Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineering

Program Description

The Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering (C&EE) at PAF-IAST offers Master of Science (MS) program in the “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineering” in collaboration with department of Biomedical Sciences (PAF-IAST). Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineering is an important area for pharmaceutical drugs manufacturing industries and several international universities are offering this program. PAF-IAST is the first Institute in Pakistan to offer this professional postgraduate program.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing industries, a pharmacist does research, develops and tests new medicines and treatments, ensuring their safety and quality. While engineers design and operate pharmaceutical manufacturing processes to achieve the production goal. However, designing an efficient and economical process requires the knowledge of process engineering along with pharmacokinetics, drug delivery and validation. Our MS program combines these subjects in a single curriculum. Thus, students not only learn about the nature of drugs but also acquire the engineering knowledge to design/select the most suitable and efficient process for particular drug production. Being an interdisciplinary degree program, students will be able to solve challenging problems in pharmaceutical manufacturing, utilize emerging pharmaceutical technologies effectively to reach business goals of industries and lead innovation across relevant organizations. The MS program is aimed to prepare students for professional advancement in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field. Experienced faculty members of the department will train students to apply the knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to pharmaceutical processes. Students will work in multidisciplinary teams to design systems or processes and solve problems faced by pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

The Institute has signed MoUs with nearby Hattar Industrial State which has several pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. Students and faculty members will be regularly engaged with these industries. Students will have the opportunity to learn and gain hands-on experience and to help the industry in improving the production performance and minimize the cost. MoUs are not limited to Hattar Industrial State only and will be expanded to country-wide industries gradually.

Why Study at PAF IAST?

Location and Ambience

PAF IAST is nestled in natural mountains that flank its campus from all sides. The institute offers one  ravishing view of snow-capped peaks of Nathiagali and natural winding trails. Furthermore, to its north-west is Tarbela Lake, a journey of only a few kilometers from the campus. Moreover, set in the middle of the campus is a natural lake, fed by the springs of surrounding mountains. The campus is just a 3-kilometer drive from the Hazara Motorway. This results in an ideal setting equally conducive to academic activity. Most importantly, major cities like Islamabad, Abbottabad, are just an hour’s drive, while small towns like Wah, Hasanabadal, Taxila, and Swabi can be reached in just half an hour. All these features make this the best opportunity to get admissions in PAF-IAST. 

Technology Advancement and Foreign Partnership

This institute is an emerging center of excellences, with its own technology park. Therefore, all faculty members hold PhD degrees in appropriate disciplines. By virtue of its wide array of facilities and the facilitation for its students to learn. Furthermore, they benefit both from classroom teaching and faculty trained at premier Austrian universities/institutions. The institution is ideally cut out for imparting state-of–the-art engineering and allied education in Pakistan. Moreover, the institute enjoys close linkages with top ranking universities in Austria and China. As a result, we have already concluded with them formal agreements regarding student and faculty exchange programs, provision of dual degrees in certain areas, and the training support from foreign faculty. 

Academia-Industry Relationship

There is a strong relationship between academia and industry. As a result, this paves the way for job opportunities for students even in the midst of their studies. PAF IAST will serve as a welcome platform for the industry to share their requirements for a skilled workforce. Therefore, this will enable the institute to incorporate their valuable inputs in practical vocational training and expose the students to industrial perspectives.

On-Spot Industry Internship

Firstly, it will be a mandatory requirement for every student to do an internship every semester in an appropriate industry. Secondly, this will garner them practical experience related to their respective degree programs. To crown it all, Technology Park will afford them rare opportunities to apply themselves innovatively and become promising entrepreneurs.

Need and Merit-based Scholarships

Different types of local and foreign scholarship opportunities are available on need and merit base.

Entry Criteria

Being interdisciplinary program, graduates in the fields of Chemical Engineering, D-Pharmacy, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering/Sciences, Bioinformatics, Materials Engineering, 16-year degree in Chemistry and/or any other relevant program will be eligible to apply.

Associated Career

Graduates of this program will find career opportunities in pharma, biotech, biopharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutritionals and medical devices manufacturing in Pakistan and around the world as well.

Semester-wise Course Break-up

Duration to obtain a degree of Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Engineering is 2 years (4 semesters). Students have to register and pass 5 compulsory courses (15 CHs), 3 elective courses (9 CHs) and Research Thesis (6 CHs), all equals to 30 CHs. Academic Writing and Research Methodology and Weekly Seminars are non-credit compulsory courses.

Semester 1

Course Code

Course title

Credit Hours

PHM-844

Pharmaceutical Engineering

3

CHE-811

Unit Operations

3

XXX-###

Elective 01

3

Semester 2

Course Code

Course Title

Credit Hours

PHM-841

Pharmaceutical Characterizations

3

PHM-843

Validation and Regulatory Issues in the Pharmaceutical Industry

3

XXX-###

Elective 02

3

Semester 3

Course Code

Course Title

Credit Hours

SS-821

 

Research Methodology*

2

XXX-###

  Elective 03

3

XXX-###

  Elective 04

3

Semester 4

Course Code

Course Title

Credit Hours

PHM-899

Thesis

6

Electives

Course Code

Course Title

Credit Hours

PHM-846

Pharmaceutical Facility Design

3

CHE-813

Pharmaceutical Packaging Technology

3

PHM-842

Pharmacokinetics and Drug Delivery

3

CHE-825

Advanced Reaction Engineering

3

CHE-824

Process Simulation and Integration

3

CHE-826

Advanced Transport Phenomena

3

CHE-814

Advanced Separation Processes

3

CHE-812

Micromechanics of Particulate Technology

3

CHE-821

Process Technology

3

BME-801

Biomedical Engineering

3

PHM-845

Biopharmaceutical Engineering

3

MATH-801

Engineering Mathematics

3

CHE-815

Advanced Thermodynamics

3

CH-811

Industrial Biochemistry

3

CH-812

Pharmaceutical Chemistry

3