Herbal Medicinal Science (Top-Up) - BSc (Hons)

More about this course

This course is a partnership between London Metropolitan University and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SUTCM). To participate in this course, you must first complete the SUTCM programme, with additional London Met modules. Provided you achieve the necessary grades, you’ll then progress onto this course – which you can choose to study either at SUTCM in Shanghai, or at London Metropolitan University in the UK.

Herbal medicine takes a holistic approach to wellness, and uses natural products to treat patients. On the top-up course, you’ll expand on your knowledge of traditional medicines and learn about the ways they are developing with the aid of technology. You’ll look at the way in which plant-derived drugs can be created through chemistry and pharmacology, and study related areas of science, including cell biology, bioanalytical science, medicinal chemistry and toxicology.

You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake a work-based placement year, during which you’ll gain exposure to the industry and get valuable hands-on experience.

Assessment

Aggregate scores for Level 5 and Level 6 will be used to determine your final grade.

You'll be assessed through progress tests, summative examinations, and coursework in the form of detailed laboratory reports. 

In your final year, you'll write a detailed report based on an investigative project carried out through the academic year. This will be assessed through a presentation and oral examination as well as through the quality of the written report.

Professional accreditation

On graduation, you'll be eligible to apply for Associate Membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry (AMRSC).

Entry requirements

In addition to meeting the University’s standard entry requirements, Government quota and non-quota students get on to the programme through the Chinese University Matriculation exams:

This course is only available to students from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SUTCM) in Chinese Medicinal Science BSc (Hons)/ Herbal Medicinal Science BSc (Hons) (Dual Award).

There are 2 pathways for this partnership.
Pathway 1 -  Students are recruited within the Chinese government quota and they will achieve 240 credits after the completion of the first 3 years at SUTCM.
Pathway 2 - Students are not within the Chinese government quota and they will not get 240 credits as they do not study all the modules that Pathway 1 students do. Therefore, this group of students need to pass all the modules listed on their transcript. 60% is the passing grade.
Both pathway students will need to meet English requirements and other immigration requirements.

No other students are eligible for this programme, and therefore will not be offered to UK/EU or other candidates.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2023/24 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 3 modules include:

Advanced Bioanalytical Science (core, 15 credits)

This module currently runs:

• spring semester - Friday morning

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s, Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.
The module aims to develop students’ understanding of advanced bioanalytical techniques and to enable students to determine which analytical technique is suitable for a particular type of sample. The module will reinforce and build on analysis skills introduced in CH5007 and provide an opportunity for students to interpret more advanced data, particularly spectra and chromatograms and to solve defined problems. The students will gain practical experience in selected analytical techniques.
This module aims to provide students with the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts. The module should also help students to gain the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

Read full details

Medicinal Chemistry (core, 15 credits)

This module currently runs:

• spring semester - Thursday morning

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

This module will enable students to develop an understanding of the various strategies used in drug design and the molecular mechanisms by which drugs act in the body.

The module aims to: deepen students’ awareness of the major influence chemistry has had on the treatment of various diseases and debilitating conditions; enable students to assess critically the methodologies and strategies that govern whether or not a synthetic compound (i.e. new chemical entity, NCE) may be regarded as a good drug candidate.

Read full details

Natural Products (core, 15 credits)

This module currently runs:

• autumn semester - Thursday morning

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality
Assurance Agency’s, Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.
This module aims to enable students to develop an understanding of the chemical components of a range of natural products (e.g. terpenes, plant glycosides, alkaloids, carbohydrates, peptides/proteins and nucleic acids), as well as the methods used for their appropriate extraction and quantitation. It will also show students how to deploy a range of spectroscopic techniques for structure elucidation of some of these vitally important molecules. In addition, the module aims to develop students understanding of both the biosyntheses, and synthetic methodologies, involved in deriving the active constituents of drug-like molecules found in nature (e.g. in pharmacognosy) and provide them with contexts that will allow them to develop problem solving skills in this area. Contemporary topics of importance in natural products such as applications of combinatorial chemistry, photochemistry (industrial-scale) and semi-synthetic drug development will also be introduced via lectures, tutorials and workshops and the
students’ practical skills will be enhanced by exposure to specific techniques from
modern natural product isolation protocols. In addition, the module aims to provide students with the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment. They will be required to exercise initiative and personal responsibility, as well as decision-making
in complex and unpredictable contexts. Finally, the module aims to provide students with the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

Read full details

Research Project (core, 30 credits)

This module currently runs:

• all year (September start) - Wednesday afternoon

This module will enable students to demonstrate the skills necessary to carry out a scientific programme requiring significant research. It will allow students to demonstrate the final development of their subject knowledge, skills and understanding through extended research based on laboratory, literature or field work, or meta-analysis of databases. This research will lead to the presentation of a detailed written report and a Powerpoint presentation of results. This module aims to encourage the student to reflect and build upon their subject knowledge and expertise by means of a specific investigation requiring significant research; develop the skills necessary to plan, carry out, analyse and report upon the results of an experimental or analytical programme on a scientific topic; allow the student to demonstrate that s/he has achieved a high level of personal development through working independently with the minimum necessary supervision; allow the student to demonstrate their understanding and application of safe and considerate working practices, particularly within the laboratory.

Read full details

Toxicology (core, 15 credits)

This module currently runs:

• autumn semester - Thursday afternoon

This module will enable students to extend their understanding of disease and toxicity. They will study the influences of endogenous and foreign compound metabolism on pathology. Students will learn how these pathological processes can be modulated in the treatment of disease and poisonings.

The aims of this module are aligned with the qualification descriptors within the Quality Assurance Agency’s, Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to understand the principles and practices of biochemical pathology . This will be by expanding a student's knowledge and understanding of human biotransformations (metabolism) particularly as they influence the nature of disease(pathology) and toxic states (toxicology). Students will engage with problems in toxicology and pathology and study a range of topics including forensic, regulatory and environmental toxicology and metabolic pathology. They will be provided with an understanding of the key role of foreign compound (xenobiotic) metabolism in biochemical toxicology and given the opportunity to study the aetiology and treatment of disease and poisonings.

Read full details

Where this course can take you

On graduating, you'll be well equipped to pursue a career in herbal medicinal product development, quality control and assurance work.

You'll find career opportunities throughout the science-based industries, particularly the pharmaceutical, natural product, biotechnology, food and agricultural sectors.

The programme is also excellent preparation for advanced postgraduate study.

Placements

If you're studying full-time, you can choose to study either at London Met or at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SUTCM), where all teaching is in English. If you choose the latter, you'll receive a Certificate of Completion from SUTCM on graduation.

You'll also have the chance to complete a placement year working in the industry.

Additional costs

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

When to apply

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.

If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.