Education and study
The teaching at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has as its aim to train students to become experts in medicinal drugs who can apply their scientific knowledge in health care, industry or research. In doing this, the Faculty aims to tune its study programmes to on the one hand the latest scientific evolutions (primarily by cross-fertilization with the research carried out in the specialised research groups), and on the other hand to the evolution of the social role and tasks of pharmacists.
The faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has the ambition, also for education, to play a leading role amongst the ‘Schools of Pharmacy’ within Europe. The faculty takes an interest in the internationalization of its education. No less than 25% of the students at the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences participates in the Erasmus exchange program. This means that the faculty already now fulfills the European 20-20 requirements that aim to achieve graduation of at least 20% of the students at another European university by the year 2020. The number of students from EU-countries graduating at the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences is rapidly climbing. Through the Internationalisation@Home (I@H) initiative students come into contact with international lecturers. Furthermore, the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has bilateral educational agreements with universities outside Europe, such as China and India.
Study programme
The basis of our study programme offer consists of the training of pharmacists. Future pharmacists begin their training by following the Bachelor of pharmaceutical sciences. During this study programme the student acquires general and scientific competences, and a basic knowledge of medicinal drugs (“pharmaceutical knowledge”) and of diseases/health (“medical basic knowledge”).
In the
light of the evolution of the social role of the pharmacist the faculty
organises two initial Master’s programmes (following the Bachelor’s programme).
In the Master of pharmaceutical care the emphasis is on the relationship between
patient-pharmacist, patient-drug and patient-drug-care provider. This programme
prepares primarily for a position in a pharmacy or a hospital, possibly after
following an advanced study programme (Master after Master) in hospital pharmacy. It can equally lead to a career of
scientific researcher, a job with the government, etc ...
The Master of drug development puts the emphasis on the drug itself, rather than the patient-oriented context. Students who are more oriented towards industry will tend to choose for the Master of drug development, often with as a follow-up the advanced study programme (Master after Master) in industrial pharmacy.
Note that most Bachelor and Master courses are currently taught in Dutch (despite the fact that you'll find a description in English)! To follow these courses, good language proficiency (Dutch) is absolutely necessary and formally required (more info). This prove has to be submitted together with your students' applications (see further). Therefore, we discourage foreign students not familiar with the Dutch language to register for these courses. On the other hand, international students are encouraged to join our faculty to perform a research project that fits in their curriculum. Before applying, please check with the responsible person of your institution if there is a bilateral agreement with our faculty that allows for student mobility to Gent! This bilateral agreement will contain the contact details of the UGent professor you should contact first to learn about available places. All details for the formal application (including all necessaey forms that have to be filled out) can be found here.
