About the programme
What specialisations does the field of study offer?
You get the opportunity to tailor a two-year master’s programme focused on drug-oriented courses. You can specialise within Drug Discovery, where you get equipped to hunt for new effective pharmaceutical substances. Drug Development studying the release of the right amount of active substance at the right point in the right place in the body. Medicines and Society, focusing on the enormous impact medicines have on people and societies.Why is this programme relevant?
In the pharmaceutical industry project-oriented teamwork in a combination of fields is typical. Someone with an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences is ideal for this type of team effort and has the skills to build bridges between people with various specialist backgrounds. You will be in heavy demand in the pharmaceutical industry internationally and in the Danish biotech, medico-tech and pharmaceutical industries.Admission and application
To apply for admission to this master's degree programme, you must have completed a qualifying bachelor’s degree or a similar Danish or international degree programme which is assessed to be relevant. Apply for admission via the application portal.
Below, you can read more about admission requirements and which documents to upload in the application portal.
Academic admission requirements
Here you'll find the different academic requirements depending on which qualifying degree you hold.
There are no bachelor’s degrees that give legal right of admission to the MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
If you hold one of the degrees listed below, you are considered to meet all academic admission requirements and have direct access to apply to the master’s degree programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at University of Copenhagen
- Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry as a specialization under Molecular Biology at Aarhus University
- Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology at Aarhus University and Roskilde University
- Bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine at University of Southern Denmark
- Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Southern Denmark
- Bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in chemistry at University of Southern Denmark
- Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biomedicine at University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry at University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, Roskilde University, Aalborg University and University of Southern Denmark
- Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy at University of Copenhagen
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering in Biotechnology at Technical University of Denmark
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology) at Aalborg University
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering in Human Life Sciences and Engineering at Technical University of Denmark
Please note that having a bachelor’s degree that fulfil the admission requirements does not guarantee you admission to the programme.
You must hold a bachelor’s degree in health, natural or technical sciences and meet the admission requirements in biological and chemical disciplines.
In your bachelor’s degree you must have accumulated:
- At least 120 ECTS credits in chemical and/or biological disciplines
- At least 15 ECTS credits in biochemistry and/or molecular biology and/or microbiology
- At least 15 ECTS credits in chemistry subjects, of which at least 7.5 ECTS credits must be in organic chemistry
Please note that having a bachelor’s degree that fulfil the admission requirements does not guarantee you admission to the programme.
You must have earned your bachelor’s degree within a maximum of 5 years prior to the start of the first semester of the master’s programme, e.g. for the intake in the autumn of 2025, you must have graduated by September 2021 or thereafter. In exceptional circumstances the Admissions Committee may waive the graduation year requirement.
If your bachelor’s degree is too old, you can apply for an exemption from the graduation year requirement. If you choose to apply for an exemption, you must submit the following documents along with your application for admission:
- A letter explaining how you have maintained your academic qualifications since graduation (e.g. relevant work, internships, further studies)
- Relevant documentation (e.g work contracts, diplomas etc).
If you already have a master's degree from Denmark or another country, you can, in principle, only be admitted to a new degree programme if there are places available on the programme for which you are applying for admission.
When we assess whether you meet the admission requirements for the master's degree program, Danish legislation only allows us to assess your bachelor's degree. Consequently, you cannot study supplementary courses between bachelor's and master's degree programs in order to meet the admission requirements.
If you have passed courses/projects before you complete the qualifying bachelor's degree, these can be included in the assessment, even though they are not part of the bachelor's degree program.
- It applies to courses/projects you have taken as single subjects and courses/projects you have taken as part of another study program.
- A maximum of 30 ECTS credits of these courses/projects may be included.
Language requirements
Applicants to a master’s programme taught in English must document their English language proficiency in accordance with the language requirements for admission.
If you have legal right of admission to the programme that you are applying for, you are not required to document your proficiency in English.
If you have completed your upper secondary education in Denmark, you must upload a copy of your upper secondary education diploma as documentation for your English proficiency.
All other applicants must document qualifications equivalent to the Danish upper secondary school ‘English level B’ or ‘English level A’.
Your documentation must be valid at the application deadline that applies to you.
- Citizens from a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland: 15 January
- Citizens from Denmark, EU, EEA or Switzerland: 1 March
We accept the following ways of documenting English qualifications equivalent to the Danish upper secondary school ‘English level B’ or ‘English level A’:
You have completed an upper secondary school degree, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in English in one of the following countries
- Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or USA
You must upload a copy or scan of your official school diploma as documentation.
The degree must be a minimum of 2 years of studies. A student exchange semester/year is not sufficient documentation for English proficiency.
You have studied an upper secondary school diploma in Denmark or one of the Nordic countries.
You must upload a copy or scan of your transcript from a Danish upper secondary school to document that you have passed English level B or higher.
If you have passed a Nordic entrance examination with an English level comparable to the Danish level B or higher, you must upload your transcript that documents the subjects you have passed.
You must upload a copy or scan of your transcript to document that you have passed one of the following levels:
- English A1, A2 or B, higher level (HL),
- English A1 or A2 standard level (SL)
- English A Literature or English A Language and Literature, higher Level (HL) (from 2013)
- English A Literature or English A Language and Literature, standard Level (SL) (from 2013)
- English B, standard level (SL)
You must upload a copy or scan of your transcript to document that you have passed the course:
- English language 1 (LI), English language 2 (LII) or English language 3 (LIII) with a minimum score of 50%
The EB must be passed at one of the European Schools placed in Copenhagen, Bruxelles, Luxembourg, Mol, München, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, Varese or Alicante.
You must upload your transcript from the educational institution as documentation that you have passed:
- Danish upper secondary school 'English level B' (Engelsk B) or
- Danish upper secondary school ‘English level A’ (Engelsk A).
You must upload a copy or scan of your transcript to document that you have passed the course:
- English Leistungsfach (LF) OR
- Erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau (eA) OR
- Kernfach (KF) OR
- Profilfach/Profilgebendes Fach (PgF)
All with a maximum score of 4 (Ausreichend).
You must document that you have passed one of the following accepted tests:
- IELTS Academic (taken at an IELTS test centre, online, or Home Edition)
- TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT paper edition or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
- Cambridge Advanced English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Deadlines for sending your documentation
Your test must be valid at the application deadline that applies to you:
- Deadline for citizens from a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland: 15 January
- Deadline for citizens from Denmark, EU, EEA or Switzerland: 1 March
Your application will be rejected if you have not provided sufficient documentation for English proficiency by your application deadline.
The IELTS and TOEFL results are only valid if they are not older than 2 years counted from the application deadline. There is no limitation for validity for the Cambridge tests.
Documentation by passed English proficiency test
Name of test | Minimum score | Your options for giving us the needed information |
---|---|---|
IELTS (academic) IELTS Home Edition | 6.5 (overall test score) 6.5 (overall test score) Only overall score will be considered. | Upload your test score sheet in the application portal. If you have difficulties uploading the test score sheet, please email us the sheet, and we will verify it online. |
TOEFL
(MyBest Scores are not accepted) | 1. 83 2. 83 3. 560 | Upload your test score sheet in the application portal. If you have difficulties uploading the test score sheet, please email us the sheet, and we will verify it online. |
Cambridge Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge Proficiency | Passed at level C1 or C2 | You must inform your test centre that the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen is allowed to verify your test score results online. You must upload documentation which includes your Statement of Results number or Reference number. |
Application deadlines
Study start in September
1 March at 23:59
Application deadline for Danish applicants and applicants from within the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 16 January. You will receive a reply by 10 June.
15 January at 23:59
Application deadline for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
Open for applications from 15 November. You will receive a reply by 1 May.
How to apply
Choose your category and read how you apply for admission. You can also find information about deadlines and documentation requirements.
Please note that you must also select according to your citizenship:
- Citizen from Denmark, EU, EEA or Switzerland (EU)
- Citizen from countries outside EU, EEA or Switzerland (NON-EU)
How we assess your application
The programme accepts a maximum of 50 students. One third of the seats may be reserved for students outside of the EU/EEA.
If the number of qualified applicants to the programme exceeds the number of places available, qualified applicants will be prioritised according to the following criteria:
- Grade point average from the bachelor's degree
- Relevant internships and/or work and relevant stays abroad
Admission statistics Pharmaceutical Sciences 2023 | |
---|---|
Admitted | 41 |
Admission distribution (legal right/other) | 0% / 100% |
Applicants | 196 |
Age average | 23 |
Legal gender distribution (cpr. - m/f) | 22% / 78% |
Nationality (dk/international) | 2% / 98% |
Available spots | No |
Programme structure
The MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences is a 2-year programme taught in English, and there are approximately 50 students in a year.
The programme is known for its cooperation with industry, since there is a close concentration of biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the region. Medicon Valley, as the hub is called, is home to almost 300 ‘life science’ companies.
Teaching forms are lectures, case-based groupwork, laboratory work and research projects.
Depending on the study track you select, these are the approximate numbers.
- 50 % mandatory courses
- 25 % elective courses
- 25% thesis
The programme is focused on drug-oriented courses. You must select one of the following three tracks:
- Drug Discovery, where you get equipped to hunt for new effective pharmaceutical substances.
- Drug Development studying the release of the right amount of active substance at the right point in the right place in the body.
- Medicines and Society, focusing on the enormous impact medicines have on people and societies.
Each track offers great flexibility regarding elective courses and projects, which enables students to create a specialised academic profile.
1st year: Drug Development
1st year: Medicines and Society
2nd year: all three tracks
1st semester | 2nd semester |
---|---|
Elective courses (30 ECTS) | Master's Thesis (30 ECTS) |
All three tracks begin with the compulsory courses in:
- Drug Discovery and Development
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Development
- Principles of Pharmacology
These three courses form a common scientific basis regardless of which track you have chosen.
You then follow three compulsory courses specific to your track, which give you a defined scientific profile.
Once you have selected your track, you can select courses from the other two tracks as electives.
The flexibility in choosing electives gives you the opportunity to either focus on similar topics or broaden your educational programme.
As part of your electives, you can choose to do a short internship or research project either at the University of Copenhagen or at, for instance, a medical company.
As part of your electives, you can choose to do a short internship or research project either at the University of Copenhagen or at, for instance, a medical company.
It is possible to study abroad during your degree. Your third semester is best suited for studying abroad. Alternatively, you can choose to write part of your thesis abroad. It is also possible to take a summer course in place of an elective.
Why Study Abroad?
A main objective of studying abroad is to further widen your academic knowledge and network. You are also likely to benefit socially and culturally.
It is a good idea to seek advice from lecturers and the student guidance when planning your studies abroad to find out where to go and how to structure your academic programme. Your lecturers may have academic inputs, international contacts, and may also be able to provide you with references which can prove useful.
Exchange Agreements
The University of Copenhagen has an extensive number of exchange agreements with universities world wide.
Information about partner universities specific to Pharmaceutical Sciences is available through the International Relations Office at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
Student Mobility at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Researchers at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Science offer a wide range of thesis subjects that enables you to tailor a programme matching your personal interests.
You can carry out your thesis project in a research group at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, The Department of Pharmacy or any other relevant department at the university . There are also excellent opportunities to write your industry-based thesis in Denmark or abroad.
Many research groups involved with the programme enjoy close cooperation with pharmaceutical companies based on the Danish side of Medicon Valley. This cooperation is a key element of several programme courses as well as thesis-related work. The close contact established during the programme is also expected to play an important role in the transition from study to professional career.
Master's projects under Drug Design and PharmacologyMedicon Valley
Student Interviews
Career opportunities
The pharmaceutical industry is financially strong and developing rapidly. The industry continuously needs to recruit a sufficient number of graduates with a focused background in the pharmaceutical sciences.
As a graduate you will be in heavy demand in the pharmaceutical industry internationally and in the Danish biotech, medico-tech and pharmaceutical industries that hold a key position in the international arena.
The programme’s close cooperation with the industry is also expected to play an important role in your transition from study to professional career.
The development of new drugs and medicinal products is a long and complex process that starts with the glimmer of a new idea and ends with the effective marketing of a finished product.
An MSc in pharmaceutical sciences makes you a bridge-builder in this complex process and gives you an educational ballast that supplements other experts with various specialist backgrounds in the field.
In the pharmaceutical industry project-oriented teamwork in a combination of fields is typical. Someone with an MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences is ideal for this type of team effort.
Please note
The MSc degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences does not qualify graduates to practice as pharmacists at community or hospital pharmacies in Denmark and other EU countries.
The pharmaceutical industry considers people with an MSc in pharmaceutical sciences to be highly relevant. Pharmaceutical companies as well as biotech companies have shown great interest in hiring graduates with the skills provided through the programme.
The University of Copenhagen is located in the midst of one of the world’s leading biotech areas – Medicon Valley – home to almost 300 ‘life science’ companies. The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences is known for its extensive cooperation with industry.
One of these collaborative endeavours is the school’s own Drug Research Academy (DRA), where a number of Danish biotech and pharmaceutical companies co-finance PhD scholarships. DRA covers all key research areas in drug development from research, development and production to clinical testing.
This close concentration of biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the region coupled with the school’s collaboration with industry provides good opportunities for students to build contacts to future employers during their studies.
There are excellent opportunities to find student jobs related to the field and to initiate thesis projects at one of the many companies in the area.
Alumni interviews
Student life
When you study pharmaceutical sciences you will be part of an international and vibrant study environment. You can join a lot of student clubs, follow courses with students from other programmes and meet up with your fellow students in the student café and social events.
PharmaSchool has won awards for best study environment and older students make an effort to welcome new students to PharmaSchool.
You will primarily be studying at the University of Copenhagen’s North Campus.
Contact student guidance
SUND Study Information
If you have questions about
- the MSc programme
- the study environment
- your career opportunities
Application and admission
If you have questions about
- admission
- application procedure
Please contact MSc-admission@sund.ku.dk
Do you have questions about digital application? Check our user guide to the application portal.
In case of technical problems, please contact the IT Helpdesk by
- Mail: it-service@adm.ku.dk // Tel: +45 35 32 27 00
Location
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, North Campus, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 København.