GS532

Graduate Studies Form for Modules attached to Structured PhD and/or Research Masters Programmes

Title

Introduction to Psychopharmacology (BAP) (year 1-3)

Credits  (ECTS)

5

Module Places

Module Code:

GS532

Elective Places

Indicative Module Descriptor:

Students will attend the British Association for Psychopharmacology course and receive a Certificate in preclinical psychopharmacology.  The aim of this Certificate is to increase awareness of, interest and expertise in, preclinical psychopharmacology through the provision of a series of training modules which will cover key aspects of research on animals and humans as well as career development in this field. The programme comprises eight separate modules which will be run over a two-year cycle.    Course website:  http://www.bap.org.uk/educationevent.php?trainingTypeID=1

The module aims / benefit to students are outlined below:

• This course will benefit novice and experienced psychopharmacologists, as well as those working in related fields, by encouraging appraisal and refinement of experimental design, in addition to providing training in essential skills.
• All the modules will consist of talks, given by members of the BAP and other learned societies, and interactive sessions in which participants are encouraged to raise questions and share their ideas on best practice
  
  Indicative Learning Outcomes:

• Particular attention will be given to design of experiments using animals with an emphasis on refinement, reduction and prospects for replacement.
• Guidance and suggestions of career options for young psychopharmacologists will be given.

On successful completion of this module, students should ….

• Have gained an appreciation of refinement skills in experimental design
• Gained experience in applying reduction, refinement and replacement criteria to an experimental design
• Have interacted with members of the BAP and other learned societies during their course

Workload: 100

Class Contact:

Course attendance

40

Specified Assignment(s)

Write a critical appraisal

30

Autonomous Student Learning

Reading literature

30

Assessment(s)

Part I

Attendance at five of the six full-day modules and the presentation of either a poster or an oral communication at a BAP summer meeting.

There is no limit on the time taken to complete the attendance requirement but priority will be given to those who wish to complete the certificate within 2 years. The Certificate course may be started at any point in the two-year cycle

Part II

To write a critical appraisal of approx 2000 words along one of the

following lines:

1. The impact of a particular workshop on the development of their  own research programme

2. To select a recent paper (<2 years old) and discuss how this research could be advanced in light of information learnt from the Certificate. Alternatively the same kind of approach could be employed to the methodologies employed in their own laboratory.

Type

% of marks

Timing

Award of Certificate

100%

Result

Pass / Fail