Units / BPS3042

BPS3042 · Advanced experimental spectroscopy

Official Handbook

2027 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 3Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Last checked: 30 Sep 2026 UTC Handbook year

Overview

This unit will develop advanced concepts in spectroscopy and introduce experimental approaches to the characterisation and qualitative analysis of chemical samples. A key focus of the unit is using spectroscopic data to establish the chemical identity of a compound. The initial focus will be on using multiple techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and infra-red spectroscopy to determine the chemical structure of a compound. Subsequently, a range of advanced experimental approaches for analysis of more complex samples will be introduced. The theoretical basis of multi-dimensional NMR spectroscopy will be covered from a conceptual perspective. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of data from the more common two-dimensional homonuclear and heteronuclear experiments. Through analysis of experimental data students will develop practical skills in the design of experiments for structural elucidation. The unit will focus on the analysis of small organic compounds and peptides.

Offerings

Campus	Teaching period	Mode
Parkville	Second semester	Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS)
Malaysia	Second semester	Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS)

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

#	Assessment	Type	Weight	Hurdle
1	Workshop submissions and quizzes	Written	55%	—
2	Mid-semester test	Quiz / Test	20%	—
3	Final assessment	Examination	25%	—

In-semester assessment 75%; final assessment 25%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

prerequisite

BPS1011Human physiology 1: Cells to systems6 cp

AND

BPS1012Human physiology 2: Body systems6 cp

AND

BPS1021Medicinal chemistry 1: Structure6 cp

AND

BPS1022Medicinal chemistry 2: Reactivity and biomolecules6 cp

AND

BPS1031Physical chemistry 1: Equilibria and change6 cp

AND

BPS1032Physical chemistry 2: Solutions, surfaces and solids6 cp

AND

BPS1041Scientific inquiry6 cp

AND

BPS1042Pharmaceutical science in context6 cp

AND

BPS2011Pharmacology 1: Biochemical signalling6 cp

AND

BPS2012Pharmacology 2: Drug action6 cp

AND

BPS2021Synthetic chemistry 1: Structure and reactivity6 cp

AND

BPS2022Drug discovery and design6 cp

AND

BPS2031Analytical methods 1: Principles and applications6 cp

AND

BPS2032Analytical method development6 cp

AND

BPS2041Drug delivery and pharmacokinetics6 cp

AND

BPS2042Drug development6 cp

Learning outcomes

Analyse spectroscopic data to determine the chemical structure of small chemical compounds in different solvents.
Analyse and interpret two-dimensional spectra to identify the chemical structures of compounds.
Analyse and interpret two-dimensional spectra to identify the chemical structures of compounds.
Define the term Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement (NOE) and account for the observation of NOEs in one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectra of both small and large molecules.
Analyse and interpret NOE data to determine the conformation of small molecules.
Analyse and assign two-dimensional NMR spectra of small peptides.

Workload

• Approximately 3 hours of online video lectures with accompanying spectroscopic problems and quizzes each week • Eight 2-hour workshops • Eight 3-hour laboratory classes • One 1-hour assessment (Mid-semester test)

Activity	Duration
Laboratories	24 hours
Assessments	1 hours
Workshops	16 hours

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