SAINT PETERSBURG STATE CHEMICAL PHARMACEUTICAL ACADEMY

Saint Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical University (SPCPA) was founded in 1919 and is now the oldest institution of higher pharmaceutical education in Russia. The University has been training international students for over 50 years. The graduates of the University work in more than 30 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The University has available necessary classroom facilities and laboratories, nurseries of medicinal plants, reading rooms, up-to-date apparatus and equipment for research, computer classes, hooked up to the Internet. At present foreign citizens from 21 countries are taught at the university, making up 25% of the whole number of students. They include students from Syria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunis, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, Tanzania, Kenya, Venezuela, Peru, China, and others.

The University is the leading higher educational establishment in the field of general and industrial pharmacy, having the highest rating among institutions of higher pharmaceutical education in Russia. 75% of the faculty members have Ph.D. and DSc degrees. They include great scientists widely known both in Russia and abroad. The departments and research laboratories (sectors) of the University carry on investigations in various fields of applied and fundamental sciences related to pharmacy.
 

The University provides education in the Russian language in two faculties:

Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Drug Industrial Technology.

The period of study at both faculties is 5 years. Having graduated with MSc, foreign students may apply for the Ph.D. postgraduate study with a duration of 3 years. The academic year is divided into two semesters, starting in September and February. The entry date is September the 1st.

Faculty of Pharmacy trains Masters of Pharmacy: highly qualified pharmacists-technologists, pharmacists-analysts, specialists in pharmacy administration. The departments of the Faculty take into account the specific nature of the work of the prospective graduates and introduce into the curriculum appropriate courses: infectious diseases in southern countries, medicinal plants for the subtropical zone, pharmacological aspects of the pharmaceutical market of foreign countries.

Faculty of Drug Industrial Technology trains highly qualified engineers-bio-technologists in the following directions: pharmaceutical biotechnology; pharmaceutical chemical technology; production technology on pharmaceuticals and nature-derived products.

At present, a number of the University graduates hold supervisory posts in the Public Health Service and pharmaceutical industry, as well as in leading research centers and institutes, own largest cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies, chemist’s shops, and other pharmaceutical enterprises in different countries of the world.

The following bodies of the University provide assistance to foreign students to get easier curriculum admission:

Undergraduate courses
Undergraduate training is important for those foreign students who are seeking admission to the University but are not fluent in the Russian language. Courses are helpful also for those who are looking for other study opportunities in Russia, especially in medical and pharmaceutical professions. Undergraduate students study the Russian language, fundamentals of biology, chemistry, and other basic disciplines, get acquainted with Russian culture and traditions. The duration of study is 10 months.

Department of the Russian Language
The Russian language course (3-10 months of study) is offered to both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as associated program to get the qualification of professional Russian language translator or Russian language teacher with a duration of study of 1-2 years.

Two modern hostels are available for students with dormitory-type rooms for two (single rooms are available at additional cost). The hostel is connected with the University by a direct metro extension (normally it takes about 25 minutes to get to the University).

A great number of shops with high-quality food, both home-produced and imported are available in St. Petersburg. At the University there are a canteen and a cafe where you can have lunch at a reasonable price. You can also visit more expensive restaurants and try international cuisine. Furthermore, students can cook their specialties by themselves in the hostel.