Reasons to choose this course
- Pharmaceutical Industry is one of the biggest industries in Ireland.
- Opportunity to continue to level 8 BSc (Honours) in Pharmaceutical Analysis with Cosmetic Science
- The Institute has a track record in Applied Chemistry, Applied Biology and Analytical Sciences and the Higher Certificate is a modernised version of programmes successfully offered for many years.
- It should be noted that this course is not a ‘beauty therapy’ course and is fundamentally a laboratory science programme.
What is the Higher Certificate in Pharmaceutical Analysis with Cosmetic Science about?
This course combining pharmaceutical analysis and cosmetic science is a unique alternative to students wishing to study science at third-level. The course is distinctive in its design and content and is not available in any other third-level institution in Ireland. This Higher Certificate is targeted at students who are interested in learning the basic skills and techniques necessary for work in a technical capacity in the pharmaceutical industry.
How is the course delivered?
This course is delivered in a modularised and semesterised structure over two academic years. Students attend a mixture of lectures and practicals that allow the theory and concepts that are studied in lectures to be explored in the laboratory. The course also involves some tutorial support and some field trips related to course content. The focus of the course is in the development of technical and laboratory skills.
What facilities are available?
Lecture rooms and a variety of specialist laboratory facilities are available to the Department. These have been developed over the years to support the Institute’s suite of laboratory science programmes. Laboratories are equipped with modern, relevant analytical instrumentation that are required for the programme modules.
What are my career opportunities?
This course offers a foundation for those looking at careers in pharmaceutical, analytical and cosmetic sciences.
The pharmaceutical industry is hugely important to both human and animal welfare. Through the development and production of medicines for cancer treatment, infectious diseases, the industry greatly benefits our society. In Ireland, the pharmaceutical industry generates more than €40 billion per year and employs about 24,000 people – over 50% of which have third-level qualifications. 16 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies currently operate in Ireland.
The cosmetics industry is one of the few growth areas in our current economic climate showing a global increase in sales of 5% in 2009. In Ireland a number of the top global cosmetics companies operate and are involved in research and development of new products as well as manufacture of skin-care creams and plant extracts. Cosmetic scientists typically find employment in the following areas: research, product development, process development, quality control, product testing, packaging development, microbiology and regulation.