Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy

Charles University

Charles University, the first university established in Central Europe, was founded by Charles IV, the Czech King and Roman Emperor, in 1348. From the very beginning Charles University was characterized as a “studium generale “ and the King awarded it all the privileges enjoyed by the other old universities. At present Charles University has seventeen faculties altogether, out of which fourteen are seated in Prague while the other three are located in important Czech towns of Hradec Králové and Plzeň.

Faculty of Pharmacy

The Faculty of Pharmacy, with its seat in the town of Hradec Králové, was established by a government decree in 1969. This Faculty of Pharmacy has continued in the old and long-time tradition of the education of pharmacy at Charles University.

Pharmacy is a medical branch, which is focused on the research, production, control, supply, and dispensing of medicines and drugs. It also deals with information about drugs and pharmaceutical functions, organizations, with the management of pharmaceutical functions within the health service system (social pharmacy), and with the historical development of the branch.

The Pregraduate Studies

• A five - year study program of Pharmacy taught in English
• Study program complies with the EU directive 2005/36/EC
• The study program comprises compulsory, electives and optional courses.
• Biology and chemistry based first two years of study
• Pharmaceutical subjects starting from the 3rd year of study
• Diploma thesis and final state exam leading to Master degree (Mgr. fully equivalent to MSc, and optional Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Pharm.Dr)
• Possibility to join excellent research teams at our faculty during your studies during your undergraduate study
• The undergraduates are obliged to attend all seminars given in the subjects enrolled; it is compulsory to take part in the practical (laboratory) training and to get through practical placements (in pharmacies and other pharmaceutical institutions) during the course of their studies. The level of knowledge attained in the enrolled subjects is checked by examinations. The course of studies is concluded by passing the Final State Exam and with is successful defense of the undergraduate’s Degree Paper (Diploma thesis). Finally the graduate is awarded the academic degree of Magister (Mgr. equivalent to MSc) at the graduation ceremony.

The Postgraduate (Doctoral) Studies

The graduate of the university course of studies of pharmacy (or of some related fields such as medicine or natural sciences) that has acquired Magister (Mgr.) or Master (MSc) degree or its equivalent can apply for admission to the four-year internal course of postgraduate doctoral studies. The PhD studies involve scientific work in a selected research project under the supervision of distinguished teachers of the Faculty of Pharmacy. The postgraduate course of studies is concluded by passing examinations in theoretical topics related to the appropriate research project, by publishing scientific papers in journals with impact factor and by writing and defending a Doctoral Dissertation.

The Accreditation Committee of the Government of the Czech Republic approved eleven fields in which it is possible to obtain degree of Doctor (PhD) at the Faculty of Pharmacy:

• Bioanalytical Chemistry
• Bioorganic Chemistry
• Clinical and social pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Analysis

Hradec Králové

Hradec Králové, the biggest town in Eastern Bohemia, has about one hundred thousand inhabitants; it is situated at the confluence of the rivers Labe and Orlice about 100 km east of the capital of the country, Prague. It is mentioned among the oldest Czech towns as early as 1225. At the beginning of the 14th century it became the dowry and royal seat of Czech queens. That is why since that time it has had the contemporary name - “the Castle of the Queen”. The town itself flourished economically in the 15th century, but later it was destroyed in the Thirty Years´ War. The historical core of the town is formed by several major buildings: the cathedral of the Holy Ghost that dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, White Tower built at the end of the 16th century, and the baroque Jesuit church of the Assumption of Mary the Virgin with a convent dating back to the 2nd half of the 17th century. Towards the end of the 18th century the town was changed into a late baroque fortress. Since 1884 the character of the town as a fortress was gradually transformed - the town got rid of the shell of the fortification and further possibilities for its development became available. Between the two World Wars the town developed into the centre of modern Czech architecture.

After World War II Hradec Králové became the administrative and cultural centre of Eastern Bohemia - with theatres, galleries, museums, high schools and colleges. Besides the Faculty of Pharmacy it is also the seat of the Medical Faculty, Charles University; Military Medical Academy; and the independent University of Pedagogy. About 4.000 university students attend classes in this town every year.