Postgraduate Certificate in Biopharmaceutical Processing (Online)

Course Summary

Programme Code: SG_SBIPR_E09

Delivery: Online

NIBRT and ATU Sligo have aligned to provide certificate programmes that are short, accredited programmes designed in association with industry partners. These programmes focus on upskilling students on the key competencies required for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. These part-time programmes are 
delivered via a blend of online learning with ATU Sligo, and practical modules in the NIBRT facility.

About this programme:
The aim of this postgraduate certificate is to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills required to become part of the Biopharmaceutical and Biotechnology workforce.  This has been achieved by designing a programme in conjunction with the (bio)pharma industry, with whom NIBRT is closely aligned. Subjects including bioanalytics, lean sigma, facility design, biopharma validation and biocontamination control are included in this programme to provide students with the requisite knowledge, skills and professional competencies required to be part of the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology workforce. 

This course is particularly suited to individuals who are looking to enter the (bio)pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Biopharmaceutical processing is a rapidly growing sector within the life-sciences industry, with immense opportunities for graduates. Global manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals has increased significantly over the last decade. 

This programme will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the principal scientific and engineering challenges in the manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. As a result, graduates can look forward to a wide range of career opportunities in a large and growing industry. Upon completion of the programme students will have achieved an internationally recognised qualification which is highly relevant to the biopharma and biotechnology industry. 

Award title/ level: Certificate in Science in BioPharmaceutical Processing- Level 9

Students are required to complete a total of 30 credits for the full award.

Closing date: 18th August 2023
 

Key Course Information

Course Attendance:
Lectures will be delivered online. Depending on electives, students may be required to attend a 2 day block attendance at the NIBRT facility in Dublin.

Please note: This programme is jointly offered by ATU Sligo and NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training).

Whether you are studying part-time online, blended or full-time online, it is very important that you allocate enough study time to your online course to stay focused, reduce stress and achieve your goals. For part-time online or blended learning, it is recommended that you should try to allow for 5-6 hours per week per 5 credit module to your studies.  

Most online courses typically involve 3 x 5 credit modules per semester which leads to an average 15 – 18 study hours per week. Our online courses have about 3 hours of live lectures per week (but this can vary per programme). The rest of your study time consists of independent learning, communicating with your lecturers and classmates and carrying out assignments. 

Live lectures normally take place between 6pm and 10pm, Monday to Thursday but this may vary depending on the availability of specific lecturers. If the Live Classroom scheduled times for the live online lectures do not suit you, recordings will be made available through Moodle. Please note, you may be required to take some time off work for the below:  

• 100% Continuous assessment, no attendance required for exams
• Workshops/Practical Classes: Approximately 2 days attendance in NIBRT, per semester, depending on the elective module 

Course Contact:

Course Co-ordinator NIBRT: Melissa Hoare
Email: melissa.hoare@nibrt.ie

Course Co-ordinator ATU Sligo:  Mary Butler
Email: mary.butler@atu.ie 

Online and Part time Admissions
tel: 071 9318511
email: admissions.sligo@atu.ie

About this programme

It is the overall aim of this postgraduate course to deliver training which is customised to meet the exact needs of the clients in the biopharma sector. This is achieved through completing online modules that have been designed in conjunction with the Biopharma industry with whom NIBRT and ATU Sligo are closely aligned. This course is particularly suited to individuals who may have worked in similar industries and are looking to enter the Biopharma manufacturing sector for the first time or who wish to study a mix of generic and specialist modules which provide the graduates with various employment pathways.

Award: Certificate in Science in BioPharmaceutical Processing- Level 9

Students are required to complete a total of 30 credits for the full award.

Application Closing Date : 16th August 2024

Entry Requirements

The programme is open to students who have obtained an honours degree (Level 8) or its equivalent in an appropriate discipline (i.e. Engineering or Life Sciences). Other candidates with alternative honours degrees and relevant experience in the BioProcessing industry (typically 5 years duration in a GMP environment) may apply for consideration through the ATU Sligo RPL (Recognised Prior Learning) process.

RPL
Applicants with other qualifications and with relevant work experience may also be considered through ATU Sligo’s Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) process. RPL is a process that may allow you to gain admission to a programme or to receive exemptions / credit from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning that you may have achieved through another programme of study or through your work and career. Further information is available through www.atu.ie/recognition-of-prior-learning which our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team at admissions.sligo@atu.ie 

English requirement
Applicants whose first language is not English should provide evidence of English language proficiency. For further information on English language requirements click here

Career Opportunities

This course is particularly suited to individuals who are looking to enter the (bio)pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Biopharmaceutical processing is a rapidly growing sector within the life-sciences industry, with immense opportunities for graduates. Global manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals has increased significantly over the last decade. 

This programme will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the principal scientific and engineering challenges in the manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. As a result, graduates can look forward to a wide range of career opportunities in a large and growing industry. Upon completion of the programme students will have achieved an internationally recognised qualification which is highly relevant to the biopharma and biotechnology industry. 

Further Study

Upon successful completion of this programme students can progress onto the L9 Post-graduate Diploma in Biopharmaceutical Science (60 credits) and further onto the L9 MSc. in Biopharmaceutical Science (90 credits).

Did you know?

Biopharmaceutical Processing involves study of the discovery, development and processing of modern, medical drugs by artificially growing some or all of the components utilising cell culture technologies. The processes involved are more biological-based as compared to the more chemical-based processes associated with small-molecule pharmaceutical products.

The Medical Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutical sectors are among the fastest growing in the Life Sciences area both nationally and internationally. “Over the past decade the Irish biopharma sector has seen $10 billion in capital investment in new facilities which represents close to the largest wave of investment in biopharma manufacturing anywhere in the globe”, according to the NIBRT annual report published Feb 2019. There are significant career opportunities on offer in this sector. 

Programme Fees

Academic Year 2024/25 Fees
Total Programme Fee: €6,000

To help make the payment of fees more manageable for students who are self-funding their studies, tuition fees can be paid through payment instalment plans at ATU Sligo. For further information on instalment plans, please visit our Fees and Funding webpage. 

If you apply and are approved for an online course at ATU Sligo, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €250 to secure your place. Your deposit will then be credited against the course fees once you are registered as a student. Students at ATU Sligo are also eligible to claim tax relief at the standard rate for tuition fees.

For further information and guidance about Fees and Funding for online and part-time courses at ATU Sligo, click here.

If you are seeking to take your exams online, and you meet the eligibility criteria (overseas students and those with extenuating circumstances), an additional examinations fee will apply. For further information, please visit our Examinations webpage. 
 

Course Format

Semester 1

Semester 2