ERGOB3900 Professional Development and Methods - Bachelor Thesis Course description

In their third year, students will work on a bachelor thesis. The work on the bachelor thesis provides the students with experience of systematic project work over time, where professional development and the development of new knowledge in common is key. Philosophy of science and research methodology knowledge and skills are recurrent topics in the work on the bachelor’s thesis.

In part one, which starts at the beginning of the autumn semester, focus will be on how to plan project work. The student will start by working in-depth with a topic that forms the basis for their bachelor thesis. Students will be assigned a supervisor who follows the development of the project outline.

In part two, which concludes the programme, focus will be on completing the project and writing the bachelor’s thesis.

The bachelor’s thesis must be related to a research and development work in occupational therapy and occupational science.

Passed first and second year of the programme or equivalent.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has broad knowledge of updated national and international research on the topic of the bachelor’s thesis
• has knowledge of professional development and project work and can use the knowledge in his/her own project
• has knowledge of philosophy of science, research ethics and research methods, and is capable of discussing how this impacts the development of knowledge in occupational therapy

Skills

The student is capable of

• applying problem-solving and creative strategies in the development of a project outline
• developing a research question and a project plan
• using philosophy of science, research ethics and methods to his/her own bachelor’s degree project
• applying a relevant scientific method and conducting data collection and analysis
• preparing an abstract and bachelor’s thesis based on traditions in research dissemination
• obtaining, applying and discussing relevant research articles and other specialist literature from national and international R&D work on the topic of the bachelor thesis
• discussing the bachelor thesis’ topic and results in relation to occupational therapy theory and occupational science
• discussing, assessing and reflecting on results and factors that have influenced the results’ reliability and validity

General competence

The student is capable of

• planning and carrying out an occupational therapy development project in cooperation with others under supervision
• critically reflecting on research ethics issues and guidelines
• communicating in written form, discussing and presenting the results of his/her own project

This course focuses on the characteristic properties of different types of active ingredients, formulations and routes of administration, as well as theory on and practical presentation of sterile pharmaceutical production.

In order to be permitted to sit the exam, the following must have been approved:

• application for approval of the topic and an overview of those who will write the assignment
• a written assignment in the form of a project outline for the bachelor thesis, up to 1,500 words. The project description must be written and submitted in groups normally comprising two students.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe the structure and function of biological barriers
• can explain the function of relevant ancillary substances in pharmaceutical preparations
• is capable of explaining factors that can limit the bioavailability of active ingredients and influence the biopharmaceutical properties of pharmaceuticals
• can explain the choice of active ingredients, formulation and route of administration in connection with pharmaceutical development
• can give grounds for how the durability and conditions for storage of pharmaceuticals are determined
• is capable of assessing the use of different pharmaceutical formulations based on a patient’s condition and needs

Skills

The student

• can discuss principles of pharmaceutical formulation based on information from summaries of product characteristics (SPC) and any other relevant pharmaceutical reference works
• masters basic skills in aseptic work technique and sterilisation procedures
• can assess whether a pharmaceutical batch is consistent with specific quality requirements
• can present an allocated relevant topic to fellow students

General competence

The student

• can apply knowledge to identify innovative formulations and critical stages of the development and production of pharmaceuticals
• can familiarise him/herself with the principles of formulation for new pharmaceuticals
• can assess possibilities for individual adaptation of pharmaceutical formulation to create the best possible health at the individual level
• has a conscious relationship to the choice of own formulation and routes of administration
• has an understanding of the role of the pharmacist in pharmaceutical development and production

Work and teaching methods include lectures, group work, question sessions and laboratory work. The lectures involve student activity and the material elucidated with the help of examples of clinical relevance. The laboratory work focuses on aseptic work technique. The flipped classroom method is used for parts of the course. Digital learning resources will be made available to students in advance, and the time they spend at the university will be used to work on assignments and group work.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• Minimum attendance of 80% in the laboratory course in the production of pharmaceuticals subject to sterility requirements
• Individual practical test in the production of pharmaceuticals subject to sterility requirements, up to 2 hours

If the practical test is not approved, arrangements will be made for another attempt before the ordinary exam. Approval is required in order for the student to be able to take the ordinary exam. Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Supervised individual written exam, 4 hours