Who is the course for?
Get a headstart over your classmates
You’re all going to leave with the same degree on paper, so how can you stand out from the crowd and set yourself apart?
The answer is simple…
- Learn to “talk the talk” of the pharma industry so you can confidently answer interview questions and show a genuine understanding of this unique industry
- Don’t waste limited application opportunities making mistakes – know how to write a CV that really catches attention, learn how to answer different types of interview questions, and figure out how to sell the unique skills you already have
This programme will give you all the technical and job application skills you need to turn your degree into a place in a pharma industry graduate scheme. After just 10 weeks (or 10 days in the Fast Track option), you’ll be ready for interviews and confident in what to say to employers.
We deliver the program online through one centralised platform (Moodle). This is where you can log into your classroom, get assignments and interact with faculty. Each week you’ll complete a series of videos, quizzes, interactive activities, and projects through our online platform, available to access 24/7.
You’ll have a dedicated course leader who will email or telephone you if it looks like you’re starting to fall behind.
Please note: There are NO ZOOM classes or webinars!

What you’ll learn – there are 2 modules
Module 1 – Manufacturing Safe Medicines (6 weeks)
This is where you learn to “talk the talk”.
Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing is a uniquely and strictly regulated environment. Wherever you want to end up, understanding those regulations and knowing what they mean in practice will give you a head start.
In this module, you’ll learn about the rules as well as the systems used to implement them.
Most new graduates don’t know this type of information so you’ll absolutely set yourself ahead of the pack when you can demonstrate this knowledge on your CV and at an interview.
You’ll spend 4 weeks learning new technical content and then 2 weeks writing your assignment (and we’ve got a professional writing skills programme to guide you through the assignment writing process and equip you with the written communication skills you need for starting in the industry).
Topics covered include (don’t worry if you don’t understand these right now, that exactly why you need this course):
- Introduction – to pharmaceutical, (bio)pharmaceutical manufacturing in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) regulated environment, quality systems vs regulation vs validation
- Industry regulations and guidelines – including, FDA GMPs for the United States, EMA GMPs for Europen Union, ICH, and PICs GMP regulation
- FDA medical device rules – medical device regulations & guidelines
- GMPs vs ISO 9001:2015 – what’s the difference and why we use both
- Process validation and documentation – design and verification of manufacturing systems
- Key manufacturing technologies – such as organic chemical synthesis, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, tablet manufacturing and aseptic & sterile manufacturing
- Supporting technologies – such as purified water generation, storage & distribution, clean steam, water for injection, storage and distribution
- Introduction to Quality Risk Management (QRM) – and the importance of risk management and the basic steps involved in its application
- Professional Writing Skills Program – This will guide you through the assignment writing process and equip you with the written communication skills you need for working in the industry
Module 2 – Job Hunting Skills (4 weeks)
This is the job application bit.
In this module, you’ll navigate your way, step by step, through the job application process for the pharma industry. By the end of it, you’ll know which jobs you’d be perfect for, where to find them, and how to make applications to give yourself the best chance at success.
Topics include:
- CV writing – everyone thinks they know how to write a CV, most people don’t. There are some extremely common mistakes made by students and graduates – we’ll tell you what they are and how to avoid them so your CV really stands out as exceptional
- Social media for a pharma job hunt – how to avoid common mistakes and harness the power of social media for your job hunt
- Networking – why and how
- Interview preparation – understand the types of questions you’ll get asked in a pharma interview and how to answer them
Some people think they don’t need the job-hunting module.
If you’re one of them, take this 30-second quiz to find out for sure…
Your Class Schedule
At the end of each week, your course coordinator will check your study logs and only will release next week’s materials to you if you have completed that week’s work.
If it looks like you’re falling behind, they will proactively follow up with you to help keep you on track.