Course Title: Principles of Pharmacology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Principles of Pharmacology

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ONPS2032

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011

ONPS2032

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023

Course Coordinator: Celine Valery

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925

Course Coordinator Email: celine.valery@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Required prior study (Pre-requisites)

OR

OR


Course Description

The principles of pharmacology provide the scientific foundation for therapeutic practice, the assessment of adverse events and drug interactions as well as drug design, discovery and development. In this course there are 4 broad topics: pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, autonomic pharmacology and the pharmacology of autocoid mediators.

  • Pharmacodynamics includes the study of drug targets, the molecules that are altered by drugs to produce an effect. Pharmacodynamic principles are a set of tools used to describe, measure and understand drug action.
  • Pharmacokinetics is the study of the processes which affect absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
  • Autonomic pharmacology is the pharmacology of the autonomic nervous system including the neurotransmitter systems, receptors and transmitter actions and how drugs affect these processes.
  • Pharmacology of autacoid and lipid mediators describes the action of local hormones on cellular processes and receptors including histamine, serotonin and prostaglandins and how drugs influence these processes.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for Pharmaceutical Sciences (BP311):

  • Exhibiting depth and breadth of scientific knowledge (PLO 1)
  • Critically analyse and solve scientific problems (PLO 2)
  • Communication and teamwork (PLO 3)
  This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for Pharmacy (BH102):
  • Apply pharmaceutical, medication and health knowledge and skills to improve patient and population health (PLO 7)
  This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for Chem Eng/Pharm Sci double degree (BH122): 
  • Exhibiting depth and breadth of scientific knowledge (PLO 1)
  • Critically analyse and solve scientific problems (PLO 2)
  • Communication and Teamwork (PLO 3)


On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Identify key sites and discuss major mechanisms of drug action
  2. Apply concepts of agonism and antagonism to the quantification of drug effects
  3. Analyse entry, distribution, metabolism and removal of drugs from the body
  4. Explain neurotransmitter action in the peripheral and central nervous systems and evaluate the effects of drugs on these systems
  5. Describe the action of peptide hormones and autacoid mediators and evaluate the effects of drugs on these systems


Overview of Learning Activities

Key concepts and their application will be illustrated in lectures, then opportunities to discuss and apply this knowledge will be provided in tutorial classes.

You will undertake the equivalent of 4 hours per week (average) for one semester, comprising lecture and tutorial sessions. In addition, you can expect to spend a minimum of 6 hours per week in independent study.


Overview of Learning Resources

Learning resources in this course include lecture notes, tutorial exercises and handouts, and references on selected topics. The online course webpage accessed via the Student Portal - myRMIT, provides opportunities for you to independently access much of this material. You are expected to regularly access the course website, which contains announcements, course information such as detailed timetables and prescribed reading, course documents and the grade book. The Pharmaceutical Sciences Subject Guide (https://rmit.libguides.com/pharmacy) also provides useful references.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: In-semester assessments

Weighting 30%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Assessment Task 2: Essay

Weighting 25%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 4 & 5

Assessment Task 3: Peptide Mediators assignment

Weighting 20%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 5

Assessment Task 4: End of semester assessment

Weighting 25%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5