Programme structure

The Master ́s Programme in Pharmaceutical Research, Development and Safety takes two years of full-time studies to complete. The academic activities conducted based on a personal study plan sum 120 credits (ECTS). The curriculum of the programme includes advanced studies in Pharmacy(including Master’s thesis 30 ECTS). Optional studies in related disciplines can be included in a degree. It offers joint compulsory courses and optional courses from three focused study tracks. Students may also select studies on a cross-disciplinary basis, in case their interests require combining courses from different study tracks.

Please note that the following curriculum is only tentative, and is subject to changes.

Research orientation 5 ECTS

After the common studies of the first semester, each student continues their studies according to a personal study plan. The three study tracks are designed to assist in tailoring the optional study elements according to the specific interests of the student.
 

1^st year spring semester:

Compulsory studies 20 ECTS

Literature review 9 ECTS (to be incorporated in the Master’s thesis)

Research ethics, 1 ECTS 

Compulsory methodological studies (according to the chosen study track):

• For the students in Drug design and pharmacology and Drug delivery and development study tracks: Quantitative methods, 5 ECTS and Introduction to cell and molecular biology methods 5 ECTS
• For the students in Medication safety and effectiveness study track: Introduction to Medication Safety and Effectiveness Research Methods 10 ECTS

Optional studies 10 ECTS

Courses on transferable professional skills:

• Language studies (eg. Academic Writing in English, or of free choice)
• Copyrights and industrial property rights   1 ECTS
• Career planning and working life orientation 1 ECTS
• Sustainability 3 ECTS

Examples of other optional courses:

• Biopharmaceuticals 5 ECTS
• Pharmacokinetics 5 ECTS
• Neuropharmacology 5 ECTS
• Selected topics on clinical pharmacology 5 ECTS
• Molecular pharmacology 5 ECTS
• Molecular Biology in Pharmacy 5 ECTS
• Literature reviews in cell and molecular biology 5 ECTS

2^nd STUDY YEAR 60 ECTS

2nd study year Fall semester + Spring semester

Master´s thesis 30 ECTS (incl. 5 months research work and a final seminar)

Topic-specific advanced studies 30 ECTS. Examples of courses suitable for the study tracks (upon availability):

Drug design and pharmacology

• The physiological and pathophysiological background of drug research 5 ECTS
• Laboratory animal science 2-5 ECTS
• Biological Drugs II 5 ECTS
• Medicinal chemistry 5 ECTS
• Computational methods in drug discovery 5 ECTS
• Medicinal chemistry 5 ECTS 
• Microbial lifestyles and drug discovery of antimicrobials 5 ECTS

Drug delivery and development

• Introduction to molecular modelling for life science students 5 ECTS
• Design of experiments 5 ECTS
• Introduction to spectroscopy 5 ECTS
• Controlled release drug delivery 5 ECTS
• Pharmaceutical development II 5 ECTS
• Advanced immunobiology 5 ECTS
• Solid state analysis of pharmaceutics 5 ECTS
• Excipients in Pharmaceutical Technology 5 ECTS
• Introduction to nanoscience 5 ECTS
• Microfluidics 5 ECTS
• Physical Pharmacy 5 ECTS

Medication safety and effectiveness

• Introduction to pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacovigilance 5 ETCS
• Research seminars in medication safety and effectiveness 5 ECTS
• Marketing authorization of drug products and pharmacovigilance, 5 ETCS
• Basics of Clinical Trial Research, 3 ETCS
• Literature review in medication safety and effectiveness 5-10 ETCS
• Additional research internship 5-10 ETCS

Other advanced studies

Business collaboration project 5 ECTS

• According to the student’s personal interests, it is possible to include up to 10 ECTS from other degree programmes within University of Helsinki into her/his personal study plan.