FARMACIA Degree Programme Profile
Basic Information
Qualification awarded
Master Degree in FARMACIA
Qualification Type/Level
EHEA Single cycle; EQF Level 7
Number of Years/credits
5 years; 300 ECTS
Mode of Study
Full-Time/Part-Time*
*All Degree Programmes are planned and organised for full-time students. It is possible, however (without special arrangements), to proceed through the course of study at one's own pace. This makes it possible, if necessary, to accommodate employment or other non-university activities or obligations.
Name of the Course Director and other contact information
President of the Degree Course Council:
Prof. VINCENZO CALDERONE
Email vincenzo.calderone@unipi.it
Department of FARMACIA
Internationalization Coordinator (CAI):
Prof. Filippo Minutolo
Email filippo.minutolo@unipi.it
Language of Teaching
Italian
Admission Requirements
Formal Requirements
Certificate of completion of Italian upper secondary school or equivalent foreign qualification.
Possible assessment prior knowledge and competences
Obligatory selective/competitive entrance exam (numerus clausus).
Required knowledge and competences support programmes
Students who do not pass the entrance exam are required to take specific courses and/or complete extra reading to prepare for the programme.
General Information
Programme Profile
The Degree course in Pharmacy provides an advanced scientific training in the health field, addressed to obtain an expert on drugs able to cooperate with general practitioners, patients and medical structures. Graduates in Pharmacy will have a solid understanding of: activity and therapeutic use of drugs and toxic substances action; medicinal products and substances employed in the production procedures; pharmaceutical technology and physical, chemical, biological and microbiological control of medicinal products; the legal provisions in the field of the pharmaceutical practice; the new scientific data on drugs.
Key Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Programme will be able to demonstrate:
- an essential knowledge on basic sciences allowing learning of future disciplines;
- a deep knowledge of general, organic and analitical chemistry aimed to sinthesize drugs and to control their preparations;
- the knowledge of animal and plant biology and biochemistry;
- the knowledge of the pathologies and the physiopathology of the body;
- the advanced knowledge of the effects of drugs, their therapeutic employ and toxicological aspects;
- the advanced knowledge of the pharmaceutical chemistry of the main classes of drugs and their structure-activity relationship;
- the deep knowledge of pharmaceutical technology, aimed to obtain suitable preparations for drugs administration and their quality control;
- the advanced knowledge of pharmaceutical laws and ethical principles needed in the professional activity;
- the deep knowledge of medicinal plants, their active principles and their employment as therapeutic agents;
- the knowledge of health and wellness products, such as dietary, diagnostic and cosmetic agents.
Occupational Profile/s of Graduates
Graduates may set up their own professional service in public and private pharmacies, allowed to dispense drugs as expert of therapeutic agents and health products; they may operate in the management of drugs, diagnostics and devices in hospital pharmaceutical units of the National Health Service; they may dispense medicinal plants preparations in herbalist’s shops; they may operate as manager in pharmaceutical industries producing drugs for human and veterinary use, medical and surgical devices, cosmetics and plant protection products; they may operate in research institutes and education (Universities, National Research Council, National Institute of Health, pharmaceutical companies).
Access to further study
The Laurea Magistrale degree in PHARMACY allows the graduate to compete for entry into a Third Cycle programme/doctoral school.
Assessment methods, examination regulations, and grading
Assessment is normally by means of an oral or written examination; in some cases there are intermediate exams during the course; other elements (participation in discussion, written or oral reports, commentary of texts etc. ) are foreseen in specific course units and are described in the Course Unit Profiles.
The grading system for the course units consists of 30 possible points, plus 'lode' (cum laude) in case of excellence. Marks are given by the lecturer based on the performance as ascertained in a public examination by a board of at least two teachers. The main exam sessions are held in June/July; September; and January; students may resit exams**.
Actual grading curves differ in different degree programmes. The University of Pisa provides an ECTS Grading Table, which shows the actual distribution, of the examination and final grades among students for each degree programme, in order to facilitate the comparison with other grading systems. ---> Link to ECTS Grading Table
An overall mark is given on the occasion of the 'Final Exam', when a written research text is presented and discussed. The final overall mark is calculated based on the results of the marks obtained in the single course units and the final exam, and is based on 110 possible points, with the possible further mention of honours ("lode" or cum laude).
**The exam sessions are organised into sessions (the dates vary according to the Department and are published in the Department's academic calendar). In each session there are a certain number of 'appelli' [calls], or dates on which the examination for each course unit may be taken. The 'appelli' are fixed by the teacher. The students choose which of the appelli they wish to respond to. In most cases, it is obligatory to sign up before the specified date.
Requirements (regulations) to obtain the qualification
The final exam, to which 15 ECTS are allocated, must be a dissertation concerning one of the above mentioned professional skills and prepared by experimental procedures and/or bibliographic sources through data banks and analysis of scientific literatu