Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences is responsible for teaching and research in areas where medicines are central. Students train as pharmacists and also in pharmaceutical research. This field of study has a number of interfaces with medicine, veterinary science, biology and chemistry. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences works closely together with these faculties and departments in Utrecht Life Sciences, formerly Academic Biomedical Centre (ABC).

Since 2005, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has formed a part of the Faculty of Science, standing alongside the Departments of Mathematics, Information and Computing Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, and Biology.

The scientific research carried out by the department is multidisciplinary in nature. As a consequence, it is conducted in collaboration with many other scientists, both nationally and internationally. The department’s fundamental research focuses on aspects such as the design of drugs, and their applications and uses.

All research is part of the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS). This renowned institutes coordinates the research activities and the PhD programme Drug Innovation. UIPS also acts as partner in national and international collaborations.

Through an active and independent approach to teaching and learning, students acquire the knowledge and skills that they will need to work effectively as pharmacists. As well as gaining pharmaceutical knowledge, they learn to think academically, assess information critically, cooperate with each other, and develop both their practical and communication skills. From early on in the programme, students are taught to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.

The Department offers three educational programmes: the Bachelor of Pharmacy, the Master of Pharmacy, and the Master of Drug Innovation. The latter is an English-taught programme and prepares students for a career in Pharmaceutical Sciences. We also offer an English-taught bachelor honours programme, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences.