Biopharmaceutics Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope

What is Biopharmaceutics

Biopharmaceutics- The complex processes of drug delivery, the subsequent response and reaction to the drugs and related research together comprise Biopharmaceutics. It is the advanced domain of pharmacy that deals with the study of chemical, physical and biological properties of various pharmaceuticals. It includes the study of activities and related mechanisms of action in living organisms. The biopharmaceutics course is often concerned with advanced biotechnological research outcomes. It is the study of optimisation of the pharmacological and therapeutic activities of drugs in living organisms and involves identification of the factors influencing their bioavailability.

Various advanced techniques in biotechnology like recombinant technology, immune therapeutics, and genetic engineering are used to derive highly specific and targeted pharmaceutics.

The pharmaceutical industry is constantly in need of research and innovation professionals. Biopharmaceutics courses equip a person with the fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the complex mechanisms of pharmaceuticals in living beings. The career prospects of biopharmaceutics professionals are really good. Research in virology, cancer treatment and other fields of medicine are throwing open new windows to exciting challenges every day. 

Biopharmaceutics Courses: Degrees and Levels 

Diploma level (3-year course)- A diploma in pharmacy can be taken up immediately after completing class 10+2. A diploma equips a student with beginner-level skills in pharmacology, biological science and biotechnology and empowers him to pursue entry-level pharmacist jobs. There are basic biopharmaceutics courses that are introduced in a diploma.

Undergraduate level (4-year course)- One can take up an undergraduate course after completing class 10+2. The lateral entry is for students who have pursued a diploma already. To pursue biopharmaceutics, an undergraduate degree is essential in the following areas. 

• Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) – 4 years

• Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) Lateral Entry – 3 years

• Bachelor of Pharmacology (Hons.) – 4 years

• Bachelor of Pharmacy (Ayurveda) – 4 years

Postgraduate level (2-year course)- There are many areas in which specialisation can be pursued, we have listed down the major areas related to biopharmaceutics. All of these courses need a solid foundation in pharmacology and hence an undergraduate degree of B.Pharm is mandatory. 

• Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) Biopharmaceutics– 2 years

• Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) Pharmaceutical chemistry– 2 years

• Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) Drug Discovery and Development– 2 years

• Pharm. D (post-baccalaureate)– 3 years
  A research-based Pharm. D (Post Baccalaureate) is also possible to pursue a biopharmaceutics. To pursue, candidates are required to have an undergraduate degree.

Doctoral program (research-based) PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (3 years)- scholars can continue with their research and academic career after a PhD. 

Biopharmaceutics- Minimum and Maximum Duration 

The diploma is achieved in a minimum of 24 months. Undergraduate courses require a minimum of 48 months’ of study for it to be completed. Postgraduate studies require 24 months of study. Research-based studies at masters level (Pharm. D) take a minimum of 36 months of study and at the doctoral level, it takes 36 to 48 months. The usual time limit of maximum graduation time is 48-72 months including any extended duration for diploma and undergraduate level courses of pharmacy. The postgraduate specialization in biopharmaceutics also allows for a stipulated time of 36-48 months as maximum allowed time. It is not unusual for students to take as long as 84-96 months to complete their study.

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Biopharmaceutics

The minimum criterion to qualify for admission into government colleges is 60% in class 10+2 with the subject combination of maths, physics, biology and chemistry. Some of the private colleges have the eligibility criteria set at 50% in both class 10 and class 12 from a recognised examination board. However, the eligibility for SC/ST/PwD category students is reduced by 5%. The requirements also vary greatly for private colleges.

The postgraduate (M.Pharm) biopharmaceutics course(s) has the minimum requirements of a first-class score in B.Pharm for admission. The eligibility criteria include an undergraduate B. Pharm with a minimum of 60% marks or 6.0 (out of 10.0) Grade Point Average (GPA) in the disciplines of Pharmacology from an AICTE and Pharmacy Council of India recognised colleges. 

Admission Criteria for Biopharmaceutics after Class 12

The basic admission criterion is to pass class 10+2. At diploma level, the programme is most accessible to all students who have completed class 12 with science subject combination. For admission in undergraduate level, candidates must pass class 12 with subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics.  There is often a minimum qualifying percentage of around 50-60% for admission. For master's programmes, the compulsory criteria are an undergraduate degree in pharmacy and obtaining minimum qualifying marks. 

Entrance Examinations for Biopharmaceutics

The following are the different types of entrance examinations for getting into a biopharmaceutics course. 

Undergraduate level: In India, the AICTE and the Pharmacy Council of India are the regulatory bodies for colleges related to pharmacy. Various states have their own common entrance examinations that allow admission to respective state colleges.

Postgraduate and research: For postgraduate programmes, Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) is the major entrance examination for securing admission into the master of pharmacy (M. Pharm) courses. The rank and performance indicators in this are used for admission by almost all colleges for admission into biopharmaceutics courses. It is also considered for various scholarships and assistance.  

Fees and Expenses of Pharmacy and BPH Courses: Minimum and Maximum

The tuition fee and college expenses for popular biopharmaceutics courses are as follows:

Diploma level: Total fee is in the range of Rs.10, 000 and Rs.1, 00,000 and varies largely based on government and private colleges.

Undergraduate level: The total fees for all years of study entirely depend on the college and it is a minimum of Rs.60,000 and maximum of Rs.18,00,000. The private colleges charge on the higher end while government colleges are almost free of cost. 

Postgraduate and research: The postgraduate courses’ fees are in the range of Rs.40,000 to Rs.3,00,000 for the entire duration of 2 years. 

Required Skillset for Biopharmaceutics

Research skill: The field of biopharmaceutics is entirely dependent on extensive research works. It involves continuous research and development of new products or improvement of the existing ones. Thus, to make a career in the field of biopharmaceutics it is mandatory for one to have research skills with a lot of patience. 

Innovativeness: With innovation skills, one can also add to his competitive advantage. One can build better and more improved products and services with more value-addition. 

In-depth knowledge: Being a research-oriented topic, biopharmaceutics requires in-depth knowledge in all aspects of science particularly to biology and chemistry along with maths. Lack of knowledge will lead to one’s inability to understand the working principles of the subject.

Sales skill: Biopharmaceutics involves the development and sales of products and services. Thus, having the right skill is necessary as this will help a person to explore new possibilities and reach out to the new customers in an appropriate way. With proper sales skill, one can also tackle conflicts and negotiations in a better way. 

Communication skill: While studying and then working with biopharmaceutics, students have to come across patients, healthcare professionals and a number of other stakeholders from the industry. Communicating one’s objectives in an effective manner to each one of them is essential so that those can be achieved easily.

Analytical skill: With proper analytical skills, one is able to point out problem areas with ease and reach decisions to overcome them. This skill helps biopharmaceutics experts to understand what step they should take next to come out with a viable solution.