Curriculum Overview
The Pharmacy program at Girijananda Chowdhury University Kamrup is structured over eight semesters to ensure a comprehensive and progressive learning experience. The curriculum combines foundational science courses, core pharmaceutical disciplines, departmental electives, and hands-on laboratory training to prepare students for diverse career opportunities in the healthcare sector.
Course Structure Table
| Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credit (L-T-P-C) | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | PY-101 | Chemistry of Medicinal Plants | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | PY-102 | Biochemistry and Cell Biology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | PY-103 | Basic Pharmacology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| I | PY-104 | Introduction to Pharmacy Practice | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| I | PY-105 | Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| I | PY-106 | Lab: Basic Chemistry | 0-0-3-1 | - |
| II | PY-201 | Pharmaceutical Chemistry I | 3-0-0-3 | PY-101 |
| II | PY-202 | Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry | 3-0-0-3 | PY-101 |
| II | PY-203 | Pharmacokinetics | 3-0-0-3 | PY-103 |
| II | PY-204 | Clinical Pharmacy I | 3-0-0-3 | PY-103 |
| II | PY-205 | Pharmaceutical Microbiology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| II | PY-206 | Lab: Organic Chemistry | 0-0-3-1 | PY-101 |
| III | PY-301 | Medicinal Chemistry I | 3-0-0-3 | PY-201 |
| III | PY-302 | Pharmaceutical Analysis I | 3-0-0-3 | PY-201 |
| III | PY-303 | Clinical Pharmacy II | 3-0-0-3 | PY-204 |
| III | PY-304 | Drug Delivery Systems | 3-0-0-3 | PY-201 |
| III | PY-305 | Pharmaceutical Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | PY-102 |
| III | PY-306 | Lab: Analytical Chemistry | 0-0-3-1 | PY-201 |
| IV | PY-401 | Medicinal Chemistry II | 3-0-0-3 | PY-301 |
| IV | PY-402 | Pharmacology I | 3-0-0-3 | PY-103 |
| IV | PY-403 | Clinical Pharmacy III | 3-0-0-3 | PY-303 |
| IV | PY-404 | Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance | 3-0-0-3 | PY-205 |
| IV | PY-405 | Regulatory Affairs | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| IV | PY-406 | Lab: Instrumental Analysis | 0-0-3-1 | PY-302 |
| V | PY-501 | Advanced Drug Design | 3-0-0-3 | PY-401 |
| V | PY-502 | Pharmacogenomics | 3-0-0-3 | PY-303 |
| V | PY-503 | Clinical Pharmacology | 3-0-0-3 | PY-402 |
| V | PY-504 | Pharmaceutical Formulation Development | 3-0-0-3 | PY-301 |
| V | PY-505 | Pharmacovigilance | 3-0-0-3 | PY-402 |
| V | PY-506 | Lab: Advanced Formulations | 0-0-3-1 | PY-404 |
| VI | PY-601 | Pharmacotherapy in Critical Care | 3-0-0-3 | PY-503 |
| VI | PY-602 | Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics | 3-0-0-3 | PY-303 |
| VI | PY-603 | Pharmaceutical Economics | 3-0-0-3 | PY-404 |
| VI | PY-604 | Special Topics in Pharmacy | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VI | PY-605 | Internship I | 0-0-0-6 | - |
| VI | PY-606 | Lab: Research Methodology | 0-0-3-1 | - |
| VII | PY-701 | Pharmaceutical Marketing | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| VII | PY-702 | Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine | 3-0-0-3 | PY-502 |
| VII | PY-703 | Global Regulatory Frameworks | 3-0-0-3 | PY-504 |
| VII | PY-704 | Drug Safety and Risk Management | 3-0-0-3 | PY-505 |
| VII | PY-705 | Internship II | 0-0-0-6 | - |
| VIII | PY-801 | Final Year Project | 0-0-0-12 | - |
| VIII | PY-802 | Capstone Seminar | 2-0-0-2 | - |
| VIII | PY-803 | Industry Exposure Workshop | 1-0-0-1 | - |
| VIII | PY-804 | Research Thesis | 0-0-0-12 | - |
Advanced Departmental Elective Courses
Medicinal Chemistry II: This course builds upon the foundational concepts introduced in Medicinal Chemistry I, focusing on advanced synthetic strategies and structure-activity relationship studies. Students will explore novel drug design methodologies, including computational modeling, molecular docking, and virtual screening techniques.
Clinical Pharmacology: Designed to bridge the gap between basic pharmacology and clinical practice, this course emphasizes therapeutic decision-making, adverse drug reaction management, and evidence-based medicine principles in pharmacy settings.
Pharmacogenomics: This advanced elective delves into the interplay between genetic variations and drug response, covering topics such as pharmacogenetic testing, personalized dosing algorithms, and implementation of genomic data in clinical workflows.
Pharmaceutical Formulation Development: Students learn to design and develop innovative dosage forms using modern excipient systems and formulation techniques. The course includes hands-on laboratory sessions on tablet compression, capsule manufacturing, and sustained-release formulations.
Drug Delivery Systems: This course explores various drug delivery mechanisms including oral, parenteral, transdermal, and pulmonary routes. Emphasis is placed on controlled release technologies, nanocarriers, and targeted delivery systems for improved therapeutic outcomes.
Pharmacovigilance: The course covers post-marketing surveillance of drugs, adverse event reporting systems, signal detection methodologies, and risk management strategies in pharmaceutical safety.
Regulatory Affairs: Students gain insights into the regulatory landscape governing drug development, including FDA, EMA, and WHO guidelines. Practical components include drafting regulatory documents, conducting compliance audits, and preparing for inspections.
Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance: This course focuses on ensuring consistent product quality through GMP principles, validation protocols, and quality control measures in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics: An advanced exploration of drug behavior in the body, covering complex pharmacokinetic models, non-linear kinetics, and dose optimization strategies tailored to individual patient profiles.
Global Regulatory Frameworks: This course compares regulatory standards across different countries and regions, examining harmonization efforts and compliance requirements for international drug marketing.
Pharmaceutical Economics: Introduces cost-effectiveness analysis, budget impact modeling, and economic evaluation methods used in healthcare decision-making and pharmaceutical policy development.
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics: A deep dive into the principles governing drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, with emphasis on predicting and optimizing therapeutic outcomes through pharmacokinetic modeling.
Pharmaceutical Marketing: Focuses on marketing strategies specific to pharmaceutical products, including product positioning, market analysis, promotional activities, and ethical considerations in pharmaceutical advertising.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The department's philosophy on project-based learning emphasizes experiential education that integrates theory with practical application. Students are encouraged to engage in both individual and group projects throughout their academic journey, culminating in a comprehensive final-year capstone project.
Mini-projects are assigned during the second and third years, allowing students to apply learned concepts in real-world scenarios. These projects typically involve case studies, literature reviews, or small-scale experiments designed to build foundational research skills.
The final-year thesis/capstone project requires students to propose an original research question, conduct a literature review, design and execute an experiment or study, analyze results, and present findings in both written and oral formats. Faculty mentors guide students through each phase of the project, ensuring academic rigor and professional development.
Project selection is facilitated through faculty mentorship sessions where students discuss potential areas of interest with mentors based on their career goals and academic strengths. Students are encouraged to propose interdisciplinary projects that connect pharmacy with fields such as biology, chemistry, engineering, or public health.