campus |
Assessment
- Online quizzesQuiz / Test50%
- Careers AssignmentWritten10%
- Ethics AssignmentWritten20%
- Group PresentationPresentation20%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Explain the scientific and regulatory stages involved in taking a drug candidate to a registered pharmaceutical product.
- 2
Explain the basis of pre-formulation tests to inform formulation decisions.
- 3
Evaluate formulation options for a drug candidate with regard to medical, technical and commercialisation considerations.
- 4
Propose pre-clinical tests for a drug candidate to provide evidence for its safety.
- 5
Differentiate between the phases of a clinical trial.
- 6
Discuss the commercial lifecycle of a pharmaceutical product, the importance of intellectual property and marketing considerations.
- 7
Identify and describe a range of jobs that exist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops26 hours
- Applied sessions12 hours
- Teaching approachCase-based teaching
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Twelve 1-hour online preparation modules (Discovery)
- Twenty-four 1-hour interactive online modules
- Twelve 1-hour applied sessions (Q&A)
- Eleven 2-hour workshops
- One 4-hour workshop (GMP)
Workshops will use primarily group work to work through case studies in different aspects of the drug development process
Learning resources
Technology resources
For more information on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) specifications and the technology systems and services available to students, review the Student Technology Essentials Handbook https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1041220/student-it-brochure.pdf
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Nagashekhara Molugulu
- Dr Ian Larson
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Ian Larson
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for BPS2042?
BPS2042 has no prerequisites.
When is BPS2042 offered?
In 2026, BPS2042 runs in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville.
Does BPS2042 have an exam?
No. BPS2042 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.