Master's degree Drug and Health Products Sciences Track Drug Clinical Development
This programme is taught in French.
field(s) of training :
Science, Technology, Health
diploma level :
Master's degree (five-year degree)
duration of the program :
2 years
Course overview
You’re studying Pharmacy and are specialised in Pharmaceutical Industry and Research or Hospital Internship? You’re a Medical student, an Engineering student or have studied sciences related to biology and health? The master’s in Drug and Health Products Sciences specialised in Drug Clinical Development trains professionals in drug clinical trials!
The curriculum of this master’s was designed hand-in-hand with industry and drug development professionals. You will learn how to lead, analyse and assess all the phases of drug development, from pre-clinical trials to marketing authorisation, CE marking and pharmacovigilance. With these skills and knowledge, you will be able to work in high-responsibility positions in pharmaceutical industry, clinical research organisations (CROs), hospitals and national and international health organisations.
Highlights
The master’s in Drug Clinical Development benefits from partnerships with:
- Clinical research organisations: ICON and Voisin Consulting Life Sciences
- University Hospital (CHU) of Caen
Other health organisations or companies also give their insights for the curriculum, such as the François Baclesse Cancer Centre in Caen and the ANSM (French National Drug Safety and Health Products Agency).
Welcoming international students
Since 2019, the University of Caen Normandy has been awarded the "Bienvenue en France" label by Campus France, highlighting the quality of the university's welcome for international students.
Application requirements
Entry requirements
To enter this master’s, you should
- Have fundamentals in human physiology and drug sciences (pharmacology, toxicology, dosage forms)
- Know distribution laws and general tests in biostatistics
- Have studied drug sciences, statistics and English
- Graduate from a bachelor’s in Health Sciences or from the fourth year of Pharmacy studies (DFASP 1). Students graduating from a University Bachelor’s of Technology, should validate Year 3 of a bachelor’s in Health Sciences before applying.
Applicants must provide:
- Academic records
- Cover letter
- CV
And will eventually be called for an interview.
Language proficiency requirements
Minimum French proficiency level required: B2
Minimum English proficiency level required: B1
Specific conditions
Entry requirements for Year 2
If you completed Year 1 of this master's, you will automatically enter Year 2.
If you completed Year 1 of another master's, you can apply to Year 2 of this master's. The application file is the same as for Year 1’s applicants.
Apply and register
The registration process takes place in 3 steps:
Application process
Admission and registration requirements may vary depending on your nationality, country of residence, foreign secondary school leaving certificate, and the nature of your programme of study. Discover how to apply to the University of Caen Normandy.
Course structure
Courses
- Take place on site in Campus 5 (Caen) of the University of Caen Normandy
- Are completed by two compulsory internships
Course units
The master’s programme in Drug Clinical Development provides courses such as:
- Drug Sciences (pharmacology, toxicology, dosage forms, regulations, production)
- Biostatistics
- Computer tools and data management in clinical research
- Clinical trials management and regulation
- Pharmacovigilance
- Clinical trials quality
- English
Internships and placements
The master’s programme includes two compulsory internships, in a company or a laboratory, in France or abroad:
- Year 1, 2nd semester: 2 to 3 months in a hospital or an industry
- Year 2, 2nd semester: 6 months in an industry or a CRO
Both internships will be evaluated through detailed written report and an oral presentation of this report.
Coursework and assessment
The course lasts 2 years and is divided in 4 semesters, each comprising several courses units. Examinations are held at the end of each semester and are graded on a scale from 0 to 20, 20 being the best grade.
- In Year 1:
- The exams of the 1st semester take place in December.
- The exams of the 2nd semester take place in March and April.
- In Year 2:
- The exams of the 1st semester take place in December.
- The 2nd semester will be graded through your internship report.
Semesters do not compensate each other; theoretical and practical units do not compensate each other either. To successfully complete a semester, you must have an average mark of at least 10 points out of 20. Grade compensation is based of the general average (10/20) obtained in every course unit: theoretical and practical if you obtain less than 6/20 in a course unit, the unit can’t be compensated. If you have not completed your semester, you can retake the courses units you failed; you do not have to retake the courses in which you have obtained at least 10 points out of 20.
Language
French
English (for some conferences)
Study abroad
You wish to go abroad during you master’s programme? Thanks to the Erasmus exchange programme, you can do an internship abroad thanks to the master’s partnerships with CROs ICON and VCLS.
Learning outcome
By the end of this course, you will acquire knowledge and skills in
- Computer tools in clinical research
- Data management
- Biostatistics
- Clinical trials management and regulation
- Clinical protocol writing
- Product chains in experimentation and quality standards
- Experimental drug design
- Pharmacovigilance: regulations, French and European organisations, coding, practical studies analysis
- Implementation and monitoring of clinical trials
Further study
Once you’ve obtained your master’s, you can pursue doctoral studies depending on your research project.
Careers
With an expertise in drug clinical development, you will have many opportunities in pharmacy and medical industry: notably CROs, regulatory organisations, hospitals and research. Main careers include:
- Project manager in clinical research
- Data management manager
- Clinical trials consultant
- Clinical trials coordinator
- Pharmacovigilance manager or experimental products manager
Address
Université de Caen Normandie
UFR Santé
PFRS · Pôle des formations et de recherche en santé
2 rue des Rochambelles · CS 14032 · 14032 Caen Cedex 5
France
Course leader
formation : Francois Sichel · francois.sichel@unicaen.fr