Pharmaceutical Engineering
In our bachelor’s degree program in pharmaceutical technology, you will focus on the medicines of the future: how will they be developed? How will their quality be ensured? How can they be produced in a sustainable and safe way? We will teach you the answers to all of these questions with content from classic pharmaceutical studies, chemical and process engineering. You will gain all of the knowledge you need to start your career – or to serve as the basis for a master’s degree.
Your heart beats for...
A Degree Program with a Future
The degree program can also be completed with an additional internship semester.
You will bring one of the following educational backgrounds:
- General university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Specialized university entrance qualification
- Advanced technical college certificate (Fachhochschulreife)
- Professional qualification (Case-by-case examination)
German language level: C1
1. Semester
- Industrial pharmaceutics
- General chemistry
- Experimental physics: mechanics
- Differential and integral calculation
- Introduction to business administration
- English for technologists
2. Semester
- Physiology and pharmacology
- Organic chemistry and biochemistry
- Physical chemistry
- Probability calculation and statistics
- Experimental physics: electrodynamics
3. Semester
- Pharmaceutical chemistry and law
- Chemical-analytical internship
- Fundamentals of microbiology
- Fundamentals of operating technology
- Fundamentals of process engineering
4. Semester
- Pharmaceutical-analytic validation
- Internship in chemistry and analysis of pharmaceuticals
- Drug development
- Applied microbiology and industrial hygiene
- Process engineering
5. Semester
- Pharmaceutical production and validation
- Cell culture and system technology
- Quality management for technologists
6. Semester
- Applied project
- Bachelor thesis
The Pharmaceutical Engineering program does not have any specializations or areas of concentration. Students can choose from a variety of required electives. These courses often emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to gain a broader perspective—for example, in nutrition. However, required electives such as "Requirements for Medical Devices" also prepare them specifically for the needs of the industry.
With your degree, you will be well-prepared for practice-oriented careers in industrial pharmaceutics. You will understand
- all pharmaceutical dosage forms as well as suitable active ingredients and excipients, characterization and manufacturing technologies
- testing techniques to ensure drug quality and effectiveness
- modern scientific methods for effective industrial development, manufacturing and testing of intermediate and final products
You will have the professional expertise needed
- to design and create production equipment and machinery
- to test and monitor products with associated processes
- regarding specialist technical aspects of microbiology and quality management
As a graduate, you will have career prospects in many different areas. Such as
- especially in drug development, testing and manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry and for supplier companies
- across the entire life cycle of a drug: in research, marketing, quality management, approval, consulting and service companies and sales
- in process engineering, operating and packaging technology and quality assurance for companies in related industries
Collaborations with companies in the pharmaceutical and related industries are facilitated in particular through internship semesters, as well as through practical projects and bachelor’s theses. Thanks to our close personal contact with students, we are well-positioned to support them as they transition into their professional careers. This includes, among other things, advising them on suitable topics in collaboration with our industry partners.
Our research areas include
- More tolerable skin preparations
- “Green pharmaceuticals,” in particular processes that save energy and resources
- New kinds of product and process monitoring sensors
- 3D bioplotting
... the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations
- directly to good health and well-being
- directly to industry, innovation and infrastructure
- directly to responsible consumption and production
Studying at Innovation Campus Lemgo
At the Innovation Campus in Lemgo, you’ll study at one of the most exciting technology hubs in North Rhine-Westphalia. Here you’ll find state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, as well as science-to-business factories. Take, for example, the Centrum Industrial IT, where companies from across the OWL region have established branches. Or the Smart Factory OWL, which demonstrates data and AI management. At the Future Food Factory OWL—unique in Europe—similar activities take place, this time focused on food production. New Work and knowledge transfer converge at InnovationSPIN. Here, TH OWL, the district administration, and the skilled trades demonstrate transparent collaboration and a spirit that fosters innovation. In addition to the Fraunhofer IOSB-INA, the campus is also home to two vocational colleges as well as the Bundesliga handball club TBV Lemgo-Lippe. And best of all: the campus features student housing just a short walk from the university and downtown.
Information
- Application and Enrollment
- Dates and Deadlines
- Tuition
- FAQs on Application and Enrollment
- Study Plan
- Module Handbook
Only the information contained in the currently valid examination regulations for the program, as published in the official bulletin, is authoritative and legally binding. You can find the official bulletins here.
Voices from academia, teaching, and professional practice
Dominic Dralle, Pharmaceutical Engineering Student:
“For me, the ‘Pharmaceutical Engineering’ program combines exactly the fields that interest me: natural sciences and engineering. You don’t just deal with what substances are contained in medications and how they work, but above all with their production on an industrial scale. I particularly appreciate the close connection between theory and practice, as well as the direct interaction with the faculty. This creates a modern, future-oriented education where you get the feeling that you’ll be able to actively contribute to pharmaceutical care later on.”
Max Stark, Pharmaceutical Engineering student:
“What particularly excites me about TH OWL in Lemgo is the strong practical focus: here, fascinating theoretical knowledge is directly linked to real-world projects and close ties to industry. At the same time, with its beautiful downtown and proximity to the Teutoburg Forest, Lemgo offers me the perfect environment to combine my studies, sports, and student life.”
Thea Höhle, Pharmaceutical Engineering Student:
“What I particularly appreciate about the program is its practical focus: lab experience, insights into the industry, and diverse course content. Small class sizes foster personal interaction; you’re not just a student ID number, but receive individual support.”
Professor Dr. Miriam Pein-Hackelbusch, Faculty of Food, Agriculture, and Health:
“In my view, for faculty at universities of applied sciences, the fact that students come to us through such a wide variety of paths is both a challenge and an enrichment. Generating enthusiasm among students with such diverse prior knowledge requires very intensive and trusting collaboration between faculty and students. I strive to contribute to this through my teaching.”
Contact and Counseling
- Our Central Student Advisory Service answers questions about studying at the university
- Offers for study orientation
- Get to know your faculty!
- Click here to go to the subject-specific student advisory service of the faculty
- Apply via our KIS portal!
- Information on the enrollment procedure is available from the Enrollment Office
- Studying abroad? Our International Office is there for you!
Still unanswered questions?
Our Student Service Center will answer all your questions about studying at TH OWL as well as about application and enrollment:
Phone: +49 5261 702 2534
E-mail: studierendenservice(at)th-owl.de
Service hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.