Orientation for Incoming Students
Incoming orientation activities are managed by the Orientation and Tutoring Committee, composed of faculty members and administrative staff, with a designated faculty representative for each Degree Program
(https://chibiofaram.unime.it/it/didattica/orientamento).
At the University level, orientation activities are coordinated by the Technical Coordination Unit “Orientation and Placement.”
The Orientation and Tutoring Committee is responsible for initiatives aimed at presenting the educational pathway and the professional and employment opportunities offered by the Degree Program in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology to upper secondary schools, thereby enabling prospective students to make an informed choice regarding their course of study.
In addition to the Orientation Days organized by the University or the Department, a Matricola Day is held annually. On this occasion, the Degree Program Coordinator welcomes first-year students and illustrates the main aspects of the study program and the related support services, such as ongoing tutoring, academic office support, administrative procedures, and other services.
Ongoing Orientation and Tutoring
Ongoing orientation and tutoring activities aim to promote the effective integration of students into the university environment, overcome learning difficulties, reduce dropout rates, and optimize the educational pathway. These activities are coordinated by the Orientation and Tutoring Committee of the ChiBioFarAm Department, which assigns a faculty tutor to each newly enrolled student every year.
The tutor supports the student throughout the entire duration of the degree program, providing guidance, assistance, and motivation, and identifying and addressing any obstacles to regular attendance through initiatives tailored to the student’s individual needs and aptitudes. The list of tutors is published on the Degree Program website.
The University also provides dedicated support to students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) through the Departmental Faculty Representative of the ChiBioFarAm Department (https://www.unime.it/didattica/servizi-e-agevolazioni/servizi-disabilita-e-dsa).
The Departmental Representative (Prof. Andreana Marino) guides students with disabilities upon entry to the University and supports them throughout their academic career, with the aim of identifying and designing appropriate support measures to ensure successful completion of their studies.
Support for External Training Periods (Internships and Placements)
In accordance with European directives, Law No. 163/2021 and Interministerial Decree No. 651/2022, the Master’s Degree Program in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology provides, starting from the fourth year, for the completion of a Practical–Evaluation Professional Internship (TPV).
This internship, an integral and mandatory part of the university curriculum, takes place in a community pharmacy or a hospital pharmacy, under the supervision of the pharmaceutical service.
The internship consists of a maximum of 40 hours per week, for a total of 900 hours (corresponding to 30 ECTS credits), of which at least 450 hours must be carried out in a community pharmacy. The TPV may be completed in non-continuous periods, each lasting no less than one month, in a maximum of three host institutions.
To access the TPV, students must:
a) have acquired at least 160 ECTS credits and be enrolled in at least the fourth year of the degree program;
b) have passed the examinations in General Pharmaceutical Chemistry (SSD CHEM-07/A, formerly CHIM/08) and General Pharmacology (SSD BIOS-11/A, formerly BIO/14);
c) have at least attended the course in Pharmaceutical Technology (SSD CHEM-08/A, formerly CHIM/09).
All information relating to the TPV is available at the following link:
https://chimica-e-tecnologia-farmaceutiche.cdl.unime.it/it/studiare/tirocinio
Support and Agreements for International Student Mobility
The Master’s Degree Program in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology promotes international mobility primarily through participation in European mobility programs.
The Erasmus+ Programme for Study Mobility (Student Mobility for Study – SMS) allows students to spend part of their university education, up to a maximum of 24 months in total, at a partner university in another European country participating in the program. During this period, students may take examinations or carry out research activities aimed at preparing their graduation thesis.
The Erasmus+ Programme for Traineeships (Student Mobility for Traineeships – SMP) promotes internships and placements of at least two months at companies or training and research centers in participating European countries, with the aim of fostering the mobility of young professionals in Europe. Recent graduates may also take part in Erasmus+ traineeship mobility.
The ChiBioFarAm Department has established a large number of bilateral agreements within the Erasmus+ Programme. The Erasmus coordinator for the Degree Program in CTF is Prof. Nicola Micale, who supports students in choosing the host university, planning study periods, and completing the Learning Agreement.
At the University level, support is provided by the International Mobility Organizational Unit, the Study Mobility Operational Unit, and the Traineeship Mobility Operational Unit.
Career Guidance and Transition to Employment
The Technical Coordination Unit for Orientation and Placement of the Department of Educational Services and Advanced Training promotes and manages activities and projects aimed at supporting career development and access to the labor market. In fulfilling its institutional mission, the Unit fosters relationships with institutional, social, and productive stakeholders in the region in order to support informed choices regarding university studies, ensure tutoring and assistance services for student integration, prevent dropout and delays in studies, encourage active participation in university life, and facilitate the transition from graduation to employment.
The University Career Service Unit represents an important point of reference for UniMe graduating students and alumni, providing useful information for entering the job market, including post-graduate internships, company presentations, recruitment days, career planning, and professional counseling on career objectives, training opportunities, and employment prospects. Career counseling services, delivered by experts and psychologists, are available by appointment.
The University of Messina is a member of the AlmaLaurea Consortium, which provides reliable and up-to-date documentation on highly qualified human capital and manages the online database of graduates, facilitating the matching of labor supply and demand at the national level and promoting transnational mobility.
With specific reference to the Degree Program in CTF, seminars led by industry experts—primarily from the pharmaceutical industry—are regularly organized to illustrate the skills, knowledge, and competencies required in professional contexts, thereby guiding students and graduates toward informed and effective career choices.
Regarding the profession of Pharmacist, one of the main career opportunities for graduates in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, the educational activities of the Master’s Degree Program—including the professional internship carried out in a community or hospital pharmacy—provide the professional competencies required for entry into the workforce, without the need for additional training periods.