Reform of the pharmacy specialisation education programmes

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Specialisation education in pharmacy will be revised from 1 August 2026. There will be changes to both the scope and the content of the programmes. The pricing of the education will also change.

Pharmacy specialisation education is being revised

Pharmacy specialisation education will be revised from 1 August 2026. The scope of the specialisation programmes for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders will be 30 credits. The target completion time is three years, and the right to study is granted for four years. The scope of the specialisation programmes for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders will be 45 credits. The target completion time is four years, and the right to study is granted for five years. The specialisation education can also be completed in less than the target time. The price of the revised specialisation education is €120 per credit, totalling €5,400 for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and €3,600 for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders. The fee is paid in instalments each semester during the target completion period.

The changes to the content mainly concern those who start their studies on or after 1 August 2026, but partly also those who started earlier. Changes and recommended study paths are described in more detail under Transition to the new curriculum (2026–2030).

Structure of the programmes

Going forward, the specialisation programmes will consist of the following components (scope for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders / Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders):

  • Core studies 15 / 15 credits
  • Research and development 10 / 20 credits
  • Optional studies 5 / 10 credits

Programme content

Core studies
  • Personal study and development plan and competence development at work, 2 credits (residency study path 3 credits)
  • Development of expertise in another working environment, 3 credits (residency study path 4 credits)

Community and hospital pharmacy:

  • Development of medication safety and risk management within social and healthcare, 5 credits
  • Through strategic management towards rational drug treatment, 5 credits (Through collaboration towards rational drug treatment, 3 credits, residency study path)

Industrial pharmacy:

  • Quality management and GxP, 10 credits
Research and development
  • Development project, for B.Sc.Pharm., 10 credits
  • Development project, for M.Sc.Pharm., 20 credits

The development project includes suitable studies in research and evaluation methods.

Optional studies 

The scope of optional studies is 5 credits for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and 10 credits for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders. Optional studies are chosen according to the student’s personal study plan.

Community and hospital pharmacy:

  • Medication review and clinical pharmacy, 5 credits, is compulsory if the student does not have LHA expertise
  • In the residency study path, choose as a optional either Clinical pharmacy and pharmacotherapy, advanced level, residency (5 credits) or Development of expertise in community and hospital pharmacy, residency (5 credits)

Students may take additional optional studies (the scope of the specialisation education may be exceeded for justified reasons for an additional fee).

Transition to the new curriculum (2026–2030)

Community and hospital pharmacy and industrial pharmacy specialisation programmes, students starting on 1 August 2026

Students who start their studies on 1 August 2026 will complete their studies according to the new 2026–2030 curriculum.

The scope of optional studies is 5 credits for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and 10 credits for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders. The scope of the programme and the structure of studies are in accordance with the new curriculum (2026–2030).

Recommended study paths in the community and hospital pharmacy and industrial pharmacy specialisation programmes for those who started on 1 August 2025 and earlier

Students who started their studies on 1 August 2025 will complete their studies as follows:

In the academic year 2025–2026, according to the old curriculum (2023–2026):

  • Leadership studies, 6 credits
  • Research and evaluation methods, 1 / 4 credits
  • Development project, 8 / 20 credits

From the academic year 2026–2027 onwards, according to the new curriculum (2026–2030):

  • Development of medication safety and risk management within social and healthcare (compulsory in community and hospital pharmacy; replaces the separate courses Medication Safety and High risk medicines), 5 credits
  • Optional studies

The scope of optional studies is 10 credits for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and 15 credits for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders; in the residency path 11 and 16 credits. The scope of the programme and the structure of studies are in accordance with the old curriculum (2023–2026).

Students who started their studies on 1 August 2024 will complete their studies as follows:

In the academic year 2025–2026, according to the old curriculum (2023–2026):

  • Leadership studies, 5 credits
  • Research and evaluation methods, 1 / 4 credits
  • Development project, 8 / 20 credits

From the academic year 2026–2027 onwards, according to the new curriculum (2026–2030):

  • Optional studies

The scope of optional studies is 10 credits for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and 15 credits for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders; in the residency path 11 and 16 credits. The scope of the programme and the structure of studies are in accordance with the old curriculum (2023–2026).

Students who started on 1 August 2023 and earlier will complete their studies as follows:

From the academic year 2026–2027 onwards, according to the new curriculum (2026–2030):

  • Optional studies

The scope of optional studies is 10 credits for Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders and 15 credits for Master of Science (Pharmacy) degree holders; in the residency path 11 and 16 credits. The scope of the programme and the structure of studies are in accordance with the old curriculum (2023–2026 or earlier).

Transition policies

Students in the pharmacy specialisation programmes who started on 1 August 2025 or earlier may complete their remaining studies as described above (recommended study path) or transfer entirely to the new curriculum. Transfer is by application and is possible from 1 August 2026. Upon transfer, the student may have previously completed studies in their original programme recognised to the extent applicable. The transfer does not affect the granted study time.

The transition period ends on 31 July 2030. Students who have registered as present or absent, whose right to study is valid, and who have not, within the transition period, transferred to the new curriculum or graduated from the specialisation education under the previous curriculum period, will be transferred automatically to the new curriculum on 1 August 2030. There is therefore ample time to graduate under the previous curriculum period.

For those who start their studies under the new curriculum and those who transfer entirely to the new curriculum, the tuition fee is €120 per credit. For those who started under the previous curriculum and proceed according to the recommended study path, the tuition fee is €100 per credit.

Equivalence tables

The equivalence tables show which courses in the 2026–2030 curriculum and the 2023–2026 curriculum correspond to each other. You can use the equivalence table for your specialisation programme especially if you are considering transferring to the new programme. From the table you can see:

  • the structures and content of the revised programme
  • which courses you have completed correspond to the courses in the revised programme (accepted as they are)
  • which courses you still need to complete
  • which courses are removed from the curriculum entirely

See the tables: