D.PHARM SYLLABUS OVERVIEW (ER-2020)

The ER-2020 D.Pharm Syllabus has the following structure in every course. Though the theory and practical courses are not mutually exclusive, as per the Regulations, the theory and practical are to be considered as individual courses.

Scope: These are broader statements on the purpose of the course in the curriculum, key contents of the course that will contribute to the specific knowledge and or skill developments. The teacher is expected to orient the students about the scope of the particular course at the beginning and intermittently.

Course Objectives: The course objectives describe the key topics that are intended by the teacher to be covered in the course. In general, these are more specific than the scope and broader than the course outcomes. The teacher is expected to discuss the objectives of the course with the students and break-down the course objectives into micro levels as objectives of a specific topic / objectives of a specific lecture, etc. Such an exercise shall make the students to understand the significance of the course / topic / lecture and enhance their attention on the course / topic / lecture.

Course Outcomes: The course outcomes are more specific than the course objectives describe that describe the abilities of the students to perform/act, upon successful completion of the course. Hence, conventionally the course outcomes are described with verbs that are measurable or observable actions. The teacher is expected to describe the desired outcomes of the particular course, so that the students shall understand the various assessment criteria, modalities, and parameters. This also serves as a broader guideline for the teachers for preparing the assessment plan. A well-structured assessment plan associated with the course outcomes shall enable to mapping with the professional competencies and their attainment levels that are attributed to the program outcomes.

Theory Courses: The theory courses basically provide concepts and explain the relationships between the concepts. Understanding of the theoretical courses enable the students to identify the problems in real life situation and make a plan for addressing such problems. Also, the theory course helps to understand what is not known and thus is the tool for accumulation of knowledge. The syllabus of the theory courses has been systematically and logically described as different chapters and the minimum number of hours to be spent on teaching are mentioned chapter wise and course wise. The teachers shall further distribute the total hours of any given chapter among the sub-topics as required by the subject matter.

Practical Courses: The practical courses are designed for applying the theoretical knowledge in the given experimental / simulated conditions. The practical courses deepen the understanding of theories, develop the skills, hone professional competencies, provide opportunities to observe, think and analyse problem solving methods. Further, they help to gain experience with the real things in practice. The teachers shall train the students in actual / simulated practical conditions.

Tutorials: The purpose of the tutorial hour is typically to engage the students in smaller groups in order to pay a closer attention on their learning process. This is an opportunity for the students to complete their assignments, develop specific skills, discuss any problems in the study topics in a less formal way. During the tutorial hour, the students shall exchange their ideas within the small group, and learn to accept constructive criticism and listen to others. Also, the tutorial hour enables the teachers to closely monitor the progress of the individual student and provide additional academic support to individuals, if necessary.

Assignments: The purpose the assignments are to encourage the students for self- directed learning. Further, the assignments will provoke critical thinking, enhance the skills such as literature search, data mining, data interpretation, report formatting, time-management, and written communication. This is also a mode of self- assessment for the student about the level of understanding of the concepts of a particular course. The teachers shall apply their knowledge and wisdom in choosing the assignment topics at a micro level in alignment with the topics given in the syllabus. The assignments shall be evaluated against a set of criteria. A typical format for the assessment of an assignment is given in Appendix -1.

Field Visits: The purpose of field visits is to provide a real-world experience to the students. The field visits will help them to realize that what they learn within the walls of the classroom / laboratory can help them solve the problems they see in the world around them. Also, this is helpful to the teachers to widen their horizons of knowledge and broadening the scope of the syllabus. Every student shall submit a report describing their objectives, experience, learning points, etc. pertaining to the field trip, in the typical format given in Appendix-2.

Recommended Books: For each course, a list of recommended books is given in the syllabus. The list shall be considered as an important and common resource for the teaching-learning process, but not the complete list. It is always encouraged to use the latest edition of the books specified. Further, the teachers and students are encouraged to explore more primary, secondary, and tertiary resources as required.

Practical Training: The goal of the practical training for the students is to provide a real-time, supervised experience on the professional tasks emphasised in their course of study. Further, it helps them to apply their acquired knowledge and skills in the professional working environment. The practical training intensively prepares the students with adequate competencies and qualifications required for the career opportunity in the future.

Thus, the ER 2020 D.Pharm syllabus is designed to nurture the students in all the three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy viz. cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitude) and psychomotor (skills). Further, it also provides ample of scope to the students for different learning styles viz. visual, auditory and kinaesthetic, i.e., ‘see, hear and do’.

The summary of the curriculum, courses and other activities and their metrics across the ER-2020 D.Pharm program (Part I, II & III) are given here.