Programme
The postgraduate (doctoral) study of Pharmaceutical-Biochemical Sciences takes three years for full-time and five years for part-time students.
The programme is focused on scientific research and independent work, whose aim is to provide candidates with skills and knowledge specifically related to their area of interest as well as on the communication skills to be developed through writing research papers and preparing poster and oral presentations in Croatian and English.
The doctoral study programme is a highly interdisciplinary programme where the insights from the core natural sciences, the core and applied biomedical and clinical sciences, and the information and communication sciences, are logically interlinked and mutually complemented. The programme implementation is based on the variety of research projects conducted at the Faculty, the cooperation with a series of collaborative research and teaching institutions, as well as the cooperation with pharmaceutical industry, business and the public sector (Pliva Hrvatska d.o.o, Belupo d.d., IGL d.d., PharmaS d.o.o., Halmed, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Zagreb University Hospital Centre, Sisters of Mercy University Hospital Centre, Dubrava Clinical Hospital, Merkur Clinical Hospital, Ruđer Bošković Institute, etc.). Scientific activities aim at enhancing innovative capabilities for technology transfer, while research and teaching activities strive to establish consistent links between the science and society, and particularly the business sector.
Short description of programme progression conditions (ECTS or other):
Year 1 ECTS credits
Introductory Course 5
Core Course 20
Scientific activity/Research 35
Year 2
Elective course 10
Public defence of topic of doctoral thesis 5
Scientific activity/Research 45
Year 3
Scientific activity/Research 50
Presentation of results of doctoral thesis 5
Public defence of doctoral thesis 5
In the first year of their studies, PhD students choose the Core Course in the scientific branch of their studies in a total of 20 ECTS credits. The Introductory Course, which ensures the acquisition of generic competencies, is compulsory.
In the second year of their studies, PhD students choose elective courses totalling 10 ECTS credits. A Core Course module can also be chosen as an elective course. PhD students choose their elective courses in consultation with their supervisor and in the field of their doctoral thesis. PhD students may, in consultation with their supervisor and doctoral study programme head, choose 5 ECTS credits for their elective course in other doctoral study programmes offered at the University of Zagreb and other comparable programmes offered at any other domestic and/or foreign university.
In the third year of their studies, PhD students conduct their research, and prepare and defend their doctoral thesis.
The Curriculum of the Study Programme can be found here.
Being actively involved in scientific research work, that is, scientific research work outside the framework of the doctoral study programme, can bring PhD students a certain number of ECTS credits, which they are allocated upon providing proof of their presence in the scientific community (i.e., that they are actively involved in scientific research work during their studies). The share of scientific research activities expressed in ECTS credits is higher in the later years of study.
Each PhD student must acquire a certain number of ECTS credits in this type of activity. The research activity of PhD students is monitored and evaluated during the course of their studies, and their evaluation results are entered in the Online PhD Student Database (OBAD). The Ordinance on Postgraduate Study Programmes at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry prescribes the allocation of a suitable number of ECTS credits for various forms of scientific research activities.
Structure of doctoral study programme management