Specialisation studies, post-graduate programme in Industrial Pharmacy
Specialisation studies are designed for professionals who want to deepen their skills in Industrial Pharmacy.
Specialisation studies in Industrial Pharmacy is a post-graduate programme for pharmacists (both M. Sc and B. Sc. Pharm.) working in pharmaceutical industry in any function: development, production, marketing, clinical studies, regulatory affairs, quality assurance or pharmaceutical whole sale or in regulatory positions related to pharmaceutical industry. First students started the programme in September 2016 and it has already proven to be an excellent platform to develop their own work and their whole work community.
Specialisation is a new long-term training format, which is innovative and complementary to traditional continuing education. Studies provide professional development and know-how to pharmacists who already have some working experience. It is a good way to actively promote your career plan and improve your daily job tasks.
What do the students, who started the programme in 2016 think about it?
Studying takes place alongside work and study plan is tailored individually to support your own development needs. The extent of studies is 60 ECTS for M. Sc. (Pharm.) and 40 ECTS for B. Sc. (Pharm.). Normative duration of studies is 3–4 years. Specialisation courses use a variety of digital teaching methods and online learning as well as studying on campus.
Student interview: why did I apply?
Dosis: Research in Specialization Studies in Industrial Pharmacy benefits pharmaceutical industry
Why apply?
- to obtain better skills for your current job
- for future management or specialist positions in the pharmaceutical industry
- to obtain the required qualification for a Qualified Person status application
- to broaden your skills and knowledge from the current job description to other areas
Content
The start of the programme involves construction and approval of a personal study plan. The studies in this plan will be a tailored combination of the common, compulsory modules as well as optional/elective modules. The optional/elective modules will deepen your knowledge in the speciality area and may be selected also from other university study programmes.
As a part of this education, you will also undertake a scientific research project that will support your own personalised development and the pharmaceutical field more generally. The elective courses can also be chosen on the basis of supporting this research project. The studies should also include international courses or research work.
Schedule and price
The application period for the Specialisation Education in Industrial Pharmacy course is from February 14th to April 30th, 2024.
Study period:
- B. Sc. (Pharm.): 1.9.2024-31.7.2027
- M. Sc. (Pharm.): 1.9.2024–31.7.2028
Place
At the premises of the University of Helsinki, Finland.
Price
The student fee is 100 € per ECTS, 6000 EUR for the M.Sc. graduates in Pharm. and 4000 EUR for the B. Sc. graduates in Pharm. The fee will be invoiced in installments during normative duration of studies. The fee may be decreased if any previously completed courses are considered suitable substitutes for those offered in the present programme (up to 1/3 of total programme ECTS), in which case a lower fee is charged for the substituted courses.
In addition to the courses, the study fee covers the personal course planning and advising, research project supervision and evaluation, programme registration and associated administration. You are responsible for your own costs associated with the literature use, travel, accommodation and food expenses as well as studies undertaken outside this programme at other universities.
Cancellation policy
Application is binding. Please note, that if the application is cancelled after the study place is accepted, the first installment of the student fee will be charged (750 € for M.Sc. and 667 € for B.Sc.). Paid student fees will not be refunded.
Application
The application period for the Specialisation Education in Industrial Pharmacy Course (starting in September 2024) is from February 14th to April 30th, 2024. If you are accepted to the course, you will receive a confirmation email. All new students admitted to the Specialisation Education in Industrial Pharmacy Course are required to accept their study place by June 5, 2023.
You can apply by filling the forms. It is recommended to write the answers in a separate text file that is saved on your computer and copy the answers to the form in case of an issue, for example, with internet connection while filling the form.
Application form for M. Sc. (Pharm.) >>
Application form for B. Sc. (Pharm.) >>
Eligibility requirements
Specialisation studies in Industrial Pharmacy are designed for M.Sc. and B. Sc. graduates in Pharmacy. Prior to entering the programme you should be employed in pharmaceutical industry (including pharmaceutical whole sale) or in regulatory positions related to pharmaceutical industry and you should have at least one years working experience.
The required attachments for the application by email are (in pdf-format):
- copy of M. Sc. (Pharm.) or B. Sc. (Pharm.) certificate
- copy of a certificate of current employment
- copy of all the certificates on which applicant expects to receive points
Send all the attachments to vera.rahkonen@helsinki.fi by the end of the application period. Attachments will not be requested afterwards, and points based on unsubmitted attachments are not taken into account when selecting students. Attachments can be submitted via secure email using the University Secure Service at https://securemail.helsinki.fi.
Selection Criteria and Process
The maximum intake is 10 students.
If the number of applicants exceeds the positions available, the following criteria will be used for student selection (with weightings shown in parentheses):
- Work experience from the applied field of specialization (maximum 12 points)
- 2 points/year (up to five years)
- 1 point, if work experience is obtained from 2–3 different organizations (different company or different division/unit within the same company), 2 points, if work experience is obtained from at least 4 different organizations
- Further applicable education and other supplementary studies (eg. higher education studies, studies accomplished abroad and international courses) or teaching in academic studies (maximum 10 points):
- 1 point/ECTS within the last 5 years
- Teaching in academic studies (0,25 points/lecture hour/subject, within the last 5 years)
- Scientific and/or professional publications and patents (maximum 10 points)
- 2 points/publication in a scientific journal
- 1 point/publication or presentation in other professional publications, posters, presentations in professional congresses or patents
The maximum number of points is 32. You may also apply even if your degree diploma and one year of work experience is your only merit. Please calculate your additional points carefully!
The students are elected based on these points. If there are more eligible applicants than student places, the selection of participants will be based on the criteria mentioned above. In the order of merit determined by the total score, eligible students fulfilling the admission requirements will be chosen for specialized training programs according to quotas. If there are more than one applicant having same amount of points, they will be ranked on the basis of paragraph 1 points. If the points are still even, ranking will be made on the basis of paragraph 2 points and after that basis of paragraph 3 points.
The Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy makes the final decision on the approval of students based on proposal of the responsible persons of specialization studies. Admissions are reported to the students in person.
More information
Senior University Lecturer Mia Siven, mia.siven@helsinki.fi, tel. +358 50 448 7742
Development Coordinator, Vera Rahkonen, HY+, vera.rahkonen@hyplus.fi, tel. +358 50 594 9800
