INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE OF STUDY
Degree in PHARMACY
University of Ferrara
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology
Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention
University of Ferrara
The University of Ferrara (www.unife.it), founded in 1391, is a public teaching and research university, with 12 departments and a staff of 1.300 employees. With its 18000 students in a city of 160000 inhabitants, the University of Ferrara is one of the Italian academic institutions with the higher student/city population ratio. It can be safely stated that the whole city is a University campus. This exciting blend between students and city life creates a unique cultural and educational environment.
Why to choose the Pharmacy degree course at the University of Ferrara
The Pharmacy degree course at the University of Ferrara is supported by the “School of Pharmacy and Health Products”, which has been instituted to direct, coordinate and continuously implement the contents of the courses of study preparing to pharmaceutical careers, in order to keep them in pace with the evolution of the professions.
The course of Pharmacy is designed to give you all the knowledge and technical abilities, personal and professional skills and the nurturing and ethical outlook needed to become an excellent pharmacist. The course is constantly updated to keep up to date with the new drugs constantly coming onto the market and with a complete list of health products (dietary, cosmetic and herbal products, medical diagnostic devices).
The teaching programmes mainly focus on chemistry, human biology, biochemistry, physiology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical technologies and pharmacology, and also include legal (add economic?) and ethical components which characterize the modern profession of pharmacist. By means of several practical laboratories, the course provides an unique opportunity to reach not only theoretical competences, but also the practical skills necessary for the future career as a modern pharmacist, which represents the link between the Health Institutions, the physicians and the population.
The specific aims of the course are to provide main knowledge related to:
- the human cell biology, anatomy, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology and pathology;
- the mechanisms of action of pharmaceuticals and their therapeutic use;
- the design, development, processing, manufacture of industrial and galenic pharmaceutical formulations, wellness products, medical devices and diagnostic;
- the pharmaceuticals, wellness products, medical devices and diagnostic supply chain;
- the pharmaceuticals, wellness products, medical devices and diagnostics quality, safety and effectiveness assessments;
- the formulation, preparation and dosage control of conventional and innovative medicinal products containing active ingredients as well of cosmetics.
- the most common interpretation of clinical analysis;
- the organization and management of a modern pharmacy.
Based on the 85/432/EEC Directive, Pharmacy degree allows to practice as a pharmacist, and the main fields of employment are: management of public pharmacy or pharmaceutical services in hospitals; pharmaceutical sales representative; national or international healthcare facilities; pharmaceutical industries, universities, hospitals (research, production and control of medicines).
Organization
The 5-years course of Pharmacy is managed by Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology of the University of Ferrara and is limited to a specified number of students (approved every year). The applicants are selected by means of an entry examination.
The curriculum (study plan) is the path including all learning activities (lessons, workshops, training activities, etc.) that you have to complete to reach the degree. Some of the planned are mandatory, while others are chosen by the student. The last ones must be indicated in the (individual?) study plan within a deadline, generally fixed at the November 30 of each year.
The teaching schedule is divided into two periods (semesters) during which the lessons are held. Between the two semesters, the students can sustain exams as well as at the end of the second semester. Lesson and exam periods may not overlap. The students cannot sustain exams on dates not included in the official exam sessions.
By clicking on List of courses, teachers and programs you can access to the consultation of the list of activated courses in the different academic years. Specifically, you will find the program of the courses and the name of the respective teachers.
The last year of the course includes a mandatory Professional training, to be performed in a public or hospital pharmacy and aimed at the acquisition of the main aspects that characterize the profession of pharmacist. The course also offers to the students the opportunity to carry out part of their studies abroad as part of international mobility programs. Students and graduates up to one year from the date of graduation can in fact participate in these programs for the performance of certain examinations or to carry out work placements and internships.
As far as the scientific research areas present in the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, the Department is equipped with the skills necessary to pursue several research objectives of great interest for the students in Pharmacy, based on different theoretical and experimental approaches that are be employed taking advantage of the knowledge of strategic sectors. They include: genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, nutraceutical, metallomics, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, systems biology, chemistry and pharmaceutical technology and health products, pharmacology, pharmaceutical biology, toxicology, personalized medicine, and computational biology, bioinformatics.
More in detail: molecular Imaging, photoactive prodrugs, biomarkers, minimally invasive technologies, biotechnology and pharmaceutical nanotechnology (nanocarriers and nanoparticles), therapeutic antibodies, vaccines, antibiotics, new technologies for the delivery of drugs into the central nervous system, drugs and innovative bioprocesses, creation of biobanks, studies of genetic epidemiology and biostatistics, technologies and sensors (including organic) for the recognition of drugs, materials and innovative application of relevance in the pharmaceutical industry, identification of biologically active molecules obtained by isolation, synthesis and formulation as well as their characterization and development in order to discover new applications in pharmaceutical sciences and medicine, nutritionalists and dermocosmetics (with particular reference to natural substances), new polyphenols, dietary fiber, essential oils and antioxidants isolated from plants
To reach the degree, the student has to defend his/her degree thesis. The students can choose one of the following typologies of thesis, corresponding to a different assignment of points by the Degree Commission:
DOCUMENTATION thesis - interval score: 0 to 4 points;
EXPERIMENTAL thesis - interval score: 0 to 10 points.
Quality assurance
A local “Quality Assurance System” has been established to continuously monitor the effectiveness of the training and the results of the training activities. The system makes available to all interested parties complete, up to date and readily available information on the course of Pharmacy: objectives, learning activities, resources used and results obtained.
A Committee (Gruppo di Riesame) is dedicated to the process of self-assessment of the course of study. It is constituted by the Coordinator of the course of study, at least one other teacher, a student, a Pharmacist or a member of the Steering Committee and the Academic Reference Manager. The Committee provides every year the Report of the process. The critical issues related to the Course of Pharmacy are then discussed in the presence of the he joint commission Teachers – Students.
Reaching us
The teaching buildings and laboratories are located in the University of Ferrara complex “Polo chimico e biologico” (informally called "Mammoth") placed between via Rampari di San Rocco, via Mortara and Via Fossato di Mortara. The main entrance of the complex is located in Via Luigi Borsari 46.
From the train station the didactic center is easily reachable by foot (about 20-30 min), by bus (line 9 and 1) and by car (10-15 min).
Maps (car e foot)
