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.

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.

Studying takes place alongside work and study plan is tailored individually to support your own development needs. Normative duration of studies is 3–4 years. 

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
Structure and content of training

Studies consist of common studies and optional studies. 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 modules. 

Common studies include, for example, studies supporting the development of expertise and research and management studies. The optional 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 optional courses can also be chosen on the basis of supporting this research project. The studies should also include international courses or research work.

Structure

Compulsory studies 29 credits (cr)

  • Personal study and development plan and competence development at work (2 cr) 
  • Development of expertise in another working environment (3 cr) 
  • Development project (8 cr) 
  • Quality management and GMP/GDP (10 cr)

Leadership studies 6 cr:

  • Operations in pharmaceutical industry and distribution (3 cr) 
  • Pharmaceutical expertise and strategic management in the operational environment of social and health care (3 cr) (*UEF)

Optional studies 11 credits (cr)
Examples of optional courses (student chooses 11 cr):

  • Pharmaceutical development, part I (5 cr) 
  • Pharmaceutical development, part II (5 cr) 
  • Clinical supply chain and clinical drug research (5 cr) 
  • Pharmaceutical business and marketing (5 cr) 
  • Research and evaluation procedures (1 cr) 

*UEF = the course is organised by the University of Eastern Finland.

Compulsory studies 45 credits (cr)

  • Personal study and development plan and competence development at work (2 cr) 
  • Development of expertise in another working environment (3 cr) 
  • Development project (20 cr)
  • Quality management and GMP/GDP (10 cr)

Research method studies (student chooses 4 cr):

  • Research and evaluation procedures, advanced (4 cr) 
  • Research and evaluation procedures (1 cr) 
  • Research methods in industrial pharmacy 1 (4 cr) 
  • Research methods in industrial pharmacy 2 (3 cr)

Leadership studies 6 cr: 

  • Operations in pharmaceutical industry and distribution (3 cr)
  • Pharmaceutical expertise and strategic management in the operational environment of social and health care (3 cr) (*UEF)

Optional studies 15 credits (cr)
Examples of optional courses (student chooses 15 cr):

  • Pharmaceutical development, part I (5 cr) 
  • Pharmaceutical development, part II (5 cr) 
  • Clinical supply chain and clinical drug research (5 cr) 
  • Pharmaceutical business and marketing (5 cr)

*UEF = the course is organised by the University of Eastern Finland.

Implementation

Learning takes place alongside work, so in addition to face-to-face teaching, specialisation courses use a variety of digital teaching methods and online learning. E-learning is supported by the web-based learning environment Moodle, which serves as a platform for information, discussion, work and feedback on remote assignments. In addition, the material generated during the training will be compiled on Moodle. The average number of face-to-face teaching days will be 1-2 per month, depending on the stage of study. Training can also be completed remotely.

The strategic planning of the curriculum is the responsibility of an expert steering committee, which includes representatives from the universities, pharmacy associations and work life.

Tuition fees

The studies are subject to a fee. 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 possible travel, accommodation and food expenses as well as studies undertaken outside this programme at other universities.

More information

Specialisation studies, post-graduate programme in Industrial Pharmacy, Helsinki:

Professor Anne Juppo, anne.juppo@helsinki.fi, tel. +358 29 415 9162

University lecturer Heli Bollström, heli.bollstrom@helsinki.fi

See also:

What students think about their studies?

Student interview: Why did I apply?

Dosis: Research in Specialization Studies in Industrial Pharmacy benefits pharmaceutical industry

Industrial Pharmacy Research

Publications in Dosis and E-thesis (mostly in Finnish).