Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences

General Objectives of the Course

The Pharmaceutical Sciences, by its comprehensiveness, multidisciplinary and professional activity are undoubtedly an area of great scientific importance in the context of Health Sciences. The new trends towards a deepening of the quality/value for health services involved, for obvious reasons, the medicines. The creation of a 3rd Cycle Course in "Pharmaceutical Sciences" aims to:
1. Stimulate inter- and transdisciplinarity;
2. Promote inter-personal relationship;
3. Create synergies between FFUC and Research Centres;
4. Congregate the students around a common identity;
5. Provide students with a current curriculum, challenging and personalized;
6. Allow the students to get skills and competencies that are only achieved with a teaching and research of excellence;
7. Developing internal mechanisms leading to the creation of conditions for the academic path of our students to achieve the PhD degree.

Admission Requirements

Candidates to the PhD degree may be:
a) holders of a Master’s degree or legal equivalent;
b) holders of a Bachelor’s degree and an especially relevant academic or scientific curriculum, which is recognized as attesting the capacity to accomplish this cycle of studies by the legal Competent Scientific Council of the University to which they want to be admitted.
c) holders of an academic, scientific or professional curriculum, which is recognized as attesting the capacity to accomplish this cycle of studies by the legal competent Scientific Council of the University to which they want to be admitted.

* In each academic year, the admission notice for the course, which establishes the specific access requirements, should be consulted.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Professional Goals

Pharmaceutical Sciences PhDs will be employable in Academic Institutions, Research Institutes, Governmental Agencies, Hospitals and Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology companies, to name a few. They will also be able to create their own companies in this expanding field.

Mode of Study

The course is delivered in full time or part time attendance and daytime schedule.

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese and English

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

As assessment is a pedagogical activity inseparable from the teaching process, its aim is to establish the students' competencies and knowledge, their critical sense, ability to recognize and resolve problems, as well as their written and oral presentation skills. Students may only register for exams for classes they are currently registered for under the terms of number 6 of article 4 of the University of Coimbra Pedagogical Policy. The following are examples of assessment items: Oral or written exams, written or practical work, individual and group projects that may require an oral defense, as well as class participation. Assessment for each class may include one or more of the above mentioned items. Grading is based on a scale of 0 to 20 and a grade of 10 is required to pass. Whenever assessment includes more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according to a formula published in the course outline under the terms of number 2 of article 7 of the UC Pedagogical Policy.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

The proposed Course of 3rd Cycle in "Pharmaceutical Sciences" aims to provide rigorous training in research to prepare a new generation of professionals to benationally and internationally competitive in the area of Health Sciences,
particularly, in subjects concerned with medicines. Their research-oriented training (multi-and transdisciplinary) will ensure them a wide range of knowledge and expertise networks, which are crucial for innovation. Students will be trained and evaluated according to strict and internationally validated criteria, and will be globally employable in different institutions, namely, Academia, Research Institutes, Government Agencies, Hospitals and Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology companies. They will also be able to create their own companies in a such promising growing field.

Course Coordinator(s)

João António Nave Laranjinha
laranjin@ci.uc.pt

ECTS Departmental Coordinator(s)

Ana Cláudia Paiva Santos
acsantos@ff.uc.pt

António José Ribeiro
aribeiro@ff.uc.pt

Carla Sofia Pinheiro Vitorino
uc40743@uc.pt

Ricardo António Esteves de Castro
rcastro@ff.uc.pt

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning is carried out in accordance with the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The legal framework for the qualification is established by the decrees: Decree-Law no. 74/2006, 24th March, amended and republished by the Decree_Law no 107/2008, 25th June and Decree-Law no 230/2009, 14th September

Graduation Requirements

The Course of 3rd Cycle in Pharmaceutical Sciences starts with one year of coursework (2 semesters) (60 ECTS) followed by a period entirely devoted to experimental work, which will be the basis for the thesis (six semesters), summing up to 240 ECTS. Students must fulfill the complete individualized research plan proposed and approved by the Scientific Council, including the elaboration and public discussion of the doctoral thesis.

Access to Further Studies

The PhD degree is issued in accordance with the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra.

Study Programme

Common core: Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Areas of expertise: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics; Cellular and Molecular Biology; Clinical Pharmacy; Food Science and Water Analysis; Microbiology and Parasitology; Nutrition and Food Chemistry; Pharmaceutical Biotechnology; Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Pharmaceutical Quality; Pharmaceutical Technology; Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry; Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy; Radiofármacos e Radiofarmácia; Regulatory Affairs; Social Pharmacy; Toxicology

Academic year
2024-2025

Course Type
3rd Cycle Studies

DGES Code: 5633

Qualification Awarded: Doutor

Duration: 4 Year(s)

ECTS Credits: 240.0

Annual Fee: 2750.0

Applications

Call for Applications

3rd Cycle Course

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 09-09-2024
End date: 14-12-2024
2nd Semester: Start date: 03-02-2025
End date: 22-05-2025

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2022-07-31 a 2028-07-30
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Cr 126/2011/AL02; 2024-07-25