Pharmacy
A pharmacist is a specialist in drug varieties – and has in-depth knowledge of drugs. A pharmacist is involved in drug development, distribution, standardisation, supervision and evaluation, as well as pharmaceutical services.
This programme is also offered in Latvian.
Programme Fact File
Health Care
accredited until
Pharmacist's degree
The study programme aims to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of medicine and human health, preparing qualified and considerate professionals with a can-do attitude towards their work. After graduation of the study programme Pharmacy the students will have acquired skills and knowledge about:
types of drugs, drug manufacturing, analysis and determination methods
effects, metabolism, side effects, rational and safe use of drugs
research of drugs, preparation principles and methods in pharmacies and drug manufacturing companies, turnover of medicinal products
pharmaceutical care, the connection between pharmacy and other fields of healthcare, teamwork with other health care specialists
planning and implementation of scientific research in the field of pharmacy.
Study environment and methods
Study environment
- 1st study year
Cytology and genetics provide basic anatomic knowledge on the structure and form of cells and living organisms. Plant and animal biology is taught to recognise and classify plants and to highlight the importance of plant and animal products in medicine. The inorganic and organic chemistry classes as well as qualitative analysis are devoted to laboratory work where students acquire knowledge on the basic principles of chemistry and chemical processes, study the chemical structure and related properties of drug substances and acquire knowledge on the production of drug substances, methods for analysing and determining drug efficacy. Students pay visits to local pharmaceutical plants, the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and during placement undertake various tasks in a pharmacy, gaining their first experience of working in a pharmacy.
- 2nd study year
In the second study year pharmacy students acquire physiology - the functions and processes of a living organism, pharmacognosy – the study of medical plants and biologically active substances; and microbiology – the study of microorganisms and illnesses caused by them.
- 3rd study year
The third study year is devoted to pharmaceutical subjects where students acquire knowledge on the efficiency, side effects, rational and safe use of drugs. Students also acquire the skills for preparing medications in a pharmacy.
- 4th study year
Students acquire such study subjects as: practical pharmacy, legal aspects of pharmaceutics which deal with the principles of pharmaceutical care and practical organisation of drug turnover in pharmacies and drug production companies; in social pharmacy and pharmaceutical care classes students acquire necessary skills for consulting a patient and study industrial drug production.
- 5th study year
The knowledge, skills and competences acquired in the previous study years are put into practice during six months of placement and writing a thesis. Upon successful presentation and defence of the thesis and passing of the state examinations, the student is awarded the degree of a Pharmacist.
Study methods
- lectures
- seminars
- practical classses
- laboratory work
During studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy students have to carry out a large amount of laboratory work in groups and individually. Chemistry courses are devoted to synthesis analysis. In plant and animal biology, cytology, genetics and microbiology courses students use microscopes. When studying the technologies of drug preparation, students have to prepare drugs of various forms – capsules, pills, creams, ointments, and solutions. The study course Social pharmacy and legal aspects of pharmaceutics emulates real-life situations in pharmacy. The acquired skills in consulting clients are tested by the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
- Syllabus
Course code Study course title Offered by Course leader Credit points/ETCS ZFTK_002 Biology of Plants and Animals Department of Dosage Form Technology Ludmila Baranova 4 / 6 SL_006 Biostatistics Vinita Cauce 2 / 3 FKK_005 Chemistry and Cosmetic Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Inese Mārtiņsone 2 / 3 AURK_041 Civil Defense in Catastrophie Medicine and First Aid Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Viesturs Liguts 3 / 4.5 ISK_026 Clinical Oncology Department of Internal Diseases Dace Baltiņa 2 / 3 FKK_018 Clinical Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Dace Bandere 2 / 3 ZFTK_036 Clinical Research Department of Dosage Form Technology Elita Poplavska 2 / 3 HZK_008 Communication Psychology Department of Humanities Vija Sīle 2 / 0 BUMK_003 Cytology and Genetics Department of Biology and Microbiology Agnese Zariņa 2 / 3 ZFTK_045 Dermocosmetics in Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Ludmila Baranova 2 / 3 FF_016 Dosage Form Technology and Practical Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmacy 1 / 1.5 FKK_028 Drug Development Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Reinis Vilšķērsts 2 / 3 AUVMK_003 Environmental Health Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Maija Eglīte 2 / 3 ZFTK_041 Food Supplements in Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Viktorija Joņina 2 / 3 ISK_045 Gerontopharmotherapy Department of Internal Diseases Jānis Zaļkalns 2 / 3 SVUEK_114 Health Promotion in Pharmaceutical Care Department of Public Health and Epidemiology Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne 2 / 3 ZFTK_009 History of Pharmaceutical Education in Latvia Department of Dosage Form Technology Baiba Mauriņa 2 / 3 ZFTK_003 History of Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Baiba Mauriņa 2 / 0 ZFTK_010 History of Pharmacy in Latvia Department of Dosage Form Technology Baiba Mauriņa 2 / 3 ZFTK_018 Hospital Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Inese Sviestiņa 2 / 3 MK_052 Human Anatomy Department of Morphology Dzintra Kažoka 3 / 4.5 ZFTK_014 Industrial Dosage Form Technologies Department of Dosage Form Technology Ilze Bārene 9 / 13.5 FKK_007 Inorganic Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Aija Gulbe 5 / 7.5 FKK_029 Integrated Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Inga Urtāne 2 / 3 ZFTK_042 Introduction in Registration of Medicine Department of Dosage Form Technology Ilze Bārene 2 / 3 ZFTK_005 Introduction to History of Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Venta Šidlovska 2 / 3 ZFTK_032 Introduction to Pharmaceutical Care Department of Dosage Form Technology Elita Poplavska 2 / 3 ZFTK_038 Introduction to Pharmacy Department of Dosage Form Technology Baiba Mauriņa 1 / 0 PMUPK_020 Introduction to Psychosomatics Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Gunta Ancāne 2 / 3 FK_006 Mathematics and Informatics Department of Physics Zenta Avota 2 / 3 CFUBK_047 Medical biochemistry Department of Human Physiology and Biochemistry Ināra Nokalna 4 / 6 ZFTK_023 Medical Care Commodity Sciences Department of Dosage Form Technology Venta Šidlovska 2 / 3 FKK_006 Medical Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Reinis Vilšķērsts 2 / 3 FKK_016 Methods of Instrumental Analysis Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Pāvels Sudmalis 2 / 3 BUMK_049 Microbiology Department of Biology and Microbiology Ingus Skadiņš 4 / 6 FF_023 National Degree Examination Faculty of Pharmacy 0 / 0 CFUBK_049 Normal physiology Department of Human Physiology and Biochemistry Leons Blumfelds 5 / 7.5 FKK_008 Organic Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Māra Plotniece 8 / 12 PAK_021 Pathology Department of Pathology Andrejs Ancāns 4 / 0 ZFTK_011 Perspective Dosage Forms Department of Dosage Form Technology Ilze Bārene 2 / 3 FF_022 Pharmaceutical Care Faculty of Pharmacy Baiba Mauriņa 1 / 1.5 FKK_002 Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Dace Bandere 11 / 16.5 FF_015 Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Faculty of Pharmacy 1 / 1.5 ZFTK_027 Pharmaceutical Information Department of Dosage Form Technology Elita Poplavska 3 / 4.5 VC_033 Pharmaceutical Terminology in the English Language Language Centre Olga Voika 7 / 10.5 FKK_001 Pharmacogenetic Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Renāte Ranka 2 / 3 ZFTK_046 Pharmacognosy with Phytotherapy Course Department of Dosage Form Technology Edita Romāne 7 / 10.5 FLK_024 Pharmacology Department of Pharmacology Līga Henke 3 / 4.5 FF_021 Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy Faculty of Pharmacy Baiba Mauriņa 1 / 1.5 FLK_003 Pharmacotherapy Department of Pharmacology Līga Henke 5 / 7.5 ZFTK_001 Pharmacy Dosage Form Technology Department of Dosage Form Technology Venta Šidlovska 8 / 12 VC_038 Pharmacy Terminology in Latin Language Centre Ieva Fībiga 2 / 3 VC_035 Pharmacy Terminology in Latvian Language Centre Inga Kaija 2 / 3 VC_036 Pharmacy Terminology in Russian Language Centre Ludmila Jermakoviča 2 / 3 HZK_012 Philosophical Anthropology Department of Humanities Vija Sīle 2 / 3 FKK_013 Physical Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Pāvels Sudmalis 4 / 6 FK_029 Physics Department of Physics Zenta Avota 2 / 3 ZFTK_035 Placement Department of Dosage Form Technology 1 / 1.5 ZFTK_030 Placement in Pharmacognosy Department of Dosage Form Technology Edita Romāne 1 / 1.5 FF_014 Placement in Propaedeutics Faculty of Pharmacy Dzintra Bernāte 1 / 1.5 ZFTK_012 Practical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation Department of Dosage Form Technology Nora Krauja 5 / 7.5 SVUEK_036 Public Health and Epidemiology Department of Public Health and Epidemiology Lauma Spriņģe 3 / 4.5 FKK_020 Qualitative Analysis Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Pāvels Sudmalis 4 / 6 FKK_003 Quantitative Analysis Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Inga Urtāne 4 / 6 FF_008 Research Project Faculty of Pharmacy 8 / 12 ZFTK_019 Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Department of Dosage Form Technology Elita Poplavska 3 / 4.5 ZFTK_020 Specific Drug Dosage Forms Department of Dosage Form Technology Venta Šidlovska 2 / 3 SUUK_091 Sports for Health Department of Sports and Nutrition Indra Vīnberga 2 / 3 ZFTK_013 Therapeutic Mineral Waters and Mud Department of Dosage Form Technology Venta Šidlovska 2 / 3 FKK_012 Toxicological Chemistry Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Katrīna Sudmale 5 / 7.5
Description of study programme Pharmacy
Description of study direction Health Care
Admissions requirements
Study bases
- RSU main building, 16 Dzirciema iela
- Medical Education Technology Centre, 26a Anniņmuižas bulvāris
- Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, 9 Kronvalda bulvāris
- Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital
- Riga East Clinical University Hospital
Career opportunities following studies
The main work places for graduates are pharmacies, where pharmacists provide pharmaceutical care - counsel pharmacy customers, dispense prescription medications, prepare medication etc. Pharmacists also work in medical supermarkets and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, medical products agencies, laboratories, scientific research institutions. Our graduates work in state institutions - Ministry of Health of the Republic of Latvia, State Agency of Medicines of the Republic of Latvia, Health Inspectorate, The National Health Service - in the public service at various levels, as specialists, inspectors.
Graduates
Graduating from Riga Stradiņš University has helped be grow both profesionally, as well as an individual personality. I am proud to say that I have graduated from this university. I can't deny that the road to knowledge has not been the easiest, and no wonder there is an expression Per aspera ad astra (heading through thorns to reach the stars). Having completed my undergraduate studies in the Pharmacy study programme I decided to continue in the RSU Master's study programme Clinical Pharmacy as I know that I won't be disappointed with the knowledge transmitted by the teaching staff and the work completed with them.
Lāsma Mukāne, pharmacist at "Saules aptieka" Pty. Ltd.
Further studies
Studies may be continued in the following RSU Master's programmes (only Public Health, Health Management are offered in English):
Head of Programme
Head of Study Programme, Industrial Pharmacy
Academic Staff, Pharmacy (LV)
Academic Staff, Department of Dosage Form Technology
Wed 15:00–17:00
Fri 15:00–15:30
