Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology

About the Course

Using living cells to produce vaccines and life-saving medicines.

Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology is for you if you want to:

Shine at the frontline of cutting-edge biologics manufacturing technology.
Join the growing biologics manufacturing sector which produces biologics including vaccines and medicinal products used for treatment of numerous diseases and conditions such as cancer, diabetes, haemophilia, infectious and autoimmune diseases.
Unravel the secrets of biologics, such as vaccines and insulin, and how they have altered the course of modern medicine to improve lives.
Acquire versatile engineering skills to modulate and optimise high-tech biologics, pharmaceutical and chemical processes.

Benefits

Experience the only full-time diploma in Singapore that focuses on biologics manufacturing technology.
Be equipped with practical skills and knowledge to build up experience through training at the state-of-the-art NYP-Pall Centre of Excellence in Biologics Manufacturing Technology, and internship at world-class biologics manufacturing.
Look forward to a rewarding and dynamic career in the biopharmaceutical industry, producing vaccines, anti-cancer drugs and other modern medicines.

NYP Professional Competency Model (NYP-PCM) - its unique features

Industry Relevance

Co-partnered by industry leaders like Takeda, Pall Corporation, Tessa Therapeutics and NNIT Singapore.

Professional Accreditation

You may gain additional industry certifications while you complete your diploma, putting you ahead of the pack.

Agile Response

The curriculum reacts dynamically and quickly to industry changes. You'll be equipped with the latest skills & knowledge.

Integrated Learning

Concurrently learn multiple disciplines. Be taught by guest lecturers from Takeda and Pall Corporation.

Read More about NYP-PCM

Course Structure

The NYP Professional Competency Model for the Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology consists of:

25 Competency Units (CmUs) – Within each interdisciplinary Competency Unit, skills and knowledge from different disciplines are integrated and taught holistically. This enables the students to fulfil specific work-tasks upon completion. Completing the Competency Units will also equip our students with six Course Competencies.
Five Competency Canvases – Where skills and knowledge learnt are assessed for competency, together with a Work-Integration-Unit (WIU) which is a workplace contextualised project. You have to complete all five to graduate.
One Final Year Project (FYP).

One Internship Programme (ITP).

11 General Studies Modules (GSMs) – These modules give you exposure to other areas of interest and allow you to go beyond your chosen area of specialisation.

Course Structure

Students enrolled in Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology under the Professional Competency Model will have to complete 25 Competency Units (CmUs). Within each interdisciplinary CmU, skills and knowledge from different disciplines are integrated and taught holistically, enabling students to fulfil specific work tasks upon completion.

Completing the CmUs will also equip our students with the six Course Competencies (CCs) below.

Biologics Upstream Processes
Biologics Downstream Processes
Transfer & Unit Processes
Production Optimisation
Environment, Health & Safety
Quality Control & Assurance

Students will also need to complete Work-Integration-Unit (WIU) which can be in the form of an internship and/or project that mirror work situations where students can demonstrate their skills and competencies.

CmUs /WIUs in Year 1

Applied Calculus in Scientific Processes [60 hours]

Scientific processes related to reaction rates, cell growth, radioactive decay, process optimisation and drug absorption are regularly monitored to ensure the efficiency of these processes when being used in applied science industry. Through this competency unit, learners will acquire knowledge and skills in differentiation and integration required for monitoring of various scenarios related to these scientific processes. In addition, learners will be introduced to the concept of exponential and logarithm functions to scaffold their learning for performing differentiation and integration of exponential and logarithmic expressions.

Biochemical Analysis [60 hours]

Biochemical analysis skills are essential in applied science laboratories so that one can perform the experiments accurately and safely. Learners will be equipped with concepts in biology and the processes that occur within a living system. In addition, learners will acquire skills in handling biological equipment and performing experiments according to standard protocols and biosafety standards.

Chemical Laboratory Skills [60 hours]

Chemical laboratory skills are vital in applied science to obtain accurate and precise results while performing experiments safely. Through this competency unit, learners will acquire chemical laboratory skills and apply concepts of inorganic and physical chemistry to understand chemical reactions and analytical techniques. They will also be able to select suitable equipment for laboratory usage, plan and conduct experiments, tabulate experimental data and perform calculations to conclude the experiment.

Data & Statistical Methods [60 hours]

Statistical methods are important for processing and analysing data obtained from various studies in applied science. In this competency unit, learners will acquire the skill of quantitative reasoning for use in the decision-making through collecting, organizing, analysing, interpreting and presenting data.

Instruments & Measurements [45 hours]

The ability to operate instruments and obtain measurements are fundamental to applied science. This competency unit equips learners with concepts of physical quantities that are commonly used for process monitoring such as pressure, flow rate, temperature and heat. Learners will then develop the competencies to perform calculations and measurements of these quantities.

Applied Science Project (WIU) [30 hours]

Applied Science skills are important in providing solutions for the real-world problems. This Work Integration Unit provides a platform for the learners to develop innovative scientific solutions to the problems identified, while developing innovative & enterprising (I&E) attributes for their career and life.

Organic Synthesis Methods [60 hours]

The reactants and products in chemical process industries are mostly organic compounds. Hence it is important to understand organic synthesis which is the construction of more complex organic compounds from simpler molecules using chemical reactions. Through this competency unit, learners will design synthetic pathways to specific molecules by applying the concepts of organic functional groups and their chemical characteristics. Learners will also be competent in elucidating structures of organic compounds with the use of UV/Vis and IR spectroscopic methods.

Biopharmaceutical Analysis [45 hours]

Chemical Analysis Methods develop learners with competencies in carrying out important test methods and operating testing equipment in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Through this competency unit, learners will acquire the skills to perform chemical analysis using industry-standard test methods and equipment. Learners will be competent to handle chromatographic methods, spectrochemical methods and physical testing methods.

Mass Balance Applications [45 hours]

Performing mass balances is an important skill required for sizing of equipment in the process industry. Through this competency unit, learners will perform mass balance calculations on reactive and non-reactive processes for steady state and non-steady state conditions in commonly used unit processes.

Sustainability Practices [45 hours]

The process industry has a profound impact on the environment, the climate and our resources. This competency unit will help learners make sense of this impact and equip them with the capability to apply sustainability practices in the activities required of a technician in the process industry. Learners will acquire sustainability and environmental concepts so that they will be able to perform tasks such as conducting environmental aspects and impacts analysis for various work activities. Learners will also develop skills in presenting ideas and solutions collaboratively.

Molecular Biology Techniques [60 hours]

This competency unit equips learners with the principles and concepts in industrial water & wastewater treatment technologies. Through this competency unit, learners will develop competencies in basic design and sizing of conventional unit operations and processes in wastewater treatment. Learners will also be competent in performing basic troubleshooting and providing solutions to common operational problems encountered in various wastewater treatment units.

Biopharmaceutical Operations & Applications [45 hours]

The understanding and use of chemical plant equipment are essential to facilitate the manufacture of chemical products. Through this competency unit, learners will develop competencies in the selection and operation of process equipment such as valves, pumps, heat exchange equipment, distillation columns, reactors and cooling towers. Learners will also be competent in the application of these equipment to meet process requirements.

CmUs /WIUs in Year 2

Energy Balance Applications [45 hours]

Energy balances are important in industry as they facilitate improvement in profitability by reducing energy losses in system. Through this competency unit, learners will develop competencies to determine the amount of energy that flows into or out from each process unit. Learners will also be competent in calculating the energy requirements for process units.

Fluid Mechanics Applications [60 hours]

Fluid mechanics is important in the process industry because the substances handled are often in the form of fluids. This competency unit will equip learners with the skills to predict fluid flow behaviour and head losses for piping systems. Learners will acquire application skills on piping design, pump sizing and selection, and functionality of flow meters. Learners will also be competent in the proper techniques to operate pumps and in the trending of flow conditions.

Heat Transfer Analysis [60 hours]

Heat exchangers are critical units in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants. Through this competency unit, learners will develop the competencies to design and size heat exchangers with the given process parameters and for steady state and non-steady state heat transfer. Learners will also be equipped to perform troubleshooting on heat exchangers.

Engineering Drawing [45 hours]

Interpretation of process flow diagrams is an essential skill for controlling and monitoring processes in the process industry to achieve the operating outcomes. This competency unit will develop learners with the skills to prepare and interpret flow diagrams and piping & instrumentation diagrams (P&ID). Learners will also acquire competencies related to designing P&ID which includes aspects in basic process control and material selection techniques.

Safety & Risk Management [45 hours]

Safety & risk management is an essential aspect of the process industry in ensuring safety and health at the workplace. This competency unit equips learners with the concepts and practical know-how on safety and risk management for the process industry through understanding common hazards such as chemical, fire & explosion and work in confined space. Learners will acquire techniques to prevent and mitigate hazards as well as manage the risks. Learners will also be able to apply various methodologies related to hazard analysis and hazard control such as HAZOP and process safety hierarchy and be able to perform risk assessments that conforms to prevailing workplace safety & health legislation.

Quality Risk Assessment Project (WIU) [60 hours]

Companies in the process industry face big challenges in environmental sustainability as they are big consumers of resources. Through this work integration unit, learners will work in teams to harness analytical thinking, problem-solving skills as well as creativity to address sustainability challenges in the process industry. Learners will also acquire competencies in developing prototypes, showcasing their capabilities, and pitching their ideas to customers.

Safe Process Operations [60 hours]

Ensuring safety is critical in the operations of process plants. Through this competency unit, learners will learn the skills to perform operational and maintenance duties of a field and control technician while ensuring safety. Learners will also apply safe work practices in the areas of process monitoring, sample collection, work permit and shift-handover systems.

Mass Transfer Operations [45 hours]

Separation processes are key in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, as they are used to achieve the required purity in products. Through this competency unit, learners will perform sizing and material balance calculations on processes such as distillation, vapor-liquid absorption and liquid-liquid extraction. Learners will also operate mass transfer processes by manipulating the parameters that affect process performance.

Biologics Upstream Operations [60 hours]

Process control and automation help to ease process operation and ensure product quality. This competency unit guides learners to understand and apply the principles in process automation and control in the process industries, for continuous and batch processes. It introduces concepts of process control, process dynamics, PID controller and the instrumentation required in a control loop. Learners will be able to tune the control parameters to optimize process settings. Learners will also gain skills in determining plant maintenance status using artificial intelligence technology.

Quality Systems & GMP [60 hours]

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a critical system which ensures proper design, monitoring, and control of the pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and facilities. Through this competency unit, learners will be able to implement GMP to assure the production of high-quality pharmaceutical products. Learners will acquire the competency to classify and maintain cleanroom standards and systematically handle deviations and non-conformances with accordance to Good Documentation Practice and other GMP guidelines.

Biologics Downstream Operations [60 hours]

Production of pharmaceutical drugs is a critical component of the healthcare ecosystem. Through this competency unit, learners will relate relevant process engineering principles, and develop competencies in the production of small molecule pharmaceutical drugs. Learners will also evaluate how changes to key process parameters affect the quality attributes of pharmaceutical drugs.

Process Integration Project (WIU) [30 hours]

A well-designed process plant needs to be both technically and economically feasible. In this work integration unit, learners will work on a team project to plan, design and optimize a manufacturing plant taking into consideration technical and costing factors. Learners will integrate their knowledge and skills from several competency units to calculate materials flow and to perform equipment sizing. Finally, they will optimise the plant and present findings based on economic considerations.

CmUs /WIUs in Year 3

Process Operations & Optimisation [60 hours]

Process industries process or convert raw materials into many different products through the operation of various unit operations. Through this competency unit, learners will develop competencies to operate, monitor, trouble-shoot and optimise process operations. Learners will be competent to perform start-up / shutdown process operations and carry out troubleshooting of processes during emergency situations. Learners will also acquire capabilities in optimising processes to improve product yield and energy efficiency that are in compliance to safety, health and environmental requirements.

Thermodynamic Cycles & Applications [45 hours]

Thermodynamics is important because it deals with work, heat and energy, which are concepts that find applications in many engineering systems in the process industry. This competency unit will develop learners with the competency to apply thermodynamic processes and cycles for energy conservation. Learners will also develop the skills for the operations of ideal and actual thermodynamic cycles.

Reactor Operations [60 hours]

The efficient operation of reactors is fundamental to the success of every chemical plant. In this competency unit, learners will develop the competency to select, design and operate reactors to produce useful chemical and pharmaceutical products efficiently. Learners will also acquire the skills to perform reactor sizing, optimise production rates, and determine heat loads for adiabatic/isothermal reactors.

Process Control & Automation [45 hours]

Monitoring and calculating energy efficiency of process equipment is essential for optimising energy usage in the chemical process industry. Through this competency unit, learners will develop competencies to perform energy efficiency assessments with industry methods. Learners will be competent in proposing energy efficiency measures of process equipment and use simulation tools to evaluate the energy savings.

Process Improvement Project (WIU) [45 hours]

Operating and maintaining process equipment is critical in industry. Through this work integration unit, learners will demonstrate competencies in preparing and planning for shutdown/start-up of unit operations for a process manufacturing plant. Learners will also acquire competencies involving equipment isolation, performing Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) studies and conducting Risk Assessment prior to the actual shutdown work.

Biologics Manufacturing Project (WIU) [45 hours]

Efficient energy use is critical in the industry. Through this work integration unit, learners will demonstrate competencies in relating changes in operation patterns to energy consumption and apply energy balance and optimization concepts to perform energy efficiency and savings analysis for common industry processes. Learners will also be competent to collaborate in teams to assess energy consumption, propose measurement plans and provide a technical report on recommendations to improve energy efficiency in selected plant processes.

Internship Programme (WIU) [480 / 960 hours]

Overseas Internship Programme (WIU) [960 hours]

Through this Internship Programme, learners will be assigned to real-life workplace environments to receive On-the-Job Training (OJT) where they can apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course. The learners will be guided by the supervisors or mentors at the workplace to develop the relevant competencies at the same time their learning will also be facilitated by school internship mentors throughout the internship period. This will allow learners to develop competencies and experiences at the workplace. In addition, they will acquire important work values and ethics which include being responsible and positive, as well as taking initiative and exercising integrity. Through this internship programme, learners will be industry and future-ready.

Final Year Project (WIU) [480 hours]

Through the Final Year Project, learners will synthesise the knowledge and skills they have developed from the course to deliver chemical technology solutions for real-life problems. The projects may range from industry-commissioned, R&D to poly-wide and learner-initiated projects. Leveraging new tools and technologies, learners will develop problem-solving and lifelong learning skills as they work independently to achieve the various milestones set by their project supervisors. Working within diverse group settings, learners will also deepen their repertoire of 21st century skills to prepare them for entry into the workforce.

Five Competency Canvases – Where skills and knowledge learnt are assessed for competency, together with a Work-Integration-Unit (WIU) which is a workplace contextualised project. You are required to complete all five Competency Canvases to graduate.

The following list reflects the Competency Units and Work-Integration Units mapped under each Competency Canvas.

Collaboration with Industry Partners

Why Our Partners are On Board

Nelson TeoHead of Manufacturing Excellence, Takeda Manufacturing Singapore"Guided by Takeda’s corporate values, we aim to make a positive impact on the communities in which we operate. As we strive to use our proprietary know-hows to find better, sustainable solutions for patients, investments in the future workforce will be imperative. The curriculum of the Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology course provides a strong foundation to enable learners to be industry-ready. The approach that NYP takes to involve the industry partners clearly presents a forward-looking strategic plan to turn ‘raw’ talent into high value-adding professionals for the industry. Takeda is glad to be part of this effort to support the building of a strong talent pool for the biopharmaceutical landscape."

Lauren MurraySenior Manufacturing Expert, Novartis Singapore Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Pte Ltd"At Novartis, our purpose is to reimagine medicine and we can only do that with highly talented individuals. Our partnership with Nanyang Polytechnic is vital in ensuring that students are well prepared for the challenges that await for them once they join our team. The level of training the students receive at NYP is customized and based on real life situations as the faculty continuously adjusts the curriculum so that it stays relevant. It’s always rewarding to see how new hires react the first time they view the inside of a manufacturing plant as they start to learn the details of how we make medicine. Now it’s our job to expose students to the magic of making medicines and harness their creativity to fuel the next wave of innovation in biomanufacturing."

Caine LeongHead of Commercial, Asia Pacific, Merck Contract Testing Services"We’re excited to collaborate with Nanyang Polytechnic to enhance the diploma programme with internship opportunities. An internship experience within a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) biosafety testing facility will provide learners with insights into the biosafety testing requirements within the biomanufacturing industry. They will learn about the importance of ensuring the safety of the world’s medicines by delivering the highest quality testing services and regulatory expertise to bring life-changing medicines to patients.”

Andrew LowManager, Cell Culture Applications APAC, PALL Corporation"Pall Corporation is a global leader in high-tech filtration, separation, and purification, serving the diverse needs of customers across a broad spectrum of industries including life sciences. We are happy to support NYP’s Professional Competency Model (PCM) for the Diploma in Biologics & Process Technology by providing learners with relevant information and insights about the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Students will gain deeper knowledge through lecturing programmes and hands-on training with Pall’s state-of-the-art instruments, such as the upstream cell culture bioreactors, downstream purification instruments, and buffer management system."

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