If you are interested in building a career in toxicology, you are in the right place. Toxicology is an applied science which has inputs from many scientific disciplines e.g. molecular biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology and epidemiology.
The Master's Degree Programme in Toxicology provides its students with the basic scientific knowledge and professional skills to carry out human chemical risk assessment.
There is a great demand for toxicologists because so many chemicals and products of the biotechnology industry are awaiting risk assessments. The programme also provides a solid background for any student wishing to pursue PhD studies in toxicology and related sciences.
The programme fulfils the course requirements for the European Register of Toxicologist (ERT).
For instructions on how to apply and a direct link to the application form on Studyinfo, please scroll down. The application period is open until 17 January 2024.
Key information
- Level of degree: Master's degree
- Programme duration: 2 years / 120 ECTS credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Application period: 3.1.2024 - 17.1.2024
- Programme start: 29th August 2024
- Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee; non-EU/EEA nationals 8,000 €/academic year
- Tuition waivers (50-100%) are available
- Study campus: Kuopio
Why study with us?
- This programme of 120 ECTS credits gives you a solid foundation in human chemical risk assessment.
- There is a great demand for experts in toxicology in our increasingly chemical world.
Studies
There is a clear shortage of toxicologists capable of making chemical risk assessments in humans, and our program aims to partly answer this need. The program has been planned to allow its graduates to become competent human chemical risk assessors. The program clarifies the EU directives which are the basis for toxicological risk assessment as well as acknowledging the recent attempts at global harmonization of the categorization of all chemicals (new chemicals, medicines, cosmetics).
Teaching in our program is based on the very latest scientific knowledge in human toxicology and the scientific consensus about what kind of knowledge is needed for human risk assessment in the drug and chemical fields. In addition, Finnish national and EU-level legislation and regulations in risk assessment are taken into account in the curriculum.
Toxicology is an applied science combining the elements of many scientific disciplines including chemistry, biology, and medicine. The backbone for human toxicological risk assessment and exposure assessment is the understanding of the mechanisms of toxic effects in human body and high quality safety studies of new chemicals. The curriculum includes common basic studies and courses focusing on toxicology of chemicals including toxicological risk assessment. The duration of the programme is two academic years and all teaching is given in English.
Programme offers a strong background in classical toxicology as well as in development of new test systems. The students will have comprehensive understanding of different aspects of toxicology including mechanistic basis of toxic reactions and diseases caused by toxic agents to be able to carry out chemical risk assessment.
Further information about studies can be found in Peppi.
Courses
Common basic studies (Compulsory), 10 ECTS
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8031003, University Study Skills, 1 ECTS
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8031006, University Computing Skills, 2 ECTS
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4218513, Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, 4 ECTS
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TF00DF20 Introduction to TOX and Personal Study Plan, 1 ECTS
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4455053, Epidemiology I, 2 ECTS
Programme specific studies, 89-91 ECTS
Compulsory Studies, 59 ECTS
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4219103, Academic Study Skills in Toxicology, 5 ECTS
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4219222, Toxicity Testing, 5 ECTS
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4219209, Organ Toxicology and Toxicopathology, 10 ECTS
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4219216, Toxicology of Compounds, 5 ECTS
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3710435, Exposure Assessment, 3 ECTS
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4219501, Clinical Toxicology and Drug Safety, 5 ECTS
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4219204, Genetic and Reproductive Toxicology, 5 ECTS
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TA00CX23 Theory course: The use of animals in research, 2 ECTS
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TF00DF21 Common Seminars in TOX Programme, 3 ECTS
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4219509, Regulatory Toxicology, 3 ECTS
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4219512, Toxicological and Environmental Risk Assessment and Risk Communication, 3 ECTS
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4219561, Advanced Toxicological Risk Assessment, 10 ECTS
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4219516, Maturity test, 0 ECTS
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4213054, Master's Thesis in Toxicology, 30 ECTS
Studies in Finnish, Cultural encounters and Internationalisation, 4 ECTS
Alternative Studies, 15-17 ECTS
Courses to choose from:
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4219999 Practical training in toxicology 1.5-6 ECTS
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TF00DF83 Occupational toxicology 3 ECTS
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4215508, Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 2 ECTS
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4218519, Neuropharmacology and neural drug targets, 5 ECTS
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4215505, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, 4 ECTS
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4218511, Pharmacology of drugs of abuse, 2 ECTS
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4215510, Pharmacogenomics, 3 ECTS
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4217229, Lääkkeiden myyntiluvat, 3 ECTS
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4217207, Biologiset lääkevalmisteet, 3 ECTS
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4217214, Radiofarmasia ja -kemia, 3 ECTS
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4217228, Laatu laboratorio- ja apteekkityössä, 3 ECTS
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4217548, Lääkkeiden säilyvyys, 3.5 ECTS
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3622111 Tilastotieteen perusteet englanniksi, 5 ETCS
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4486404, Molecular Immunology, 3 ECTS
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4488002, Cancer biology, 4 ECTS
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4455700, Occupational Health, 5 ECTS
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4455047, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, 3 ECTS
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1130007, Career planning - international students seeking a job or traineeship in Finland, 2 ECTS
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4450331, Biostatistiikkaa terveystieteilijöille, 3 ECTS
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3710462, Ecological Risk Assessment, 5 ECTS
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3710446 Radioecology and -toxicology, 5 ECTS
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3710455, Stable Isotopes in Environmental Research, 5 ECTS
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3710477, Exposure Measurements and Modelling, 6 ECTS
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3710243 Ionisoiva ja ionisoimaton säteily, 3 ECTS
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TA00CX24 Competence course for persons designing procedures and projects, function B, 3 ECTS
TOTAL: 120 ECTS
How to apply?
There is no entrance exam. Students will be accepted to the program based on their previous studies and motivation letter.
A previous Bachelor's degree corresponding to at least 3 years of full time academic studies (equivalent of 180 ECTS credit units in the Finnish university system) from an institution for higher education is required from all Master's degree programme applicants. The degree must be awarded by an internationally accredited university or higher education institution (excluding Bachelor's degree from either the University of Applied Science or Polytechnic). Suitable background studies are for example biochemistry, biology, biosciences, chemistry, dentistry, environmental sciences, medicine, pharmacy, physiology, veterinary medicine.
Basic knowledge in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and toxicology are prerequisites for acceptance.
Detailed information about prerequisites is available on Studyinfo web page.
Official translations
All application documents should be submitted in Finnish, Swedish or English. Also the copies of the original documents have to be submitted. Translations of educational documents must be 1) issued by the awarding institution or 2) officially certified copy of a translation issued by the awarding institution or 3) translated by an official translator or 4) officially certified copy of a translation made by an official translator. Each page of an official translation must bear the translator’s stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be exact translations of the original documents. Translations done by the applicant him‐ or herself are not accepted. The instructions are described in verification of official educational documents web page.
Language requirements
Applicants must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland. No exceptions will be made and no waivers to the language proficiency requirements are given.
(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test
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Passed English exam in Matriculation Examination in Finland
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Previous education or higher education has been completed in English in EU/EEA -countries*, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Switzerland.
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Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral degree was conducted in English language in our cooperation universities University of Ghana or KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) in Ghana.
* EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries. Applicant can only indicate the language skills with an incomplete degree if he/she is applying for the studies with the same degree.
(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests
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TOEFL iBT**, overall score 92, min. 22 in writing
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IELTS (academic) overall score 6.5, min. 6.0 in writing
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PTE (academic), overall score 62, min 54 in writing
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C1 Advanced overall score C or 180, with min. 162 in writing
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C2 Proficiency overall score level C1 or 180, with min. 162 in writing
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National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI-test: level 5 in all different subtests (reading comprehension, writing and speaking). It is possible to combine different examinations.
** UEF’s TOEFEL code is 9779
No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted.
TOEFL, IELTS and PTE certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued, i.e. the language test need to be in effect during the application period, from 3 January 2022 onwards.
The application form is filled in and submitted online at national Studyinfo portal
General instructions for applying can be found in How to apply website.
Required documents:
- A copy of the Passport
- Degree certificates, and if needed, an English translation provided by an authorized translator.
- Course transcript, and if needed, an English translation provided by an authorized translator. The transcript must include number of credits, grading and date of each study unit, and the scale of grading used by the university.
- Letter of Motivation (ca.250 words written in English) stating why the applicant is interested in studying toxicology in the TOX -programme.
- If required, certificate of English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/CAE/CPE/YKI).
- Curriculum Vitae (CV). Please use the Europass template: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu > Europass CV
Selection results will be published by 31st March 2023. The applicant must accept the offered study place by 14th July 2023. The results will be sent to the applicants only via email.
Before starting their studies, the admitted applicants must verify their educational documents following the country-specific requirements.
Students who are not citizens of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland are liable to pay the tuition fee of 8000 € per academic year.
University of Eastern Finland offers scholarships for non-EU/EEA students. Non-EU/EEA students in Toxicology programme are all granted a scholarship in the form of a partial tuition fee waiver. The scholarship covers 50 percent of the tuition fee (4000 €). The University of Eastern Finland will also grant an Early Bird tuition fee deduction of 500 € to students who accept the study place and pay the tuition fees by 3 May 2024.
The scholarship is granted for two years. The Scholarship does not cover living costs. Students are expected to cover all living expenses (app. 800 € per month) and other study related costs from their own financial resources.
In the academic year 2024-2025, we grant an extra Finland scholarship (Suomi-stipendi) for the two best applicants who are required to pay the tuition fee and who have been chosen for the studies based on their success in the admission process (applicants with the highest points). The Finland scholarship consists of a full (100 %) tuition waiver and 5 000 € as a relocation grant for the first year of the master’s studies. For the second year the tuition waiver is 50 %.
All applicants need to complete the Student Application Form. Those applicants who are applying for scholarship need to additionally complete the “Application for Scholarship,” which can be found in the application form. There is no separate application for scholarships.
Other mandatory fee: Membership of the Student Union. Further information is available on the website of the Student Union.
- EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
- EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
- Switzerland (non EU/EEA).
Application period 2023
Our application period is open from 3 January 2024 to 17 January 2024. The application is completed and submitted online.
Apply via Studyinfo
Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.

Finland Scholarship
Finland Scholarship
UEF will grant a Finland Scholarship for the best two applicants in each Master's degree programme. The scholarship includes a 100% tuition waiver and a € 5 000 relocation grant.
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