Module manager: Dr Alasdair Pickles
Email: a.r.pickles@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: 1 May to 30 Apr (12mth) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
A first degree (BSc hons) in a Biological Sciences subject, Bioprocessing or Biochemical Engineering: class 2(i) or above.
BIOL5396M - Research Project (for MSc BD industrial placement)
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module is designed to provide students with experience of practical research and work through the completion of a 12 month work placement. The placement will involve a substantial research project (60 credits) completed in industry. During this placement, students will become an employee of the organisation and will be subject to their working practices and conditions. Through the project, students will gain in-depth practical experience of at least one technical function of the drug development process (pre-competitive research, discovery, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, clinical safety and efficacy). In addition, the placement will provide substantial opportunities to enhance a range of transferable skills including developing professional relationships with others, teamwork, and communication skills.
The objectives are to:
- Provide in-depth practical training and research experience in an area of biological drug discovery or development;
- Provide experience of applying student learning within a professional work environment;
- Provide the opportunity to develop a broad portfolio of transferable skills that improves student competitiveness in the biopharmaceutical employment sector.
On completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Design, plan and execute an independent, in-depth research project in an area of biological drug development;
2. Apply cutting-edge knowledge and practical techniques of the biological drug development process in an industrial setting;
3. Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the legal regulatory framework and its implementation in biological drug development;
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the commercial and cultural environment in which they have worked;
5. Demonstrate a range of scientific and transferable skills including those associated with teamwork, problem-solving, project management and communication;
6. Demonstrate an awareness of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for a career in biologics development.
- Analytical skills
- Commercial awareness
- Critical thinking
- Planning & organisation
- Research skills
An integral part of the programme is a period of practical research (60 credits) through which students gain in-depth practical experience of at least one technical function of the drug development process (discovery, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, clinical safety and efficacy). To acquire this, students complete a placement in industry which include a research project component that equates to 60 credits worth of work.
Our process for allocation of projects will be as follows: we will make available a list of placement providers and associated projects in approximately November of the academic year following presentations from the placement providers. Students will indicate their placement preferences, giving a rank order of preference and will be allocated one of the placements with respect to that form and also competitively (in competition with others in their peer-group). The students will be allocated to a placement based on their selection process and will be informed of their allocation. Students will normally receive a salary or stipend during their placement module.
Supervision arrangements: all students will be allocated an industry and academic supervisor with the primary supervisor being the industry supervisor/line manager. There should be regular meetings between the student and the primary project supervisor, normally on a weekly basis, with the student maintaining a pro forma record of the outcome of meetings.
The projects will commence in May, approximately six-months after the start of the programme and will be completed by the following May. Assessment of projects will be finalised by the end of June, enabling students to graduate in July.
Assessment will be through a final dissertation and an oral presentation on their research work.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 50 | 0.5 | 25 |
| Induction Session | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Practical | 1 | 400 | 400 |
| Seminar | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Private study hours | 166 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 434 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 600 | ||
Project supervision meetings. Meetings with the primary supervisor will take place normally weekly. Meetings with the secondary supervisor will take place quarterly.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay or Dissertation | Dissertation of no more than 7,000 words | 80 |
| Oral Presentation | Formative online oral presentation | 0 |
| Oral Presentation | Verbal presentation | 20 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Formative oral presentation will be completed by the end of September approximately 4 months into the placement.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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