Information for international students of FFUK

www.faf.cuni.cz

in Prague

in Hradec Králové

Czech Republic

Charles UniversityFaculty of Pharmacy

in Prague

in Hradec Králové

Czech Republic

Information for international students

Charles UniversityFaculty of Pharmacy

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Th e Czech Republic is situated in the heart of Europe. Occupying an area of about 79 thousand square kilometres, it is bounded by Poland in the north, by Austria in the south, by Germany in the west and by Slovakia in the east. Th e population is about 10 million, the great majority being of Czech national-ity. Ethnic minorities make up around 5%. Th e offi cial language of the Czech Republic is Czech (one of the West Slavonic languages). Over two thirds of Czech people live in towns and cities. Th e capital of the Czech Republic is Prague (Praha).

Th e country has a varied landscape. Mountain ranges extend along the borders and fertile lowlands are found

in the valleys of the major rivers, the Vltava and the Elbe. Th e climate is generally continental in character. Temperatures can be extreme for short periods (+30 °C in summer and -15 °C in winter) but the average highs are 20/25 °C in summer and -5/+5 °C in winter.

Th e Czech Republic has traditionally been an industrial country. Engi-neering (especially the automobile industry) is the largest industrial sector but chemicals, food, textiles and metal-lurgy are all signifi cant. Czech beer is famous all over the world. Th e Czech Republic became a member of NATO in 1999 and it entered the European Union in 2004.

The CzechThe Czech Republic Republic

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Hradec Králové with its about 100,000 inhabitants is a historical and cultural centre of the East Bohemian region. It is situated on the confl uence of the Elbe River and the Orlice River about 100 km east of the Czech capital Prague. Some Gothic and numerous Renaissance buildings dated back to the 14th - 16th century have been preserved to the present time.

From the beginning of the 20th century the town devoted much eff ort to the construction of modern architecture. Nowadays, Hradec Králové is a city of industry, culture, sports and higher education with a very high standard of living. Th ere are also state as well as private medical services, including the Faculty Hospital with specialized clin-ics and pharmacy, outpatient depart-

ments, emergency services and a sanatorium for persons suff ering from long-term illnesses.

Culture in Hradec Králové is repre-sented mainly by theatre and music. Th e international festival “Th eatre of European Regions”, held each year at the end of May, has become the greatest theatre event in the Czech Republic. Th e international jazz festival “Jazz Goes to Town” has also received a fair amount publicity. It off ers performances of top Czech and foreign jazz bands. Th e Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra holds regular musical events. Th e children’s choirs have become a phenomenon of Hradec Králové; the most famous choirs, “Boni Pueri” and “Jitro”, have achieved worldwide reputations. Lov-

Hradec Králové

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ers of art can visit several art museums. A collection of 20th century art can be found in the Gallery of Modern Arts. Older collections can be seen in the Museum of East Bohemia.

Hradec Králové off ers many oppor-tunities for sports. Th e public can use the indoor swimming pool, a modern amusement aqua-park, ice-hockey stadium, gymnasiums, tennis courts, fi tness centres and a bowling centre. Bicycling has always been very popular in Hradec Králové and its surround-ings. Two mountain ranges (Krkonoše and Orlické hory) located in the vicinity of Hradec Králové off er good

conditions for hiking in summer as well as down-hill and cross-country skiing in winter.

Hradec Králové boasts of a busy academic life. About 4,000 university students attend classes in this town every year. Th e town accommodates the University of Hradec Králové (comprised of the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Management and Informatics), two faculties belonging to Charles University of Prague (the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Medicine) and the Faculty of Military Health Sciences which is a part of the University of Defence.

{ }Culture in Hradec Králové is represented mainly by

theatre and music.

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Charles University, founded in 1348, is the oldest university in Central Europe. It was named after its founder - Czech King and Holy Roman Em-peror Charles IV. In the Middle Ages the University consisted of four facul-ties: theological, law, medical and arts.

At present Charles University is comprised of seventeen faculties, out of which fourteen (Th e Catholic Th eological Faculty, Th e Protestant Th eological Faculty, Th e Hussite Th eo-logical Faculty, Th e Faculty of Law, Th e 1st Medical Faculty, Th e 2nd Medi-cal Faculty, Th e 3rd Medical Faculty,

Charles University in Prague

Th e Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Th e Faculty of Natural Sciences, Th e Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Th e Faculty of Education, Th e Faculty of Social Sciences, Th e Faculty of Physical Education and Sport and Th e Faculty of Humanities) are seated in Prague while the other three are lo-cated in the important Czech towns of Hradec Králové (Th e Medical Faculty and Faculty of Pharmacy) and Pilsen (Th e Medical Faculty). Over 42,000 students are educated at Charles University every year. As the leading university in the Czech Republic, Charles University boasts high quality

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teaching, an excellent research record and academics that rank among the top professionals in their disciplines.

Charles University is a member of many international organizations and university networks (e.g,. the COIM-BRA group). It maintains exchange and collaborative links with institu-tions of higher education worldwide. It has a growing network of partner-ships with universities and colleges around the world, supporting student and academic staff exchange, work on joint courses as well as collaborative research. Independent research and

expansion of educational resources are carried out via the doctoral (PhD) study programmes. Th e most signifi cant international programmes in which Charles University partici-pates are SOCRATES/ERASMUS, CEEPUS and the Research Framework Programme of the European Union.

Additional more detailed information on Charles University can be found on its Website (www.cuni.cz/UK-1628.html) . Useful Guide for International Students may be downloaded from www.cuni.cz/UK-1016-version1-Gui-deIS.pdf.

{ }Charles University boasts high quality teaching and excellent research record.

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Pharmaceutical education has a long-time tradition at Charles University. Pharmacy courses had been provided by the Faculty of Medicine in Prague since 1834 and continued until 1953 when the higher pharmacy education was discontinued there. However, in 1969 the Faculty of Pharmacy was established in Hradec Králové and thus the university training of pharmacists returned to Charles University.

Th e educational and research activi-ties of the Faculty of Pharmacy are conducted at various Departments,

The Faculty of Pharmacy general information

namely: Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry; Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry; Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Ecology; Department of Analytical Chemistry; Department of Biological and Medical Sciences; Department of Biochemical Sciences; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; Department of Pharmacognosy; De-partment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis; Department of Pharmaceutical Technology; Depart-ment of Social and Clinical Pharmacy; the Section of Foreign Languages;

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the Section of Physical Education and Sports; the Science Informa-tion Centre; the Computer Centre; the Czech Pharmaceutical Museum. All Departments are situated in two main buildings comprising three large lecture halls, a number of laborato-

{ }All Departments are situated in

two main buildings

ries, seminar rooms, three computer labs with access to Internet and the Library. Th e Garden of Medicinal Plants with a modern PC-control-led greenhouse is also a part of the campus. Th e academic staff consists of about 100 full-time teachers.

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Th e Pharmacy course leading to Master Degree in Pharmacy (Magister, Mgr.) takes 5 years (10 semesters) in-cluding 6 months of training in a pub-lic or hospital pharmacy. Each semester consists of 14 teaching weeks (with maximum 30 teaching hours per week) and 4-to-5-week examination period. Th e concept of the study program refl ects contemporary requirements and standards of the pharmaceutical sciences, the needs of pharmaceutical practice in the European context, and it creates a base for the postgraduate doctoral (PhD) studies. Th e study programme is periodically accredited by the Accreditation Board of the Gov-ernment of the Czech Republic and it fully complies with the requirements of the EC Directive 85/432/EEC for

Undergraduate Pharmacy Study Programme

Higher Pharmaceutical Education in European Union. According to this Directive the graduate is quali-fi ed to pursue the following activities: (i) preparation of the pharmaceuti-cal forms of medicinal products; (ii) preparation and testing of medicinal products; (iii) storage, preservation and distribution of medicinal products at the wholesale stage; (iv) preparation, testing, storage, supply and dispensing of medicinal products in pharmacies open to the public; (v) preparation, testing, storage and dispensing of medicinal products in hospitals; (vi) providing of information and advice on medicinal products.

Th e undergraduate is obliged to attend all seminars in the subjects in which he

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Requirements for AdmissionInternational students who have completed secondary school education, have reached the age of 17 or more and possess an adequate secondary school knowledge in Biology, Chemistry and English are eligible for study as tuition-paying students. For entry onto the Master Degree in Pharmacy course (English programme) an equivalent to General Certifi cate of Secondary Education (corresponding to the British system) with three A-level science subjects (one of which must be Chemistry or Biology, all grades C or above) is prerequisite. In this case no entrance exam is required. The tuition fee amounts to 6,800 € per annum. This may change slightly in future but it always remains the same during the whole 5-year course for a student once enrolled. (Please contact the Faculty Foreign Offi ce for current fees). This net fee does not include subsist-ence and living costs. Waivers of up to minus 20% after the 1st year of study are available in the case of very good study results.

or she is enrolled. It is also compulsory to take part in practical (laboratory) training and to complete a practical apprenticeship (in pharmacies and other pharmaceutical institutions) during the course of study. Th e level of knowledge attained in the enrolled subjects is checked by examinations. Th e course of study is concluded by passing the Final State Examination consisting of the main pharmaceutical disciplines (Pharmacognosy, Phar-maceutical Chemistry, Drug Con-trol, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Technology, and Social Pharmacy) and by defending the Diploma Th esis. Th e Master Diploma awarded by Charles University is recognised by all member states of the European Union.

{ }Th e Pharmacy course leading to Master Degree in Pharmacy takes 5 years

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Th e postgraduate (doctoral, PhD) study usually takes 3 years. Th e study involves scientifi c work in the form of a research project under the supervi-sion of a distinguished teacher of the Faculty of Pharmacy in selected phar-maceutical disciplines. Detailed infor-mation about the research activities pursued at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, is available at: www.faf.cuni.cz:6969/organization/.

Th e Accreditation Board of the Government of the Czech Republic approved eleven fi elds in which it is possible to obtain the PhD degree

Postgraduate Studyat the Faculty of Pharmacy, namely: Bioorganic Chemistry; Drug Analysis; Clinical Pharmacy; Gerontopharmacy; Pathobiochemistry and Xenobiochem-istry; Pharmacology and Toxicology; Pharmacognosy; Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Pharmaceutical Technol-ogy; Social Pharmacy; Toxicology of Natural Products.

Each curriculum in the PhD course is individual. It is drawn up at the begin-ning of the studies and can be further modifi ed to meet the requirements of both the training Department and the PhD student. At the end

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Requirements for AdmissionThe PhD programme is opened to gradu-ates with a Master Degree diploma (or equivalent) in Pharmacy, Biomedical Science, Medicine, Chemistry, Biology or Chemical Technology. No entrance exam is required. Good ability to write and speak English is prerequisite. The tuition fee amounts to 5,200 € per annum. It may change slightly in future but it always remains the same during the whole 3-year course for a student once enrolled. Please contact the Faculty Foreign Offi ce for current fees.

of each academic year the perform-ance of every postgraduate student is evaluated by a board of experts in the fi eld who decide whether the student may continue his or her studies. Th e postgraduate course of studies is completed by passing examinations in theoretical topics related to the appropriate research project and by writing and defending a Doctoral Dissertation.

{ }Th e study involves scientifi c work in the form of a research project

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Applications are accepted till the end of June for the Master Degree in Pharmacy course starting in October of the same year. Th e deadline for PhD applications is the end of April for the PhD courses starting in October of the same year. Th e application will be considered only upon the receipt of a completed Application Form (that can be downloaded from: www.faf.cuni.cz/study/InEnglish/) together with other documents specifi ed therein.

How to apply

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Accommodation is available in a Student Hostel (within a walking distance from the Faculty campus) off ering apartments with two furnished double or single rooms. Each two-room unit has en suite facilities and a kitchenette. Th e current rate is approximately 150 € per bed/month.

Accommodation opportunities

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Address of the Faculty of Pharmacy . . . . . . . . Faculty of Pharmacy Foreign Offi ce Heyrovského 1203 500 05 Hradec Králové Czech Republic

E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . foreign.offi [email protected] [email protected]

Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +420-495067429

FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +420-495512656

Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.faf.cuni.cz

How to contact us

FACULTY OF PHARMACY

Hradec Králové - city map

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

BUS and RAILWAY STATION

STUDENT HOSTEL „PALACHOVA“

www.faf.cuni.cz

in Prague

in Hradec Králové

Czech Republic

Charles UniversityFaculty of Pharmacy