Program Overview

General and inorganic chemistry of pharmacy, autumn 2025

Description of the course

General and inorganic chemistry of pharmacy is a 4-credit course that is part of the basic studies of pharmacy. The course is intended for healthcare professionals who want to develop their knowledge in the field of medicine, as well as for students who want to study pharmacy at university.

Competence goals

After the course, the student will be able to:

• Explained the structure and key properties of elements and compounds
• Describe the formation of a chemical bond
• Explained the concepts related to chemical reaction and dissolution and applied them to pharmaceuticals
• Describe the concept of acid, base, buffer solution and pH
• Explain the importance of the pH of an aqueous solution in the ionization of acids and bases, and describe how it affects the physico-chemical properties of drugs
• Explained how concentration and temperature affect the reaction rate, and applied the information to drug penetration studies
• Explained the properties of the most common laboratory chemicals

Method of execution

The course is completed with the help of lecture recordings, calculation exercises and independent study. There are 25 hours of lecture recordings, and 8 hours of calculation exercises. The student completes the final examination of the course, which is an approved completion.

Exam

The exam is a traditional, supervised classroom exam, which is organized in Kuopio. The student can also take the exam remotely if he has arranged a reliable remote exam location.

Evaluation criteria

The grade of the course is determined based on the combined score of the calculation and theory part of the exam. The student must get at least 50% of the points in both sections in order to pass the course.

Recommended literature

Housecroft, Constable: Chemistry, an introduction to organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, Fourth edition, Prentice Hall, England 2010. The student can also use the course's lecture and calculation practice material.

Registration

Registration is binding, and it starts on August 4, 2025. A student can register either for an individual course or for the entire basic study package, which includes one academic year of study right for basic pharmacy studies.

Price

The price of an individual course is 20/credit. The price of the basic study unit is 15/credit. The student can pay the tuition fee himself or the employer can pay it.

Teaching time

The course is diverse, and the teaching time is independent of the time of day.

Language of instruction

The language of instruction of the study course is Finnish. Success in studies requires good Finnish language skills.