Professional Skills in Drug Analysis and Toxicology module (LV52003)

In order to further your professional development in the fields of toxicology and drugs analysis it is important to have a fundamental understanding of the various standards, guidelines, and ethical norms that govern these professions.

This module builds upon work completed in your first year of studies by developing your managerial skills and introducing you to a range of topics that will help you progress in your professional development. The topics include:

• business case writing and pitching
• quality management systems
• analytical method validation
• LEAN process design and optimisation
• sustainability
• witness statements and presenting evidence in court
• ethics
• professional networks

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• demonstrate a critical understanding of team, laboratory, and quality management processes and their role in providing confidence in analytical data quality and service delivery
• apply analytical method validation principles and measurement of uncertainty calculations to qualitative and quantitative scientific analytical methods
• Engage with professional networks in drug analysis, forensic toxicology, and related fields

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• explain and reflect upon professional networks and the diversity of professional roles within drug analysis, forensic toxicology, and allied fields and how those networks and roles support quality management 
• prepare a court report and provide verbal expert evidence on a drug analysis and/or forensic toxicology related case  
• Demonstrate the ability to develop, prepare, and present a business case considering sustainable practices
• Provide unambiguous written and verbal communication of complex specialist information to non-specialist audiences

Assignments / assessment

• business portfolio (60%)
• presentation (40%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

Learning and teaching will take place on our virtual learning environment, My Dundee.

Lectures will be prerecorded allowing you to learn at your own pace and will be supported by online live sessions and tutorials, reading lists, discussion boards, and self-assessment tools.