Program Overview

Clinical Therapeutics and the Scientific Basis of Practice B: Central Nervous System, Gastrointestinal System, Liver, Skin and Eye

Key Information

• Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences
• Teaching department: School of Pharmacy
• Credit value: 60
• Restrictions: Module only available for students studying MPharm

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who are experts in medicines, with a detailed understanding of the scientific basis of therapy. The MPharm programme integrates pharmaceutical science into the practice of clinical pharmacy, providing an education that equips graduates with the competencies and knowledge to provide safe and effective patient care. This module builds upon the fundamentals of pharmaceutical science and clinical pharmacy in Year 1 of the MPharm and runs in parallel with the Year 2 Clinical Therapeutics and the Scientific Basis of Practice A: Cardiovascular, Renal and Endocrine systems module and Clinical, Professional and Scientific Skills 2 module. Together, they introduce students to the concept of clinical therapeutics and demonstrate how drug utilisation is firmly grounded in the pharmaceutical sciences. The Clinical Therapeutics and the Scientific Basis of Practice B: Central Nervous System, Gastrointestinal System, Liver, Skin and Eye module is focused on the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, liver, skin and eye their anatomy, physiology and normal function, the aetiology and pathophysiology of diseases of those systems, the pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and formulation of the drugs used to treat those diseases, and the clinical considerations in the prevention and management of those diseases in patients. There is a strong emphasis on application and integration of knowledge and understanding, unconstrained by traditional subject boundaries, and the scientific rationale behind relevant therapeutic interventions. Throughout all aspects of the module, there is a strong focus on development of the diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills that are required to underpin safe and effective prescribing.

At the end of the module, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes and will be able to:

• Describe in detail the physiology and function of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, liver, skin and eye in health and disease
• Describe the aetiology, epidemiology and diagnosis of the most common central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, liver, skin and eye diseases
• Discuss the mechanisms of action, development, medicinal chemistry and formulation of drugs/drug classes used to treat gastrointestinal system, liver, skin and eye diseases
• Describe the mechanisms of action, development, medicinal chemistry and formulation of drugs/drug classes used to relieve pain and to treat common psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders
• Describe the clinical therapeutic management of gastrointestinal, liver, skin and eye diseases, in light of specific patient factors and national guidelines
• Describe the causes and clinical therapeutic management of common psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders in light of specific patient factors and national guidelines
• Describe how conventional formulations are developed, formulated, produced and tested, taking into account relevant patient-related and drug-related factors
• Describe the sources of drugs, including relevant examples
• Explain the principles of medicinal chemistry as applied to the discovery and development of new drugs
• Explain the principles of NMR and mass spectrometry and be able to analyse relatively simple spectra correctly

Demonstrate diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, within the context of the module content and level of study, that are required to underpin safe and effective prescribing

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term: Academic Year (Terms 1, 2, and 3)

Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 5)

Teaching and Assessment

• Mode of study: In person
• Methods of assessment:
  • 40% Exam
  • 45% In-class activity (3 assessments)
  • 15% Group activity
• Mark scheme: Numeric Marks

Other Information

• Number of students on module in previous year: 198
• Module leader: Professor Afia Ali

Last Updated

This module description was last updated on 10th March 2026.