Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Engineering
Frequently asked questions about the Master's program in Pharmaceutical Engineering (MPE).
Content and focus
Q: Why should I enroll in the MPE and why does it distinguish itself from other Masters programs?
A: MPE offers a specialized curriculum, practical training, and industry-focused preparation that is tailored specifically to the unique requirements and challenges of the pharmaceutical sector. To achieve this, MPE distinguishes itself from other Master programs in the following key aspects:
- Integration of Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences: This Master program bridges the gap between engineering principles and pharmaceutical sciences in a unique way. You can find in several courses an in-depth knowledge of several key pharmaceutical industrial processes and technologies. As such, students learn how to apply engineering concepts for the design, development, and manufacture the increasingly complex and more tailor-made/personalized drug products.
- Hands-on experience: This Master offers hands-on experience through a unique combination of laboratory practicals, research projects, and internships in some of the most important pharmaceutical companies in the world.
- Interdisciplinary approach: Since a pharmaceutical engineer always needs to collaborate with people with different backgrounds, the Master's program is specifically designed to cover traditional topics in chemistry, biology, and pharmacology, as well as others such as business aspects, economics, and modelling.
- Career Opportunities: Graduates of this Master are well-positioned for a wide range of career opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry (and beyond).
- Industry connections: This Master's has a direct industry connection as it offers access to networking opportunities, guest lectures, and industry-sponsored projects and internships.
- Emphasis on innovation: The pharmaceutical industry is constantly evolving and driven by a combination of market demands, regulatory changes, and technological advancements. This Master encourages the student to think critically, and graduates learn how to adapt to industrial as well as societal trends.
If you would like to know more, you can watch the introduction to MPE by Prof. dr. ir. Thomas de Beer.
Q: How does MPE achieve this?
A: MPE achieves the abovementioned aspects by designing a Master course with 4 learning paths where the student can choose a Master curriculum that is most interesting for him/her:
- Pharmaceutical process engineering: this learning path includes the engineering of drug products and their associated processes. The student learns to develop and design drug manufacturing processes.
- Sustainable and high-quality pharmaceutical products: students learn through this learning path to realise high-quality pharmaceutical products in a sustainable way.
Data-to-decision: this learning path includes experimental design for data collection, data analysis, mechanistic and data-driven modeling, optimisation and process control, applied to unit processes as well as process trains for pharmaceutical manufacturing. - Research and innovation: this learning path includes problem-solving and critical thinking in the context of research tasks and projects to be carried out (e.g. master's dissertation) on topics related to pharmaceutical engineering, and this is in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.
Q: Does the course focus only on current pharmaceutical engineering problems?
Traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing processes rely on batch processes and off-line quality control techniques. This Master covers these and more advanced methods to transition current industrial processes into fully automated and continuous manufacturing processes (i.e. concepts from industry 4.0).
Q: To what extent is sustainability addressed in the training?
Sustainability is both implicitly and explicitly a common thread throughout the Master's program, and this is very pronounced in subjects such as Clean Technology.
Q: To what extent does the course focus on economic and business aspects?
The master's courses Management for Engineers and Project Management provide an introduction to business administration and its economics. More specifically, these courses unravel the interdisciplinary study of decisions and strategies within organizations with a strong link between economics, engineering sciences and psychology. Topics such as organizational planning, financial planning, risk management, accounting, and personnel management are discussed. In addition, there is a wide range of electives in entrepreneurship and management.
Q: Does the course focus on problems in Western Europe, or beyond?
The main focus of the Master’s content is on Western Europe and more specifically it is adapted for the Belgian pharmaceutical sector. However, the student can decide to include topics to emphasize other global environmental issues via electives and internships with specific research topics.
Subjects
Q: Is there a lot of programming and modeling involved?
The Master's program contains several courses where modelling is taught to develop virtual replicas of real pharmaceutical systems. To do this, some courses require that the student know how to program (i.e. to efficiently translate the mathematical equations of the system into a convenient representation in the computer software).
To help the student, courses with PC exercise lessons always offer introductory lessons for modeling and programming. Therefore, your basic knowledge from previous years is sufficient to start this and, as you do, you will get the hang of it better and better.
Q: Does the course cover a lot of mathematics, statistics, and physics?
The Master’s program includes in the first year several compulsory courses (e.g. Introduction to Mathematical Modeling and Introduction to Data Science) covering some basic content that is expected from a student starting a Master's program in engineering. Nevertheless, since the topics become more specific than in the bachelor's program, it is more concrete and often easier to understand the mathematics or physics behind them.
Q: Do we get course exemptions if we have already followed previously another Master programme?
Yes. Depending on the Master followed, some course exemptions are automatically granted. If you think you have already acquired some of the skills on existing courses, you can always ask for a course exemption.
Jobs
Q: How employable are MPE graduates?
Highly employable. The MPE programme is set up to create a unique profile that is immediately employable in the labour market.
Q: Can you also end up in another sector?
Yes! Although this Master’s program was designed with the industrial pharmaceutical sector in mind, the knowledge and skills obtained make MPE graduates highly desired. Since you are trained to be a pharmaceutical engineer, you can certainly work in another sector and position with the necessary motivation and eagerness to learn.
For many companies, analytical engineering capabilities are (at least) as important as specific technical knowledge. As a result, you can find pharmaceutical engineers in other industrial sectors. This includes jobs in need of Quality & compliance, supply chain, automation, process development, engineers, biotechnologists and chemists to name a few.
Q: Do the electives determine the sector in which one can end up?
No. However, the prior knowledge you have about a certain (specialization) area through taking an elective subject can be advantageous during a job interview when applying for a specific job. [DF10]
Q: Does MPE graduate students obtain the ir. (Ingenieur) title?
No. Some university programs provide a combined Bachelor-Master trajectory that provides the graduate with a specific engineering degree title (e.g. Bio-ingenieur or ir. in short) that is only recognized in Belgium and The Netherlands. This title is not essential anymore as MPE provides a high-quality program that is already recognized by the European industrial pharmaceutical sector. Therefore, the implications of not having this title in terms of employability (in Belgium) are minimal.
Abroad
Q: To what extent is MPE internationally oriented?
It is certainly possible to have international mobility during MPE. As of this moment, students can only perform their master's thesis at a foreign institution as the MPE has agreements with several universities within Europe. Additionally, because this is an international Master's program, all students are exposed to all the other student’s cultures and backgrounds, providing an educational experience that promotes multicultural awareness and diversity.
Language
Q: What are English language requirements?
All of the Master’s program is entirely taught in English. However, don't be put off by this: there are some specific English requirements to MPE to ensure efficient communication between the lecturers and the students (irrespective of their background and origin). Additionally, specific professional terminology is provided during the lessons. Please consult the Language requirement section in UGent’s MPE study guide.
Questions?
Contact admission@ugent.be