MPS5401 Professional placement and research project
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
MPS5401 Professional placement and research project is a level 5, 24-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville. It needs MPS5303.
- Credit points
- 24
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Malaysia, Parkville
- Assessment
- No exam
- 6 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MPS5401
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After MPS5401
No unit lists MPS5401 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Overview
This unit builds on the professional and career skills and attributes developed in MPS5303 Career tools: bridging the gap.
You will participate in an immersive placement in an industry or academic setting, where you will be able to apply a research perspective to workplace processes or conduct a research project. The placement will give you the opportunity to apply your scientific and professional skills in a workplace environment, refine your career goals and build a professional network.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester (extended) | Malaysia | On campus |
| Second semester (extended) | Parkville | Immers blk |
Assessment
- Scoping presentation: identification of a research or industry problemPresentation5%
- Thesis report proposalWritten10%
- Thesis or reportWritten50%
- Final presentation: project outcomesPresentation20%
- Reflection: placement culture and context - lessons learnedWork integrated15%
- Professional placementWork integratedCompetency hurdle-
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
Demonstrate safe, effective and professional conduct in a workplace setting
- 2
Identify and articulate knowledge gaps in your specific industry or research context, and design, justify and execute an experimental, data- or literature-based project to solve the identified problem
- 3
Effectively and purposefully communicate data and project outcomes in written, verbal and visual form
- 4
Critically assess scientific findings and make clear and logical conclusions based on data, defining the role and significance of your own work in the broader context of the field
- 5
Reflect on your professional skills and experience in the workplace, and your understanding of the roles and contributions of others in your professional context.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops4 hours
- Assessments4 hours
- Teaching approachResearch activities
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
- Teaching approachIndustry-based learning
- Teaching approachWork-integrated learning
- Teaching approachProfessional placement
- A minimum of 400 hours of professional experiential placements (full time - 5 days each week, 8 hours per day).
- 4 hours of scheduled assessment activities.
- 4 hours of scheduled workshops.
- 60 hours of independent study (preparation of written reports and presentations).
Learning resources
Technology resources
This unit requires access to a laptop that meets minimum specifications. Free specialist software is available via MoVE.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Stefan Huth
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Stefan Huth
- Associate Professor Mahendran Sekar
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MPS5401?
You need MPS5303 before you enrol.
When is MPS5401 offered?
In 2026, MPS5401 runs in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville.
Does MPS5401 have an exam?
No. MPS5401 has 6 assessment tasks and no exam.