Undergraduate tracks

Most students take the regular track.

See the regular track program outline (in French only).

Are you seeking a study abroad adventure? The International Profile is your passport to the world as part of an undergraduate pharmacy degree. A certain number of places are reserved for students who wish to complete a semester (12 credits) abroad at one of the faculty’s partner universities.

The International Profile is built in to your program and does not alter the length or the number of credits. Once you graduate, your diploma will specify “International Profile.” Study abroad takes place during the fall semester of the fourth phase.

Bring out the entrepreneur in you! Centred on project creation and management, the Entrepreneurial Profile will draw out and develop your entrepreneurial potential. You’ll have an opportunity to plan, manage, and execute a pharmacy-related project on your own or in a group, under the supervision of professionals you can rely on for support every step of the way.

The Entrepreneurial Profile is a 12-credit track built into the complementary courses for an undergraduate pharmacy degree. Once you graduate, your diploma will specify “Entrepreneurial Profile.”

Expand your horizons, get involved in community projects, and share your know-how with healthcare professionals from different cultures. 

Students in the faculty can undertake for-credit internships abroad lasting ten weeks (six credits). They’ll work on pharmacy-related projects in emerging countries in Africa or Latin America. An information session is held in the fall semester in cooperation with the association for pharmacy students, Association générale des étudiants en pharmacie.

The Research Profile is an introduction to pharmacy-related science literacy and research. This 12-credit track is personalized to help each student develop research skills by learning about the scientific method, the critical analysis of scientific papers, and scientific communication, and, most importantly, through hands-on participation in a scientific development project. These qualities and aptitudes are not only very important in your career as a pharmacist but also essential if you plan to continue on to a master’s in research or advanced pharmacotherapy in a healthcare facility. Information sessions are held in the fall semester of the first year of the program.

Once you graduate, your diploma will specify “Research Profile.”

Detailed course descriptions

PHA-1151 Introduction to Research (3 credits) (in French only)

Offered in the fall semester of the second year

There are two complementary components to this course. Through classroom participation you’ll learn about the scientific method and how it is used to solve problems in pharmaceutical sciences, about the critical analysis of research  work, and about scientific communication (oral and written). Through real-life examples, you’ll also learn about the methodology applied to the discovery and development of medications and how medications are used once they’ve been brought to market.

Visits to research centre laboratories and discussions on research as a profession help students become familiar with the various aspects of research and experience the energy and enthusiasm of faculty professors who talk about their background, current projects, and passion for research.

PHA-2171 Internship 1 (3 credits) (in French only)

Course spanning the winter and summer semesters of the second year

In this course students see how things work in a laboratory through direct contact with the practical side of research. Internship 1 offers ample opportunity to connect with researchers, research staff, and graduate students and introduces students to the research process and the critical analysis of scientific results.

To increase your exposure to various types of research, you’ll be asked to choose three active research settings within the faculty. In choosing, you may wish to consider presentations and documentation from the professors who teach the Introduction to Research course or any course offered by the faculty. You will join the research team in each of your chosen settings for a 15-hour rotation (3 x 15 hours = 45 hours) where you’ll spend more time observing than helping with experiments. Then you will switch to more active involvement in the experiments at one of your three chosen locations, for total of 45 more hours. 

PHA-3110 Internship 2 (3 credits) (in French only)

Offered in summer prior to the third or fourth year

Eight-week full-time internship in the summer following Internship 1. Only offered to students enrolled in the Research Profile. A similar experience may also count. You must have taken and passed PHA-2171 Internship 1. The internship must allow for the setup and full execution of real-life experiment techniques and for scientific communication in the form of an internship report written as a scientific paper. Immersion in a research team at an affiliated centre is also an excellent opportunity to jump right in to an exciting research environment that includes thought-provoking discussions and presentations. The internship also serves as a strong foundation for graduate study. Summer internship scholarships are available for this course. See the form and application deadline under the “Summer Research Internship for Undergraduates” tab.

Scientific communication course (3 credits)

Communicating results is an essential part of any researcher’s job and can be done orally at symposiums, in posters at conferences, or in scientific papers. With that in mind and to round out the Research Profile, students must also choose one of the following three-credit classes:

FRN-1914 Communication for Scientists (3 credits) (emphasis on syntax) (in French only)

COM-1500 Public Speaking (3 credits) (how to be an effective public speaker) (in French only)

COM-4060 Scientific Communication (3 credits) (science popularization) (in French only)

The Sustainable Development Profile teaches the skills you need to address the issues facing society, sustainably. You’ll come away with tools that will help you find a job in line with your values.

Upon successful completion of the entire track, your Université Laval diploma will specify “Sustainable Development.”

Advantages: 

• Showcase your professional abilities
• Add value to your education
• Broaden your skill set to play an active role in sustainable development