The doctoral studies aim at the development of high-quality scientific research and the training of scientists capable of contributing to the advancement of science, research, and applications in education. In addition, they contribute to the promotion of research both nationally and internationally and are a source of academic prestige and international distinction for the Department and the University.

The successful completion of doctoral studies presupposes the ability of autonomous scientific work in the research of the respective scientific field and certifies the scientific specialization of the author in the specific subject.

With the completion of the Program, students are expected to be able to:
1. independently formulate ideas and hypotheses that will extend the forefront of knowledge and discover new knowledge through original research in the field of Pharmacy
2. demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a range of topics in the disciplines of Pharmacy
3. employ relevant techniques and practices, as well as use appropriate tools necessary in conducting their research work
4. make reasoned judgments and propose solutions in the absence of complete data and information
5. design, develop, and implement methodologies and settings that will enable the validation and evaluation of the outcome of their research work
6. conduct primary research work and produce work of publishable quality that satisfies peer review
7. evaluate critically and review research work related to the domain of their research work published in journals and conference proceedings
8. communicate the results of their research work and publish them in refereed scientific journals and conference proceedings
9. present and successfully defend the outcomes of their research work
10. demonstrate awareness of any ethical and legal implications of their research and engage with the ethical and legal context of their research
11. exhibit transferable professional skills, such as communication and presentation skills, team-working, leadership, self-direction, time management, and organization, as well as ethical and commercial awareness, necessary for a successful career as a researcher and/or for employment in a senior and leading capacity in a relevant area of industry

Graduates of the program may be employed in senior positions in health organizations, in the Drug Research and Development departments (Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmaceutical Services of the Republic, in large organizations, in research centers, as well as in academia). The expected future employment rate of future graduates is supported by the fact that the number of unemployed doctorate holders seems to be significantly low (close to zero) in most European countries (Eurostat, 2012, Archive: Careers of doctorate holders - Statistics Explained (europa.eu))

Student Admission Requirements

The PhD program is overseen by the Doctoral Program Committee. This is a three-member committee appointed by the Council of the Department of Pharmacy. Handling student admissions, such as the evaluation of the applications for admittance is one of the responsibilities of this committee. More information on the Doctoral Program Committee is available in the program’s PhD regulations.

Application Procedure

Admission to the doctoral program is done after the announcement of PhD student positions by the Department, followed by an application by the interested applicant. Eligible applicants must hold a university Master’s degree of relevant specialization, granted by a recognized institution. Applicants who do not hold a Master’s degree at the time of application, but will hold such a degree before the commencement of the doctoral program, are also eligible to apply but must submit a letter from their University’s Registrar’s Office verifying that they are indeed eligible to graduate before the commencement of the doctoral program. The decision on their admission does not become official until they successfully obtain their Master’s degree.

Each application for admission should include:
- A completed application form.
- A Curriculum Vitae indicating the student’s education, academic and research experience, any publications, awards, etc.
- A Research Statement. Candidates with prior graduate studies are required to submit a brief research statement (up to 600 words) stating the area in which they are interested in conducting research.
- At least two letters of recommendation from academic advisors or professional supervisors.
- Certified copies of all degrees and transcripts.
- Copies of any other supporting material, such as exams, honours, awards, etc.
- Proof of English language proficiency, such as the TOEFL (minimum grade 90), the IELTS (minimum grade 6.5), or other equivalent language examinations. Candidates, who have completed an undergraduate or graduate program where the instruction language was English, satisfy the proof of English language proficiency requirement.

The application material must be submitted in Greek or English.

Admission Evaluation Procedure

All applications for admission are evaluated by the Doctoral Program Committee. The criteria for the evaluation of the candidates are the following:
- Academic background
- Research background
- Recommendation letters
- Additional qualifications

If necessary, the Doctoral Program Committee may invite a candidate for a personal interview.
After completing the evaluation process, the Doctoral Program Committee submits to the Council of the Department a Program Admission Evaluation Report on its decision. This report includes a justified suggestion of the Committee on the acceptance/rejection of the candidate’s application, possible conditions for admission, transfer credits, and research area. If necessary, the Committee may suggest in this report the Research Advisor and the members of the Research Advisory Committee.


Prior Learning Recognition and Transfer Admission

Applicants holders of graduate doctoral level degrees may transfer to the doctoral program, up to 40 ECTS credits, corresponding to the program courses of the 1st and 2nd semesters, excluding the PhD Qualifying Exam and the Research Proposal. The decision on the number of transfer credits is based on the content of the courses completed by the applicant.

Transfer credits are decided by the Doctoral Program Committee during the evaluation of the application for admittance to the Program. The Committee’s decision on transfer credits is explicitly specified in the Program Admission Evaluation Report.

There is no provision for recognition of informal and/or non-formal prior learning.

The doctoral program is based on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). To be awarded the PhD degree, the student must complete at least 180 ECTS credits of doctoral-level coursework, research work, and seminar attendance. The normal duration of the program is three years.

The requirements for the successful completion of the doctoral program and the award of the PhD degree are the following:
1. Successful completion of 40 ECTS credits of doctoral-level coursework.
2. Passing the PhD qualifying exam.
3. Approval of the doctoral dissertation proposal.
4. Submission of a doctoral dissertation.
5. Successful defense of the doctoral dissertation.
6. Participation to graduate-level seminars including research talks and conferences.
7. The research work of the student must be published in at least one international refereed journals. A student satisfies this requirement with either the publication of the paper or the notification of acceptance.