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SBUS41550

Academic Year 2026/2027

Life Sciences Landscape (SBUS41550)

Subject:
Business
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Jan Rosier
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This introductory module helps participants to think about their industry, its challenges and its future. The objective is to help participants understand and appreciate the exceptional nature of the biotech/pharma industry by pointing to the continuously changing environment in which its firms operate. It is not exaggerated to state that the pharma/biotech industry and the scientific developments in the biological sciences constitute a third industrial revolution. Seen the diversity of angles from which the pharma/biotech industry can be analyzed the objective is to take a bird’s eye view of the industry in order to gain insight in its challenges and opportunities.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

•A theoretical framework that allows a structured thinking about the pharma/biotech industry
•An understanding of the complexity of the business, market forces, scientific drivers and changing contexts
•Decision making processes under high risk, including such topics as risk aversion in drug regulation
•A reflection on the reputation of the pharma/ biotech industry
•To understand how the industry capitalises on the increasing complexity of the biological sciences and regulations
•To understand the impact of high drug prices and potential solutions such as the Health Impact Fund
•Insight into the future of the bio-economy

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

70
Lectures

16
Total

116

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module has a detailed study guide. Students are required to complete the module pre-reading or pre-work prior to attending the seminar sessions. The sessions themselves will be a combination of lectures, group discussion, in-class presentations, case study discussions and classroom exercises. A heavy emphasis in the seminars is on teasing out the implications of theory for practical application in a workplace context.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered

Not yet recorded.

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Written feedback to be provided within 20 days of assignment deadline.

Name Role
Professor Jan Rosier Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
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